UNCONFORMI
TY
One of the most common features found
in the rocks or in succession
Different than all other geological
structures (fold joints or fault)
Resulted due to tectonic activity
(upliftment or subsidence)
A period of Non deposition
UNCONFORMITIES= GAPS IN ROCK LAYERS
LAYERS OF ROCKS REMOVED BY EROSION
PERIOD OF TIME PASSESS WITHOUT ANY
NEW DEPOSITION
A) Sedimentary rocks are
both above and below the
unconformity
B) Volcanic rocks above
sedimentary rocks below
C) Volcanic rocks above and
below
D) Sedimentary rocks
above, plutonic rocks
below
E) Volcanic rocks above
and plutonic rocks
below
F) Sedimentary rocks
above, volcanic rocks
below
Angular
unconformity
Disconformity
Local unconformity
Non conformity
Blended
unconformity
Para conformity
Buttress
unconformity
•An angular unconformity
forms when rock deposited
in horizontal layers is
folded or tilted and then
eroded. When erosion
stops, a new horizontal
layer is deposited on top of
a tilted layer.
•When the bedding planes
of the older rock layers are
not parallel to those of the
younger rock layers
deposited above them, an
angular
unconformity results.
layers of sediments are
eroded
uplifted without folding or
.
tilting and are
Eventually, the
subsid
area depositio
es and n
resum
es.
The layers on either side of
the boundary are nearly
horizontal. Although the rock
layers look as if they were
deposited continuously, a large
time gap exists where the
upper and lower layers meet.
This gap is known as a
disconformity.
Local unconformity is a similar to disconformities, but as the
name implies, it is distinctly local in extent; the time involved is
short
Nonconformities must be
distinguished from intrusive
igneous contacts.
The rocks above a
nonconformity may contain
fragments of the older igneous
rock , either as readily
recognized pebbles and
boulders or as small
fragments recognized only
under the microscope.
•A paraconformity is a type of
unconformity (gap in the geologic
system) in which there is no evidence of
a gap in time, because the planes
above and below the gap are parallel
and there is no evidence of erosion
•Para conformities challenge the
geologic timescale. The lack of
evidence of time at the surface of the
underlying layers of a paraconformity,
especially the lack of erosion, suggest
that the long ages never occurred.
An angular unconformity, as its name suggests, is an unconformity
between layers that are not parallel but instead are at an angle.
Steno's principle of lateral continuity tells us that the tillted layers
were originally continuous before being eroded.
Steno's principle of original hozontality tells us that these tilted
layers were deposited as horizontal layers and later tilted.
A nonconformity is an ancient surface of erosion between overlying
sedimentary rock layers and underlying unlayered igneous or
metamorphic rocks.
Prior to the erosion, there has to have been rock into which magma
was intruded or beneath which rocks were metamorphosed.
Erosion of all that rock would require much time.
Unconformities are erosional or non-depositional
breaks in a sequence of rocks.
Unconformities are structural features and they
play an important role in investigation of deformed
rocks and represents break in stratigraphic
sequence.
Rocks of various origin may participate in
unconformities like sedimentary rocks, volcanic
igneous rocks, plutonic rocks or metamorphic
rocks may be involved.
Formation of an unconformity may be attributed to
three main processes like erosion, deposition and