craton

craton — 名詞

1. In geology, a craton is a very old portion of the Earth's outer layer which has

1.名詞C2
釋義

克拉通

穩定古老的大陸地殼核心

In geology, a craton is a very old portion of the Earth's outer layer which has stayed still and unchanged for extremely long periods, serving as the solid foundation at the heart of a landmass.

例句

Dr. Elena Souza published a paper on the ancient craton beneath West Africa.

Elena Souza 博士發表了一篇關於西非下方古老克拉通的論文。

collocation: ancient craton / craton beneath [place]

The Canadian Shield, a vast craton, contains some of Earth's oldest surface rocks.

加拿大地盾是一個巨大的克拉通，蘊藏著地球上最古老的表面岩石。

同義詞
  • continental shield

    refers specifically to a craton where the ancient rock is exposed at the surface rather than buried

  • cratonic basement

    used when describing the craton as the foundation layer beneath younger sedimentary rock

  • stable block

    a more general term for any stable crustal region, not necessarily as old as a craton

  • continental core

    describes the craton's role as the central mass of a continent

反義詞
  • mobile belt

    a region of the crust that experiences frequent tectonic activity — the opposite of a stable craton

  • orogenic zone

    a region where mountains are actively forming, in contrast to the stillness of a craton

文法句型

craton + verb (is / was / contains)

the + craton + of + [place]

用法筆記

This term belongs almost exclusively to geology. Cratons are distinct from younger, more active regions such as mountain belts, which undergo constant deformation.

常見錯誤

❌The craton moved several centimetres during the earthquake.
✅The craton experienced almost no movement during the earthquake.
💡A craton is defined by its stability, not by movement.
❌The Rocky Mountains are a young craton.
✅The Canadian Shield is an example of a Precambrian craton.
💡Young mountain ranges are the opposite of cratons, which are old and stable.