Heterokliniske

Heterokliniske is a term used in structural geology to describe bedding or foliation planes that do not dip uniformly along strike. In English, the related term is often rendered as heteroclinal. The name comes from Greek roots meaning “different” (heteros) and “slope” (cline), reflecting the varied dips observed in the feature.

In a heterokliniske structure, successive layers can show different dips when traced along the direction of strike, and the hinge lines or lines of maximum dip may curve or shift. This contrasts with simpler, more uniform structures such as orthoclines (where dips are relatively uniform) or monoclines (where a single step-like tilt affects a succession of otherwise horizontal beds). Heterokliniske arrangements can result from post-depositional tilting, differential movement along faults, or the complex interaction of multiple deformation events in compressional or resultant tectonic settings.

Field identification relies on detailed bedding measurements across a region. Geologists look for changes in dip direction or magnitude along strike, misaligned bedding surfaces, and non-parallel cross-sections. Accurate mapping often requires cross-sections, data from multiple outcrops, and, when possible, subsurface information to distinguish heterokliniske features from other structural forms such as folds or multiple monoclines.

Heterokliniske structures are important for understanding the tectonic history of an area because they indicate complex deformation and differential movement within the rock sequence. They can complicate paleogeographic reconstructions and influence interpretations of sedimentation patterns, mineralization, and the locations of faults or thrust belts.

See also: monocline, orthocline, heteroclinal folds, structural geology, tectonics.