Tektoninen

Tektoninen is a Finnish adjective meaning related to tectonics. In geology, tektoninen describes processes and structures produced by the deformation and movement of the Earth's lithosphere, notably plate tectonics, including faulting, folding, uplift and subsidence. The term helps distinguish tectonic-scale phenomena from local or sedimentary processes.

Tektoniset rakenteet are deformation-induced features such as faults, folds (anticlines and synclines), nappes, shear zones, and metamorphic belts. Tektoniset vyöhykkeet or tectonic belts are zones of concentrated deformation often associated with plate boundaries, such as subduction zones or continental collision zones, where mountains and basins form.

The study of tektoninen geologia (tectonic geology or structural geology) integrates field observations, geophysical data, and geochronology to reconstruct past plate motions and deformation histories. Tektoninen activity is a principal driver of earthquakes, mountain building, basin formation, and continental rearrangements through Earth's history. The concept underpins the global framework of plate tectonics, lithospheric plate movements, and mantle convection.

Etymology: The word derives from Greek tektonikos meaning "builder" or "pertaining to construction," via Latin tectonicus. In Finnish, it is used across geology and related sciences to denote tectonic phenomena. See also plate tectonics, structural geology, and lithospheric deformation.