Trough (geology)

Satellite image of the Cayman Trough.

Bathymetric features of the Rockall Trough northwest of Scotland and Ireland

In geology, a trough generally refers to a linear structural depression that extends laterally over a distance, while being less steep than a trench.

A trough can be a narrow basin or a geologic rift, often formed at the rim of a tectonic plate.

There are various oceanic troughs, troughs found under oceans; examples include

• the Cayman Trough
• the Nankai Trough
• the Rockall Trough and others along the rift of the mid-oceanic ridge,
• the Timor Trough.

See also

• Walker Lane