In geology, a platform is a continental area covered by relatively flat or gently tilted, mainly sedimentary strata, which overlie a basement of consolidated igneous or metamorphic rocks of an earlier deformation. Platforms, shields and the basement rocks together constitute cratons. Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of water or other liquid. ... Strata is a comic science fiction novel by Terry Pratchett. ... In geology, the terms basement and crystalline basement are used to define the rocks below a sedimentary basin, or more generally any rock below sedimentary rocks or sedimentary basins that are metamorphic or igneous in origin. ... Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means change in form, derived from the Greek words meta, change, and morphe, form. The protolith is subjected to extreme heat (>150 degrees Celsius) and pressure causing profound... World geologic provinces. ...

See also

• Basement
• Craton
• List of Platforms, Shields and Cratons
• Shield

In geology, the terms basement and crystalline basement are used to define the rocks below a sedimentary basin, or more generally any rock below sedimentary rocks or sedimentary basins that are metamorphic or igneous in origin. ... World geologic provinces. ... // African Shield AKA Ethiopian Shield Amazonian Shield of central South America The Angaran Shield of West Siberia Arabian-Nubian Shield (Western) Australian Shield Baltic Shield of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe Canadian Shield AKA Laurentian Shield The China-Korean Shield containing the North China Craton The East Antarctic Shield containing the... Shields are shown in orange. ...

Sources

Parker, Sybil P. (Ed.). 1997. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Geology and Mineralogy. New York: McGraw-Hill.