regional metamorphism

American  

[ree-juh-nuhl met-uh-mawr-fiz-uhm] / ˈri dʒə nəl ˌmɛt əˈmɔr fɪz əm /

noun

1. Geology. metamorphism that affects rocks in a widespread region under conditions of high pressure and temperature, often resulting in the formation of such banded and crystalline rocks as gneiss and schist.

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regional metamorphism Scientific  

/ rē′jə-nəl /

1. A type of metamorphism in which the mineralogy and texture of rocks are changed over a wide area by deep burial and heating associated with the large-scale forces of plate tectonics. In regional metamorphism, rocks that form closer to the margin of the tectonic plates, where the heat and pressure are greatest, often differ in their minerals and texture from those that form farther away.

2. Compare contact metamorphism

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Example Sentences

Figure 7.17 c: Regional metamorphism of oceanic crust at a subduction zone.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Figure 7.16 b: Regional metamorphism of oceanic crustal rock on either side of a spreading ridge.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Regional metamorphism has arisen in the heart of mountain-chains, and in any other district where the deformation of the crust has been sufficiently intense.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 6 "Geodesy" to "Geometry" by Various