What sequence of changes turns a buried salt bed into a salt dome?

The development of a salt dome from a buried salt bed is a process driven by gravitational instability, as salt is less dense than the overlying sedimentary strata. The sequence of changes occurs as follows:

• Deposition and Burial: Thick layers of salt are deposited and subsequently buried by denser sedimentary rock, creating a gravitationally unstable environment.1
• Pillow Formation: Under the influence of high pressure and temperature, the salt begins to flow from its original bed toward a central point, forming a rounded salt pillow.1
• Doming and Subsidence: As salt accumulates in the pillow, it pushes upward, doming the overlying strata. Simultaneously, the area from which the salt migrated subsides, creating a rim syncline.1
• Piercement: The overlying strata are stretched and fractured by faults. Eventually, the salt breaks through these layers, forming a plug-shaped mass.1
• Continued Growth: The salt mass continues to rise, often keeping pace with the deposition of new sediment, until the salt supply is exhausted or the dome is buried.1