Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
salt pillow
References
Images
Figure 1: Interrelationships of salt structures (see text)
Britannica AI Icon

salt pillow

geology
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

Figure 1: Interrelationships of salt structures (see text)
Figure 1: Interrelationships of salt structures (see text)

A salt pillow is a geological formation where salt, typically halite, is embedded within horizontal or inclined strata. These structures are precursors to salt domes, which are larger, vertical cylinders of salt. Salt pillows form when salt deposits, buried under denser sedimentary rocks, become gravitationally unstable and begin to flow. This upward movement causes the overlying strata to bulge, creating a "pillow" shape.

This process is driven by gravity, tectonic forces, or a combination of both. As the salt continues to flow and accumulate, it can pierce through the overlying rocks, forming a salt dome. Salt domes are significant because they can trap valuable resources like oil and natural gas within the surrounding rock formations. They are also sources of salt and sulfur.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. salt dome
  2. salt plug

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.