Understanding Transcurrent Faults: Cutting Across Rock Units

Transcurrent is a term used in geology to describe a fault or fracture that cuts across a rock unit, cutting it into two or more pieces. In other words, a transcurrent fault is a fault that does not parallel the original bedding planes of the rock unit it cuts through. Instead, it strikes across the rock unit at an angle, creating a jagged or irregular boundary between the two sides of the fault.

Transcurrent faults can be either normal or reverse faults, depending on the direction of movement along the fault. Normal faults are those in which the hanging wall (the side above the fault) moves downward, while reverse faults are those in which the footwall (the side below the fault) moves upward.

Transcurrent faults can be an important feature of the geological landscape, as they can affect the distribution of rocks and minerals, and can also play a role in the formation of mountains and other topographic features.