* Tabular: It is relatively flat and sheet-like, meaning it has a significantly greater length and width compared to its thickness.
* Discordant: It cuts across the existing rock layers (strata) at an angle, instead of being parallel to them.
This type of pluton is essentially a sill that has been tilted or deformed after its emplacement. Sills are typically horizontal, but tectonic forces can cause them to become tilted or even vertical.
Here's a breakdown of its characteristics:
* Shape: Flat, sheet-like
* Orientation: Cuts across existing rock layers at an angle
* Formation: Intrusion of magma between existing rock layers, followed by tilting or deformation
* Examples: Some tilted sills, dikes that have been eroded to reveal their tabular shape
Key points to remember:
* Tabular discordant plutons are less common than their horizontal counterparts, sills.
* Their discordant nature is a result of tectonic activity that occurred after their intrusion.
* The tilted or deformed shape can provide information about the geological history of the region.
Examples:
* A tilted sill that was once horizontal but was tilted during a mountain-building event.
* A dike that has been eroded to expose a tabular cross-section.
Overall, a tabular discordant pluton is a type of intrusive igneous rock body that has been tilted or deformed after its intrusion, resulting in a flat, sheet-like shape that cuts across the existing rock layers.
