A stylolite is a jagged surface that forms in sedimentary rocks by pressure solution. Stylolites are common in limestone and quartzite. In cross-section, they look like zigzag curves, and in plan view, they form undulating surfaces. Three-dimensionally, they are composed of concave and convex columns of varying sizes, which are called suture columns. Stylolites can vary in size significantly; the dimensions from the concave to convex columns can be up to dozens of centimetres or larger but can be less than 1 mm. Stylolites can serve as pathways for oil and gas migration, and they play an active role in their transportation and accumulation.
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(2020). Stylolite. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2368
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2368
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