sill

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sill

geology

Also known as: sheet

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Also called:: sheet

Related Topics:: igneous rock

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sill, flat intrusion of igneous rock that forms between preexisting layers of rock. Sills occur in parallel to the bedding of the other rocks that enclose them, and, though they may have vertical to horizontal orientations, nearly horizontal sills are the most common. Sills may measure a fraction of an inch to hundreds of feet thick and up to hundreds of miles long. Rock compositions of all types are found in sills. The famous basic sills have received much attention because of the knowledge they provide concerning the crystallization behaviour of basic magmas.

Sills can be subdivided on the basis of the number of intrusions that have formed them and the variability of the rock types involved. A simple sill is the product of a single intrusion, whereas a multiple sill is formed by two or more intrusions. A composite sill is composed of more than one rock type positioned between older layers of rock during more than one intrusive episode.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.