Lusitanian Basin
The Lusitanian Basin is a rift basin located on both the mainland and continental shelf off the west-central coast of Portugal. It covers an area measuring 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi) and extends north-south from Porto to Lisbon. The basin varies between approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi) and 340 kilometres (210 mi) in width and belongs to a family of periatlantic basins such as the Jeanne d'Arc Basin. To the east of the Lusitanian Basin lies the Central Plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. A marginal horst system lies to the west. The Alentejo and Algarve Basins connect to the southern end of the Lusitanian Basin. In the north, it connects to the Porto and Galicia Basins via an undersea ridge.
| Lusitanian Basin | |
|---|---|
The regional setting of the Lusitanian Basin | |
| Coordinates | 39°26′10″N 8°56′14″W |
| Etymology | Lusitania |
| Region | Iberian Peninsula |
| Country | Portugal |
| Cities | Lisbon, Aveiro, Leiria, Figueira da Foz |
| Characteristics | |
| On/Offshore | Both |
| Part of | Iberian Mesozoic Sedimentary Basins |
| Area | 22,000 km2 (8,500 sq mi) |
| Hydrology | |
| Sea(s) | North Atlantic |
| Lake(s) | Lagoa de Óbidos |
| Geology | |
| Basin type | Rift |
| Plate | Eurasian |
| Orogeny | Opening of the North Atlantic Ocean |
| Age | Late Triassic-Late Cretaceous |
| Stratigraphy | Stratigraphy |
| Faults | Nazaré Fault |
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