A continental nucleus is the central part of a continental block. Its surface is similar to a dome with gentle slopes and is relatively stable. It often contains large basement rocks (mainly the old metamorphic Pre-Sinian System), the outcrops of which are often surrounded by platforms covered by marine continental margin deposits. In plate tectonics, the continental nucleus is also called a land shield or shield, and in the literature, it is often called a craton.
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(2020). Continental Nucleus. 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_397
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