Dike swarm

A dike swarm (American spelling) or dyke swarm (British spelling) is a large geological structure consisting of a major group of parallel, linear, or radially oriented magmatic dikes intruded within continental crust or central volcanoes in rift zones. Examples exist in Iceland and near other large volcanoes, (stratovolcanoes, calderas, shield volcanoes and other fissure systems) around the world. A swarm consists of several to hundreds of dikes emplaced more or less contemporaneously during a single intrusive event, are magmatic and stratigraphic, and may form a large igneous province.

Sedimentary clastic dike swarms also exist on Earth; for example in Chile.

Magmatic dike swarms have also been found on Venus and Mars.

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