Fig.1. – An illustration of basins in an extensional set up (Source – google images)

In the case of intracratonic rift basins, although formed within continental masses in extensional set up, they are normal fault bounded basin. Most normal faults in rift basins are associated with both extensional and strike-slip components. In strike-slip presence, when extensional regime dominates, faulting is called as transtensional basin. So basin bounding fault zone has more offset on one side of the rift than the other zone. They are structurally more disturbed. If rifting continues to operate, there could be possibilities of opening of oceanic basin along margins of continent (pericratonic). There could be development of aulacogens or failed rifts in special conditions like a plume which might lead to a dome like build-up generating three fractures, two of which could be active in terms of rifting and third becomes inactive & might be filled with sediment later.

In the case of passive margin basins, they are usually developed at continent-ocean margins where no subduction is occurring. The more it accentuates to the oceanic areas away from continental crust, the more it has potential to allow biogenic processes to work on it and can lead to formation of carbonate build ups. It is to be noted that if continental drainage occurs, then siliciclastic sediments can allow deltaic accumulations to form. This can also lead to sediment loading due to gravity deformation of basinward transported materials.

While considering the continental margins, in convergent settings (Fig.2.), we usually come across an oceanic crust subducting below a continental crust and a trench which may roll-back beneath landward side of volcanic chain on other side of subduction zone along with development of volcanic arcs due to accretionary prisms. If accretion to continental margins is complete, then there can be accreted back-arc and accreted fore-arc basins.