Graben
Death Valley
The low part of the structure formed between geologic faults. Also see HORST
A graben is a block of the Earth's crust that has dropped downward between two parallel faults, forming a valley. It is created by the process of tectonic forces pulling the crust apart, which causes the land in the middle to sink while the sides remain elevated.
Grabens are often found in rift valleys or areas with active tectonic plate movement and can vary in size from small depressions to large geological features like the East African Rift. The term comes from the German word for "ditch" or "trench."
