Usually you have some process like subrosion or salt tectonics (halokinesis) or conventional tectonics (e.g. gaben formation in an extensional regime) or emptying of a magma chamber which creates (accomodation) space, i.e. a basin/ hole/ bowl, which is filled with sediment. The process of filling may be supported by gravity.

An example for subsidence through gravity might be the aging, thickening and subduction of dense oceanic crust (which leads to the accumulation of sediments in arc-related basins).

The word subsidence is normally used in a non-tectonic sense, that is to say, the tectonic forces (the extensional stresses) are not the cause of subsidence. On the other hand one has to understand that subsidence may happen due to various reasons. For example, land subsidence in an area may occur suddenly or within a short period of time due to collapse of large subsurface natural cavities or old or abandoned mines. Extraction of large quantities of ground water, or petroleum/gas may cause gradual land subsidence too. Subsidence in a large sedimentary basin in a passive margin may occur slowly due to the weight of the overlying sediments, but sudden collapse of the basement may occur resulting in quick subsidence, if a very thick pile of sediments is involved. In the latter scenario, due to the overlying load, strength of the basement rocks has been exceeded and faulting occurs, but tectonic forces are not the cause of faulting. However, if the basin itself has been the work of extensional tectonics, faulting predates sedimentation, but under gravity some faults may be reactivated giving rise to subsidence.

I think the notion that the term 'subsidence' is only used for processes not induced by tectonic processes is wrong. Where does that wisdom come from?

See e.g. the many scientific studies published since 2009 that discuss "tectonic subsidence": http://scholar.google.de/scholar?as_ylo=2009&q=%22tectonic+subsidence%22

It is possible that observed normal faults are related to growth faults in passive margins. However, Tectonics plays an important role in subsidence of sedimentary basins, along with thermal relaxation.

You can have sedimentation associated to subsidence, but you could also have starvation: it depends by the position in the basin and by the sediment supply.

In general terms, the subsidence implies a lowering of topography or depositional surface, generally quite slow, without any direct implications on the nature of the phenomena that induce this lowering. The subsidence may have a tectonic "engine" or different natural and anthropogenic causes.

This is especially evident in continental settings, where large areas of the earth surface can be affected by subsidence, because of simultaneous phenomena. In alluvial or deltaic plains placed in active tectonic settings, such as in subduction zones, the tectonic subsidence may add that connected to the consolidation of natural deposits rich in fine particles and organic matter. These phenomena can be in addiction to anthropogenic forcings, such as the exploitation of water resources and hydrocarbons, which can cause further subsidence.

An exception must be made for rapid lowerings of the ground surface, which can be induced by collapses of cavities or changes in the stress state induced by human activity (e.g., external loads induced by buildings). In the first case it is much better to speak of “sinkhole”, while in the second case we speak of “differencial settlements”; in these cases, the lowering is almost sudden and generally localized.

It can be both: foreland basins are often flexural (non-tectonic); intraarc basins in subduction regimes are tectonic.

One problem here is apparently the vagueness of the term "tectonic". I find it a bit misleading to call foreland basins non-tectonic as they are always associated with orogens. The clearest case of non-tectonic subsidence, as already mentioned by others, is thermal subsidence of ocean floor and intracontinental basins as they cool.

Subsidence is not at all a geological term. It is a word geologists have borrowed from the English language to explain sinking or settling of the ground because of that meaning it connotes. As many have explained above, subsidence may be caused by many geological processes and sometimes it could be a combination of factors. Whenever one is convinced that tectonics has been the main cause of subsidence there is no harm in the usage of the term tectonic subsidence where one attributes the cause of subsidence to a tectonic process with the use of the qualifier ‘tectonic’ in front of the word subsidence. Similarly there is the opposite process tectonic uplift, a usage indicating raising of the ground level due to a tectonic process. But all uplifts of the ground (like subsidence) are not tectonic. There is isostatic rebound due to erosion leading to uplift. If an earthquake vigorously shakes ground underlain by water saturated sands, it leads to liquefaction causing ground subsidence. Port Royal in Jamaica sank 6 meters beneath the sea during a 1692 earthquake. Therefore, word subsidence may be used with an appropriate qualifier to explain its cause, but the word itself is not used to signify a tectonic process.

Is called subsidence a tectonic phenomenon which locally depresses the crust pressed compensated not in depth but surface by providing powerful detritic deposits. Do not confuse with subduction, related phenomenon of plate tectonics.

The subsidence may occur within a short period of time or gradually due to collapse of subsurface natural cavities. The subsidence may occur due to Extraction of large quantities of ground water or due to the flushing of the subsurface layers of gravel or salt. Subsidence in a large sedimentary basin in a passive margin may occur slowly due to the weight of the overlying sediments. But in all reasons of the susidence the trends of the susidence is following the fault systems.

If the nets of faults you describe are not oriented but more in a polygonal fashion then this is likely linked to dewatering and fluid escape and not to tectonic stresses. This is clear if the faulting is just in a limited part of the stratigraphy. These faults tend to be quite small but very numerous. See the work of

Cartwright, J. A. (1994), Episodic basin-wide fluid expulsion from geo-pressured shale sequences in the North Sea Basin, Geology, 22, 447-450.

Subsidence is abroad word used frequency as a type of natural geological hazards. Land depression, sinkhole…etc. are used sometimes as types of subsidence. The causes of this phenomenon can be non-tectonic like underground dissolution or subsurface holes, or tectonic-related affect such as Earthquake- related shaking/vibration.

Dear Ahmadi,

It’s difficult to find a solution of your problem starting from a question! I will only try to draw your attention to some points which can help you to solve it:

- When one speaks about “subsidence”, generally we indicate a “total subsidence”. So, “total subsidence = a subsidence due to the sedimentary load (60 – 80%) + tectonic and thermal subsidence (20 – 40%).

- The basin type “passive margin” evolves in extensive mode; it’s normal to have a normal faulting.

- Are your faults syn- or post-sedimentary?

- It’s necessary to pay attention to the effect of the “compaction” in already faulted field!!

Cordially

When looking at a basin, you need to look at what is adjacent to the basin.

I f a basin is adjacent and parallel to a mountain range, then the pair are a lateral

compression wave form where the mountain is vertically unconstrained so it moves upward far more than the adjacent basin moved downward, because the basin

is vertically constrained by the layers below.

If the Basin does not have mountains adjacent to it, then it can be an extensional feature similar to rifting where the extension results in subsidence.

A third form is due to large areas of extension such as the Basin and Range area of the western United States where long strips of continent broke off, rolled over, and

were carried westward in a sequence of events. The basins are the

material the erodes off the Ranges and fills the space between the rolled over blocks

of previously horizontal and more compact continent. The increase in surface area

is about 50%.

A fourth Basin Type occurs when the earth pulls apart, and a large block in the

middle moves downward.

When studying Basins you need to study the associated areas around the Basin

to see if it is associated with extension features, or compression features.

This is far easier in dry climates with limited rainfall and vegetation.

Wow, there's so much to say about basin subsidence! It's a great topic.

Hi. Every pull, in lithospheric mind, creates a push, so, in any foreland basins you can find also compressive or transtensive/transpressive elements - look of them carefuly... nothing is simple:)

Both, it depends on the geological setting of the area.....you may be get some benefit from my paper about sinkholes related tectonic factor, Jordan uploaded on researchgate.... 

The subsidence can be tectonic. It follow the subsurface structures, or non tectonic the reason may be a flushing of the subsurface layers due to groundwater movement or shrinkage in the soft subsurface layers or salt layers

There is a relationship between geologic processes and theory of plate tectonics (tectonic). In plate tectonics theory three types of plates are distinguished: the "divergent or expansion" (related to oceanic ridges or troughs in -rifts continental areas), the "convergent or subduction" (related to deep ocean trenches, mountain ranges or magmatic) belts. This is the big difference between geology and geography. Geography withouth Geology is nothing.