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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to geology: . Geology – one of the Earth sciences – is the study of the Earth, with the general exclusion of present-day life, flow within the ocean, and the atmosphere.
The thin parts are the oceanic crust, which underlies the ocean basins (5–10 km) and is mafic-rich [9] (dense iron-magnesium silicate mineral or igneous rock). [10] The thicker crust is the continental crust , which is less dense [ 11 ] and is felsic -rich (igneous rocks rich in elements that form feldspar and quartz ). [ 12 ]
Solidified lava flow in Hawaii Sedimentary layers in Badlands National Park, South Dakota Metamorphic rock, Nunavut, Canada. Geology (from Ancient Greek γῆ (gê) ' earth ' and λoγία () ' study of, discourse ') [1] [2] is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over ...
A shield is a large area of exposed Precambrian crystalline igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks that form tectonically stable areas. [1] These rocks are older than 570 million years and sometimes date back to around 2 to 3.5 billion years.
The contrast in lithology between formations required to justify their establishment varies with the complexity of the geology of a region. Formations must be able to be delineated at the scale of geologic mapping normally practiced in the region; the thickness of formations may range from less than a meter to several thousand meters. [2]
Major subdisciplines are mineralogy and petrology, geomorphology, paleontology, stratigraphy, structural geology, engineering geology, and sedimentology. [31] [32] Physical geography focuses on geography as an Earth science. Physical geography is the study of Earth's seasons, climate, atmosphere, soil, streams, landforms, and oceans.
[7] [8] [9] Tectonic uplift during the creation of high mountainous regions can produce incredible surface elevations and therefore exposure of rocks to wind and water. High precipitation can drive enhanced erosion of the exposed rocks and lead to rapid denudation of sediment from the mountains.
The Main Central Thrust is a major geological fault where the Indian plate has pushed under the Eurasian plate along the Himalaya.The fault slopes down to the north and is exposed on the surface in a NW-SE direction (strike).