Geology Lab Final Flashcards
Waves that move through the interior of the earth. split into two categories of primary and secondary waves.
body waves
compressional waves. fastest and first to arrive
p-waves (primary waves)
shear waves. slower than p waves but faster than surface waves. moves perpendicular to the direction of the wave. propagates through SOLIDS ONLY
s-waves (secondary waves)
waves that travel along the surface of the earth. most damaging and slowest wave. smaller on bedrock and higher on unconsolidated sediment.
surface waves
where earthquakes are most common
shallow crust (~15 km)
depth of the brittle-ductile transition is
temperature controlled
earthquakes can go up to
300 km
location where the sliding starts
focus
location on the surface directly above the focus
epicenter
cardinal direction (N,W,E,S) of a horizontal line in an inclined plane
strike
number of degrees the plane is tilted down from the horizontal
dip
FUN dip-slip faults
footwall up normal
FDR dip-slip faults
footwall down reverse
types of strike-slip faults
left-lateral and right-lateral
zone of the fold with maximum curvature (peaks)
hinge
sides of the fold where the bed curvature is smallest
limbs
plane that symmetrically divides the fold
axial plane
line formed by the intersection of the axial plane with the beds of the fold
fold axis
fold with a non-horizontal fold axis
plunging fold
a convex-upward fold whose core contains the older rocks (mountain shaped)
anticline
a concave-upward fold whose core contains the younger rocks (valley shaped)
syncline
heavier lines with elevations printed on them used as a point of reference
index contour
predetermined vertical distance
contour interval
measured from 0 at the equator to 90N and 90S. parallel. (horizontal)
latitude
measure east to west from 0 at the prime meridian. not parallel. (vertical)
longitude
graphical representation of distance on the map using bar lengths with number labels
bar scale
does not use units. (ex: 1:24000)
ratio scale
scale represented in words. (ex: 1 in= 200 ft)
verbal scale
cross section that shows the elevations, ruggedness, and slopes along a given line between two points on a topographic map
topographic profile
the common practice in topographic profiles of stretching different horizontal and vertical scales
vertical exaggeration
flow continuously throughout the year and are represented by blue lines on topographic maps
perennial streams
flow only at certain times of the year. represented by dotted line segments
intermittent streams
occurs when a streak overflows its banks
flood
sediment transported and deposited by streams
alluvium
drainage network including upland tributaries and mains tream
stream drainage system
stream drainage systems form characteristic patterns of drainage depending on relief and geology
stream drainage patterns
measure of steepness of a slope expressed in ft/mi. calculated by dividing relief by path distance
gradient
relatively flat areas on either side of a river prone to flooding
floodplain
form at the outer edge of a meander and experience erosion
cutbanks
form at the inner edge of a meander and experience deposition
point bars
forms as a result of a meander being cut off from main stream channel
oxbow lake
median grain size in a distribution
D50
fluid stress acting on the bed creating shear forces in the direction of flow
boundary shear stress
the boundary shear stress that initiates motion of a specific grain, grain size dependent
critical boundary shear stress
the amount of water flowing through a channel and stays constant unless water leaves or enters the system. velocity x channel width x channel depth
stream discharge
boundary shear stress (kg/m*s^2 or Pa)= density (kg/m^3) x G (9.8m/s^2) x bed gradient x water depth (m)
depth slope product
entire area of land drained by one stream
drainage basin
sensitivity of surface temperature to changes in radiation. warming/number of CO2 doublings
climate sensitivity
log2(high CO2/low CO2)
number of CO2 doublings
