exceedance - (geology) the probability that an earthquake will generate a level of ground motion that exceeds a specified reference level during a given exposure time; "the concept of exceedance can be applied to any type of environmental risk modeling"

principle of superposition, superposition principle, superposition - (geology) the principle that in a series of stratified sedimentary rocks the lowest stratum is the oldest

earth science - any of the sciences that deal with the earth or its parts

hypsography - the scientific study of the earth's configuration above sea level (emphasizing the measurement of land altitudes relative to sea level)

palaeogeology, paleogeology - the study of geologic features once at the surface of the earth but now buried beneath rocks

geophysical science, geophysics - geology that uses physical principles to study properties of the earth

orography, orology - the science of mountains

mineralogy - the branch of geology that studies minerals: their structure and properties and the ways of distinguishing them

spelaeology, speleology - the scientific study of caves

economic geology - the branch of geology that deals with economically valuable geological materials

crustal movement, tectonic movement - movement resulting from or causing deformation of the earth's crust

heave - (geology) a horizontal dislocation

uplift, upthrow, upthrust, upheaval - (geology) a rise of land to a higher elevation (as in the process of mountain building)

slide - (geology) the descent of a large mass of earth or rocks or snow etc.

fault line - (geology) line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surface

bed - (geology) a stratum of rock (especially sedimentary rock); "they found a bed of standstone"

clast - (geology) a constituent fragment of a clastic rock

clastic rock - (geology) a rock composed of broken pieces of older rocks

diapir - a domed rock formation where a core of rock has moved upward and pierced through the more brittle overlying strata

esker - (geology) a long winding ridge of post glacial gravel and other sediment; deposited by meltwater from glaciers or ice sheets

geological fault, fault, fracture, break, shift - (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other; "they built it right over a geological fault"

geological formation, formation - (geology) the geological features of the earth

Great Rift Valley - ( geology) a depression in southwestern Asia and eastern Africa; extends from the valley of the Jordan River to Mozambique; marked by geological faults

kettle hole, kettle - (geology) a hollow (typically filled by a lake) that results from the melting of a mass of ice trapped in glacial deposits

peneplain, peneplane - a more or less level land surface representing and advanced stage of erosion undisturbed by crustal movements

sill - (geology) a flat (usually horizontal) mass of igneous rock between two layers of older sedimentary rock

xenolith - (geology) a piece of rock of different origin from the igneous rock in which it is embedded

geological phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the structure or composition of the earth

accretion - (geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or water-borne sediment

eating away, eroding, erosion, wearing, wearing away - (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

foliation - (geology) the arrangement of leaflike layers in a rock

geologic process, geological process - (geology) a natural process whereby geological features are modified

deflation - (geology) the erosion of soil as a consequence of sand and dust and loose rocks being removed by the wind; "a constant deflation of the desert landscape"

saltation - (geology) the leaping movement of sand or soil particles as they are transported in a fluid medium over an uneven surface

superposition - (geology) the deposition of one geological stratum on another

hoodoo - a column of weathered and eccentrically shaped rock; "a tall sandstone hoodoo"