Glossary of Geology and Geography Terms
Posted on Nov 2, 2024 in Geology
G
- Gulf
- Incoming sea on Earth.
- Gota Cold
- A weather phenomenon causing torrential rains in autumn in the Mediterranean region. It produces significant erosion.
- Glacier
- Large natural accumulations of ice in the headwaters of valleys, formed in a cirque (a depression where ice accumulates).
- Gelifraction
- A process causing rock breakage due to freeze-thaw cycles.
- Graben
- Granite blocks lowered within a fault structure.
H
- Hemisphere
- Each of the two equal parts of the globe divided by the Equator. The Northern Hemisphere is also called Boreal, and the Southern Hemisphere is called Austral.
- Horst
- A granite block uplifted within a fault structure.
I
- Ibón
- A glacial lake in Aragon, Spain.
- Isthmus
- A narrow strip of land connecting an island or peninsula to the mainland, or two islands together.
K
- Karst
- A type of landscape formed over limestone, characterized by various erosional features.
L
- Latitude
- The angular distance between a point on Earth’s surface and the Equator. It is measured from the Equator (0 degrees) to the poles (90 degrees North or South).
- Lapiaz
- A typical limestone landscape in Spain, consisting of long, sharp grooves or flutes formed by the dissolution of limestone by water.
- Plain
- A large, relatively flat area of Earth’s crust at a low elevation.
- Lithology
- The branch of geology that studies rocks.
M
- Magma
- Molten material found at temperatures of 700-1100°C under high pressure.
- Malpais
- Rocky, wrinkled, and cracked surfaces formed by rapidly solidified lava flows.
- Mantos Shift
- (Nappes) Folded material appearing to be lying down and displaced over significant distances.
- Topographic Map
- A map representing visible features on the Earth’s surface, including relief, water bodies, and infrastructure. It includes a legend to interpret symbols.
- Tethys Sea
- A prehistoric sea that covered the Iberian Peninsula and later dried up, contributing to the formation of the plateau (Meseta) and mountainous landscape.
- Marshes
- Mudflats typically found in lower bays, formed by sediments deposited by rivers and covered by seawater at high tide. Vegetation grows in these areas.
- Meridian
- An imaginary line on maps used to locate a point on Earth’s surface. Meridians determine longitude, measured east or west of the Prime Meridian (0° or Greenwich).
- Plateau (Meseta)
- A large, elevated area with a relatively flat or gently undulating surface, typically above 300m in altitude, formed by various processes (volcanic, erosional, sedimentary).
- Modeling
- Landforms resulting from the action of erosive agents.
- Karst Landscape
- Landforms typical of limestone areas, caused by the action of water.
- Marl
- A detrital rock composed of a mixture of limestone and clay.
- Monte-island (inselberg)
- An isolated hill or mountain rising above a plain as a result of erosion.
- Morphogenesis
- The study of the origin of landforms.
- Moraine
- Sedimentary material of glacial origin.
- Muela
- A tall hill with a flat top.
- Massif Tectonics (Horst)
- An uplifted block of Earth’s crust.
- Eustatic Movements
- Changes in sea level, including marine regression (sea level fall) and transgression (sea level rise).
O
- West
- Refers to the western direction, usually coinciding with the left side of maps.
- East
- Refers to the eastern direction, usually coinciding with the right side of maps.
- Orogeny
- Horizontal tectonic movements leading to mountain formation.
- Alpine Orogeny
- The formation of mountain ranges like the Alps by the compression of ancient folded massifs and vast amounts of accumulated materials in geosynclines.
P
- Landscape
- A portion of the Earth’s surface that is visually distinct, typically homogeneous in nature, and resulting from a combination of physical and human elements.
- Parallel
- An imaginary line on maps, used in conjunction with meridians, to locate a point in space. Parallels remain equidistant from each other on a map.
- Páramo
- An isolated, flat-topped elevation with steep slopes, formed by horizontal strata.
- Peneplain
- A gently elevated plain.
- Peninsula
- An area of land surrounded by water on all sides except for a narrow connection to the mainland.
- Profile/Survey
- The process of collecting data for map-making.
- Periglacial
- An area bordering a glacier, characterized by climate and processes related to freezing and thawing.
- Folding
- The bending or warping of rock layers, typically of sedimentary origin, due to tectonic forces.
- Polje
- A large, flat-floored depression in a karst landscape.
- Paleozoic
- The first era of geological time, characterized by the appearance of the first fossils and ending with the Hercynian orogeny.
- Pedriza
- An accumulation of blocks covering a ridge or dome, typically occurring in granitic rocks.
- Continental Shelf
- The gently sloping seabed extending from the shoreline to a depth of approximately 200m, where it transitions to the steeper continental slope.
- Fold
- An undulation of a rock layer, consisting of a hinge and flanks.
- Marine Regression
- The withdrawal of seawater from the land, caused by factors such as strong winds, seabed subsidence, glaciation, or continental uplift.
- Raña
- A gently sloping erosion surface covered by sediments, typically found at the foot of a relief.
- Relief
- The set of landforms that make up the Earth’s surface.
- Estuary
- A river valley flooded by seawater.
