Earth science: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 21:35, 11 April 2007
Earth science refers to those sciences that deal with the study of the earth and its components or parts. A common synonym for earth science is geoscience. Earth science includes those fields that study the firmament (the lithosphere or ground that makes up the land and the ocean floor), the waters (the hydrosphere which includes the oceans, the seas, rivers, lakes and so forth), and the atmosphere itself, the air around us.
Each aspect of these domains may be divided even further into separate but interrelated disciplines of study. Geology which encompasses the lithosphere includes vulcanology (the study of volcanoes), hydrology (the study of water through the atmosphere, surface, subsurface and oceans) mineralogy (the study of the composition of the geosphere, specifically the mineral composition of the geosphere), and geomorphology (the study of the forces that shape the geosphere and their different forms).
Regions of study
There are commonly three ‘spheres’ in the earth sciences. Atmosphere (from the Greek root atmos meaning ‘vapor’ and sphaira, meaning ‘sphere’), lithosphere (Greek - lithos rock or ‘stone) and hydrosphere (Greek – hydros, meaning ‘water’) corresponding, respectively, to the gas, the solid ground and the water of the earth. There are other ‘spheres’ as well. The pedosphere (Greek pedon or ‘soil’) refers to the outerlayer of the lithosphere. It interacts directly with the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. The study of the glaciology, involves the glacial layer or cryosphere (Greek root kryos, frost or ice)[1]
Disciplines and Sub-disciplines
There are a large number of subdisciplines and related disciplines that involve overlapping fields of study[2]. A perusal of university majors and journal topics demonstrates the fundamental characteristic of earth science, although the geosciences are basically about the non-living aspects of the earth[3], its interaction with living organisms, past and present, is also a very large area of study.
Geology
Astrogeology
The study of the geology of other planets and extraterrestrial materials it is concerned with the geology (the surface as well as interior processes) of all solid bodies in the solar system, , including the major planets and their satellites, asteroids, comets, and meteorites.[4][5] Astrogeology is synonymous with ‘exogeology’ and ‘planetary geology.’ Astrogeology utilises geological studies on Earth and incorporates remote sensing of planetary bodies (e.g. telescopy) to study such geological process as volcanism, floods, cratering, tectonics, and sand movement.[6]
Crystallography and Mineralogy
The study of crystals and minerals.
Economic geology
the study of ore deposits.
Engineering geology
the study of the geological characteristics of sites where engineering operations are going to be carried out.
Environmental geology/geosciences
the study of how geological processes affect the environment.
Exploration geology
the search for new mineral deposits.
Field Geology
Geochemistry
the study of the chemistry of the Earth.
Geochronology
the study of dating geological events.
Gemmology
the study of gemstones.
Geological Heritage
The study of conservation of geologically important sites.
Geomagnetism
Geomorphology
The study of landforms. Fluvial geomorphology, for example, studies how human use impacts natural settings in a watershed and determines the shape of river channels. Fluvial geomorphology attempts to predict what physical changes will occur to a water channel in response to alterations in watershed conditions; and how changes will impact human infrastructure and fish habitat.[7]
Geophysics
the study of the physical properties of the Earth.
Glaciology
The study of glaciers, their formation, movement and environmental impact
Hydrogeology
the study of the movement of water through the Earth.
Mining geology
the study of the geology of a mine site.
Petroleum geology and Coal geology
the study of ancient organic deposits (fossil fuels).
Physical geography
Palaeogeography
The study of ancient landforms
Palaeomagnetism
the study of past magnetic fields of the Earth.
Petrology
the study of rocks (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary)
Sedimentary geology
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy
Seismology
the study of how waves move through the Earth, including earthquakes.
Structural geology
the study of geological structures.
Tectonics/Structural geology
the study of the major structural features of the Earth or the broad structure of a region.
Soil science
Vulcanology
the study of volcanoes.
Oceanography
The study of the earth’s oceans.
Limnology
Hydrology
The interdisciplinary study of the movement, characteristics and distribution of water, surface-water (fresh water and salt water), groundwater, and water-quality [8][9] Subdisciplines include:
- Chemical hydrology: the study of the chemical characteristics of water. Also called hydrochemistry, chemical hydrology deals with the chemical characteristics of the surface water (freshwater and marine) and subterranean water. Water is a chemical solvent and, interacting chemically with materials with which it comes into contact, can dissolve many elements.
- Drainage basin management hydrology.
- Ecohydrology (the study of interactions between organisms and the hydrologic cycle.
- Engineering Hydrology
- Global hydrology
- Groundwater Hydrology
- Hydrobiology
- Hydrogeology is the study of the presence and movement of water in aquifers.
- Hydroinformatics is the adaptation of information technology to hydrology and water resources applications.
- Hydrometeorology is the study of the transfer of water and energy between land and water body surfaces and the lower atmosphere.
- Isotope hydrology is the study of the isotopic signatures of water.
- Operational Hydrology
- Qualitative Hydrology
- Sedimentology
- Surface hydrology is the study of hydrologic processes that operate at or near the Earth's surface.
- Water resources development and management
Atmospheric sciences
Meteorology
Climatology
Paleoclimatology[14]
the study of ancient climates.
Interdisciplinary divisions
Geoarcheology
Geomicrobiology
Studies microbes and their interactions in geologic systems
Paleobotany
the study of ancient plant life. Paleontology may be divided further into vertebrate, invertebrate and micropaleontology
Paleoecology
the study of ancient environments.
Paleontology
the study of ancient life forms.
Palynology
the study of ancient spores and pollens.
References
- ↑ Woodhouse's English-Greek Dictionary The University of Chicago Library. pp 944, 801, 719, 967, 791, 347
- ↑ See for example Branches of geoscience Australian Museum of Geosciences
- ↑ What is geoscience? Australian Museum of Geosciences
- ↑ Planetary geology Manual of Remote Sensing. Department of Astronomy, Cornell University
- ↑ “Astrogeology” Encyclopedia Britannica
- ↑ Center for Earth and Planetary Studies National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian
- ↑ What is Fluvial Geomorphology? Field Geology Services
- ↑ American Institute of Hydrology
- ↑ British Hydrological Society
- ↑ International Glossary of hydrology
- ↑ Water resources of the United States USGA
- ↑ Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
- ↑ Virtual campus in hydrology and water resources management A cooperative of Institute of Soil and Water resources Management (Hydrology and Land Improvement Laboratory) EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland; Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania (TUCEB); University Timisoara, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Romania; Technical University "Gheorghe Asachi" of Iasi (T.U.I.), Romania; Sophia University "St Kliment Ohridski", Geology and Geography Faculty ; National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology ; Institute of Water Problems, Bulgaria; Kharkiv State Technical University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (KSTUCA), Ukrainia; Ukrainian Scientific Research Institute of Ecological Problems (USRIEP), Ukrainia; Technical University of Moldova, Faculty of Urban Engineering and Architecture, Chisinau, Moldova
- ↑ Spelling of ‘paleo-‘ is commonly ‘palaeo-‘ in Common Wealth countries, e.g. Australia, the UK etc