Geomorphology: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:08, 20 July 2005

Revision as of 20:17, 21 July 2005

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[[Image:Earth surface NGDC 2000.jpg|thumb|Surface of the Earth]]

'''Geomorphology''' is the study of [[landforms]], including their origin and evolution, and the processes that shape them. The underlying question is: Why do landscapes look the way they do? The term is derived from the Greek <i>''geo</i>'', meaning <i>''Earth</i>'', and <i>''morph</i>'', <i>meaning form</i>. Geomorphologists seek to understand landform history and dynamics, and predict future changes through a combination of field observation, physical experiment, and numerical modeling. The discipline is practiced within [[geology]], [[geography]], [[archaeology]] and [[civil engineering|civil]] and [[environmental engineering]].

Landforms evolve in response to a combination of natural and anthropogenic processes. The landscape is built up through [[tectonic uplift]] and [[volcanism]]. Denudation occurs by [[erosion]] and [[mass wasting]], which produces sediment that is transported and [[deposition (geology)|deposited]] elsewhere within the landscape or off the coast. Landscapes are also lowered by subsidence, either due