---
title: "Outline of Earth science"
chunk: 2/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_Earth_science"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:28:35.173700+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== Geology ===
Geology – The study of the composition, structure, physical properties, and history of Earth's components, and the processes by which they are shaped.
Economic geology – Science concerned with earth materials of economic value
Engineering geology – The application of the geology to engineering practice.
Environmental geology – Science of the practical application of geology in environmental problems.
Quaternary geology – The branch of geology that studies developments more recent than 2.6 million years ago
Planetary geology – The geology of astronomical objects apparently in orbit around stellar objects
Petroleum geology – The study of the origin, occurrence, movement, accumulation, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels
Historical geology – The study of the geological history of Earth
Hydrogeology – The study of the distribution and movement of groundwater
Structural geology – The science of the description and interpretation of deformation in the Earth's crust independent of extent
Geochemistry – Science that applies chemistry to analyse geological systems
Geochronology – Science of determining the age of rocks, sediments and fossils
Geodesy – The science of the geometric shape, orientation in space, and gravitational field of the Earth
Geomagnetics – Study of the Earth's magnetic field
Geomicrobiology – Science of the interactions between microbiology and geology
Geomorphology – The scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them
Glaciology – Scientific study of ice and natural phenomena involving ice
Geophysics – The physics of the Earth and its environment in space, and the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods
Micropaleontology – The branch of paleontology that studies microfossils
Mineralogy – Scientific study of minerals and mineralised artifacts
Gemology – Science dealing with natural and artificial gemstone materials
Mineral physics – The science of materials that compose the interior of planets
Paleontology – Scientific study of prehistoric life
Palynology – The study of dust
Petrology – The branch of geology that studies the origin, composition, distribution and structure of rocks
Physical geodesy – The study of the physical properties of the Earth's gravity field
Sedimentology – The study of natural sediments and of the processes by which they are formed
Seismology – The scientific study of earthquakes and propagation of elastic waves through a planet
Paleoseismology – The study of earthquakes that happened in the past
Stratigraphy – The study of rock layers and their formation
Volcanology – The study of volcanoes, lava, magma and associated phenomena

=== Geography ===
Geography – The science that studies the terrestrial surface, the societies that inhabit it and the territories, landscapes, places or regions that form it.

Physical geography – The branch of natural science which deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere, as opposed to the cultural or built environment, the domain of human geography
Human geography – The study of cultures, communities and activities of peoples of the world
Cartography
Topography
Geostatistics – A branch of statistics focusing on spatial data sets
Environmental chemistry – The scientific study of the chemical and biochemical phenomena that occur in natural places
Environmental soil science – The study of the interaction of humans with the pedosphere as well as critical aspects of the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere.
Geographic information science – Scientific study of geographic data and information
Edaphology – The science concerned with the influence of soils on living things.
Pedology – The study of soils in their natural environment
Spatial decision support systems – Computerised aid to land use decisions
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) – Various satellite navigation systems
Hydrology – The science of applying engineering techniques to the properties of the Earth's water, especially its movement in relation to land.
Satellite navigation – Any system that uses satellite radio signals to provide. autonomous geo-spatial positioning
Remote sensing – Acquisition of information at a significant distance from the subject.
Photogrammetry – The science of making measurements using photography.

=== Oceanography ===
Oceanography – The study of the physical and biological aspects of the ocean

Biological oceanography – The study of how organisms affect and are affected by the physics, chemistry, and geology of the oceanographic system.
Physical oceanography – The study of physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean
Chemical oceanography – The study of ocean chemistry
Paleoceanography – The study of the history of the oceans in the geologic past
Limnology – The science of inland aquatic ecosystems
Marine geology – The study of the history and structure of the ocean floor

=== Planetary science ===
Planetary science – The study of planets (including Earth), moons, and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes that form them.

Planetary geology – study of the geology of astronomical objects apparently in orbit around stellar objects
Selenography – study of the surface and physical features of the Moon
Theoretical planetology – the theoretical study of the internal structure of planets by making assumptions about their chemical composition and the state of their materials, then calculating the radial distribution of various properties such as temperature, pressure, or density of material across the planet's internals.

== History of Earth science ==
History of Earth science – history of the all-embracing sciences related to Earth. Earth science and all of its branches are branches of physical science.