--- title: "Index of geology articles" chunk: 1/1 source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_of_geology_articles" category: "reference" tags: "science, encyclopedia" date_saved: "2026-05-05T08:08:47.439007+00:00" instance: "kb-cron" --- This is a list of all articles related to geology – Scientific study of Earth's physical composition that cannot be readily placed on the following subtopic pages: == A == Asthenosphere – Highly viscous, ductile, and mechanically weak region of Earth's mantle Astrogeology – Geology of astronomical objects apparently in orbit around stellar objects Aulacogen – Failed arm of a triple junction, an inactive rift zone == B == Batholith – Large igneous rock intrusion Beach – Area of loose particles at the edge of a body of water Bolide – Extremely bright meteor == C == Calcium Canyon – Deep chasm between cliffs Cave – Natural void under a planetary surface Cement – Hydraulic binder used in the composition of mortar and concrete Cementation – Process of chemical precipitation bonding sedimentary grains Cenozoic – Third and current era of the Phanerozoic Eon Coast – Area where land meets the sea or ocean Concretion – In geology, a type of compact mass Conglomerate – Sedimentary rock composed of smaller rock fragments Continent – Large geographical region identified by convention Convergent boundary – Region of active deformation between colliding tectonic plates Crag and tail – Geographic feature created by glaciation Crust – Outermost solid shell of astronomical bodies == D == Datum (geodesy) – Reference frame for measuring location Deposition – Natural addition of materials to a landmass Diapir – Type of geologic intrusion Dike – Sheet of rock that is formed in a fracture of a pre-existing rock body Divergent boundary – Linear feature between two tectonic plates Drumlin – Elongated hill formed by glacial action == E == Earth science – Fields of natural science related to Earth Environmental engineering – Engineering discipline related to environmental science Environmental geography – Intersection of human and physical geography Eon – Subdivision of geological time; shorter than a supereon and longer than an era Epigenesis Epoch – Subdivision of geological time; shorter than a period and longer than an age Era – Subdivision of geological time; shorter than an eon and longer than a period Eustasy – Global sea level independent of local factors == F == Fahlband – Stratum in crystalline rock, containing metallic minerals Fall line – Meeting point of uplands and coastal plain Felsic – Igneous rock rich in silica and feldspar == G == Geologic age – Smallest hierarchical geochronologic unit Geologic fault – Fracture or discontinuity in displaced rock Geologic modelling – Applied science of creating computerized representations of portions of the Earth's crustPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Geologic period – Geologic time unit shorter than an era, longer than an epoch Geologic time scale – System that relates geologic strata to time Geological phenomenon Geologist – Scientist who studies geology Geology – Scientific study of Earth's physical composition Geology of the Alps Geomorphology – Scientific study of landforms Geostatistics – Branch of statistics focusing on spatial data sets Geyser – Natural explosive eruption of hot water Glacial period, also known as Glaciation – Geological era Graben – Depressed block of planetary crust bordered by parallel normal faults == H == Hadean – Geologic eon, 4567–4031 million years ago Horst (geology) – Raised fault block bounded by normal faults Hotspot (geology) – Volcanic region hotter than the surrounding mantle == I == Igneous rock – Rock formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava Integrated geography – Intersection of human and physical geography Isostasy – State of gravitational equilibrium between Earth's crust and mantle == K == Karst – Topography from dissolved soluble rocks == L == Laccolith – Mass of igneous rock formed from magma List of geologists List of tectonic plates List of rock types Lithosphere – Outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet or natural satellite Lithotope – Geological term == M == Mafic – Silicate mineral or igneous rock that is rich in magnesium and iron Mantle (geology) – Layer inside a planetary-mass object Marine regression – Geologic event in which sea level falls relative to the land Mass wasting – Movement of rock or soil down slopes Matrix (geology) – Finer-grained material in a rock within which coarser material is embedded Metamorphic rock – Rock that was subjected to heat and pressure Meteorite – Solid debris from outer space that hits a planetary surface Mineral – Crystalline chemical element or compound formed by geologic processes Mining engineering – Engineering discipline Mudpot – Hot spring, or fumarole, with limited water Mud volcano – Landform created by the eruption of mud or slurries, water, and gases == N == == O == Orogeny – Formation of mountain ranges == P == Paleontology – Study of past life through fossils Pedology – Study of soils in their natural environment Permeability (materials science) – Measure of the ability of a porous material to allow fluids to pass through itPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Petroleum engineering – Extracting crude oil and natural gas Phosphate – Anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid Piercement structure – Type of geologic intrusion Planetary geology – Geological study of planets Plate tectonics – Movement of Earth's lithosphere Porphyry (geology) – Movement of Earth's lithosphere Proterozoic – Geologic eon, 2500–539 million years ago == Q == == R == Regression (geology) – Geologic event in which sea level falls relative to the land Relative density – Ratio of two densities Rift – Geological linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart Rock (geology) – Naturally occurring mineral aggregate Rock strata – Layers of sediment, rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics Rodinia – Hypothetical Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rubidium–strontium dating – Radiometric dating technique for rocks and minerals == S == Sand – Granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles Sandstone – Type of sedimentary rock Sediment trap – Any topographic depression where sediments substantially accumulate over time Sedimentary rock – Rock formed by the deposition and cementation of particles Sequence stratigraphy – Study and analysis of groups of sedimentary deposits Silicate mineral – Rock-forming minerals with predominantly silicate anions Sill – Tabular intrusion between older layers of rock Stratigraphy – Study of rock layers and their formation Stratum – Layer of sediment, rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics Subduction – Geological process at tectonic plate boundaries == T == Tar pit – Asphalt pit or asphalt lake Tenham (meteorite) – Chondritic meteorite that fell in 1879 in a remote area of Queensland, Australia Timeline of geology – Chronological list of notable events in the history of the science of geology Transform fault – Plate boundary where the motion is predominantly horizontal Transgression (geology) – Geologic event in which sea level rises relative to the land == U == Uniformitarianism – Assumption that natural laws are constant through time and space == V == Volcano – Rupture in a planet's crust where material escapes == W == == X == == Y == == Z ==