Tsunami: In the seismology branch of geology, a tsunami is an oceanic wave (gravitational) that is produced by seismic activity on the ocean floor. Common triggers of tsunamis are large-scale short duration earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or other submarine earth movements such as subsidence and slope failure.
Epicenter Epicenter: In the seismology branch of geology, an epicenter of an earthquake is the point on Earth’s surface that is directly above the focus (or hypocenter). It is the ground surface location overlying where an earthquake rupture originates within a dip-slip fault or strike-slip fault. Shortly after an earthquake, United States Geological Survey (USGS)…
Environmental Consultant Environmental Consultant: An environmental consultant is an expert of any profession or field, who focuses their skills and knowledge towards matters that improve the environment. Environmental consultants are typically scientists with expertise in geology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Environmental Consultants Working Towards Environmental Sustainability Environmental consultants generally provide professional services that aim towards…
Methane Soil Gas Methane Soil Gas: In geology, methane soil gas refers to the confinement of CH4 within the interstitial pore spaces of subsurface soils. On Earth and potentially on Mars, methane derives from subsurface pockets of biogenic and petrogenic natural gas. To illustrate, accumulations of buried organic matter decay via microbial or thermal degradation….
Well Graded Soil Well Graded: In the soil classification process of geology, well graded soil represents a sedimentary soil sample that fully displays all of the possible grain sizes for that soil classification, in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). For example, a well graded sand (SW) comprises fine, medium, and coarse grains…
Gap-Graded The term “Gap-Graded” is used by geologists, engineers, and soil scientists in the geotechnical engineering field to describe the gradation of a soil sample, specifically when some particle sizes are missing. Aside from being “gap graded,” a soil sample can be described as “well-graded” (also referred to as poorly sorted), or “poorly graded” (or…
Subsidence “Subsidence” is a geologic condition, in which a localized mass movement occurs, resulting in the downward settlement of the earth over time. When subsidence occurs, the actual ground surface elevation is lower. This occurrence of the ground surface sinking is typically caused by groundwater table and aquifer reductions, by which the soils become more…
