Geologic processes are natural events and mechanisms that shape the Earth's surface and interior over both short and long time scales. These processes influence the formation, alteration, and destruction of rocks, landforms, and geological structures. Key geologic processes include:
- Tectonic processes : Movement of Earth's lithospheric plates causing earthquakes, mountain building, continental drift, and volcanic activity.
- Volcanic activity : Eruption of magma onto the surface forming igneous rocks and new landforms.
- Erosion and weathering : Breakdown and removal of rock and soil by water, wind, ice, and gravity, shaping landscapes.
- Sediment transport and sedimentation : Movement and deposition of sediments that form sedimentary rocks.
- Metamorphism : Transformation of existing rocks under pressure and temperature into metamorphic rocks.
- Glaciation : Ice masses sculpting landscapes by erosion and deposition, creating features like U-shaped valleys and fjords.
- Diagenesis : Chemical and physical changes in sediments after deposition, leading to rock formation.
- Isostasy : Earth's crust adjusting vertically due to loading or unloading, such as from glaciers or sediment.
- Land subsidence and liquefaction : Sinking of land and soil behavior changes during earthquakes.
- Soil formation : Development of soil from weathered rock and organic material.
- Hydrothermal processes : Circulation of hot water altering rock chemistry and mineral deposits.
- Mass wasting : Downslope movement of soil and rock under gravity, including landslides.
These processes collectively build up and wear down Earth's surface, create and destroy landforms, and drive the rock cycle involving igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. They operate through physical, chemical, and biological interactions affecting the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere
. In summary, geologic processes are the dynamic natural forces and events that continuously shape the Earth's structure and surface features over geological time.
