Earth science

Earth science

Any of several geological sciences that are concerned with the earth, its origins, and all of its various structures and physical forms and phenomena.

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Earth science > Seismology

tsunami

Earth science; Seismology

(Japanese for "Harbour Wave"). A series of huge ocean waves caused by a rapid, large-scale disturbance of the sea water, such as a major earthquake beneath the seabed that causes ...

tectonic plate

Earth science; Seismology

A large, relatively rigid segment of the Earth's lithosphere that moves in relation to other plates over the deeper interior. Plates meet in convergence zones and separate at ...

fault scarp

Earth science; Seismology

A slope formed by the offset of the surface of the Earth by a fault.

tensor

Earth science; Seismology

A mathematical tool to describe a scalar (magnitude but no direction; zero-order tensor), a vector (magnitude and directionality; first-order tensor), and a second-order tensor ...

step function

Earth science; Seismology

A mathematical function where its value is zero before time t0 and one afterwards. Its derivative is the delta function.

surface reflections

Earth science; Seismology

A seismic wave that initially travels downward but then is reflected back to the surface, often repeating the cycle. Some examples of surface reflections are PP, PS and PPP.