GEOSC 010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Solifluction, Lahar, Earthflow
Document Summary
Learning objectives: natural disasters caused by mass wasting, mass wasting in the formation of landforms. When describing mass wasting processes the terms debris, earth, or mud is used when soil breaks apart. If the bedrock comes apart the term rock is used. Mass wasting refers to the down- slope of movement of rock, regolith, or soil under the direct influence of gravity. Mass wasting can be referred to as erosion or weathering. Weathering does not produce landforms but can erode earth to see a landform. The combination of running water and mass wasting can form stream valleys. Glaciers, wind, waves and ground water contribute to landforms as well. Slopes change over time as the earth moves to create higher elevations. Without that process then the world would be flat until a cataclysmic upheaval of the earth. Catastrophic mass wasting in the form of landslides occurs where there is population and causes natural disasters.
