kenhsuite . A vitreous yellow orthorhombic mineral: Hg3S2Cl2. It is photosensitive and blackens on exposure to light.
GeoWord of the Day
The GeoWord of the Day is a free service of the American Geosciences Institute. All of the terms and definitions are from the Glossary of Geology, 5th Edition Revised.
falaise (fa-laise'). An old, low sea cliff, on an emergent coast, that reestablishes contact with the open sea; the type example is the coast of Normandy. Etymol: French, "cliff".
falaise (fa-laise'). An old, low sea cliff, on an emergent coast, that reestablishes contact with the open sea; the type example is the coast of Normandy. Etymol: French, "cliff".
box corer . A type of corer that retrieves relatively undisturbed sediment samples from the seafloor in a block rather than in a cylinder.
race [paleont] . A group of organisms with similar characteristics but not sufficiently distinctive to be classified as a species or subspecies.
autapomorphy (au''-ta-po-mor'-phy). In cladism, a derived character that is unique to a single taxon, usually a single species. Adj: autapomorphic; autapomorphous.
volcanism [planet] . Quiescent or explosive emission of molten planetary materials from the solid planetary body, including admixtures of liquids with gases and solids. See also: cryovolcanism.
paludification (pa-lu''-di-fi-ca'-tion). Peat formation over previously forested land, grassland, or even bare rock as a result of a rise in the local water table due to changes in climatic conditions, rise in base level, or autogenic processes. Cf: terrestrialization.
wind streak . Light or dark patches on planetary surfaces emanating from topographic obstacles and pointing in the direction that was downwind at the time of their formation. They can be either erosional or depositional features (Kieffer et al., 1992).
spertiniite (sper-ti'-ni-ite). A blue or blue-green orthorhombic mineral: Cu(OH)2 .
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