spelunker (spe-lunk'-er). A journalistic or an outsider's term for a caver.
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.
toe [struc geol] . The leading edge of a thrust sheet.
pressure tendency . The net rise or fall of barometric pressure within a specified time (usually three hours) before a particular observation. Syn: barometric tendency.
avalanche talus . An accumulation of rock fragments of any size or shape, derived from snow and ice mixed with soil and rock debris avalanched from a cliff or rocky slope above. It usually occurs on the downwind side of a ridgetop or arête, in mountains where drifting snow builds cornices that collapse and bring down snow, ice, and rocks. Angle of slope is much less than 30° and the slope profile is concave upward (White 1967, p.237). Cf: avalanche boulder tongue; scree; avalanche track.
primary creep . Elastic deformation that is time-dependent and results from a constant differential stress acting over a long period of time. Cf: secondary creep. Syn: transient creep.
magnetic elements . The characteristics of a magnetic field that can be expressed numerically. The seven magnetic elements are declination D, inclination I, total intensity F, horizontal intensity H, vertical intensity Z, north component X, east component Y. Only three elements are needed to give a complete vector specification of the magnetic field.
highmoor peat . Peat occurring on high moors and formed predominantly of moss, such as sphagnum. Its moisture content is derived from rain water rather than from groundwater, and is acidic. Mineral matter and nitrogen content is low compared to lowmoor peat, and cellulose content is high. Cf: domed peat; lowmoor peat. Syn: moorland peat; moor peat; sphagnum peat; bog peat; moss peat.
przhevalskite (pr-zhe-val'-skite). A bright greenish-yellow tetragonal mineral: Pb(UO2)2(PO4)2•4H2O .
tsumebite (tsu'-meb-ite). An emerald-green monoclinic mineral: Pb2Cu(PO4)(SO4)(OH) .
argille scagliose (ar-gil'-le scag-lio'-se [ar-jee-leh skehl-yo'seh]). A thick sheet of chaotic, allochthonous material consisting of highly plastic, churned, and slickensided clays that have been displaced many kilometers by lateral or vertical stresses aided by gravity sliding or by diapiric movement; specif. a stratigraphic unit of Jurassic to Oligocene age exposed along parts of the Apennines, on which great slabs of rock have slid. Etymol: Italian, "scaly shale".
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