water well . (a) A well that extracts water from the saturated zone or that yields useful supplies of water. (b) A well that obtains groundwater information or that replenishes groundwater. (c) A well drilled for oil but yielding only water.
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.
areal geology (ar'-e-al). The geology of an area, esp. the spatial distribution and position of stratigraphic units, structural features, and surface forms. Cf: regional geology.
thorium-230-deficiency method . The calculation of an age in years for fossil coral or shell from 10,000 to 250,000 years old, based on the departure of ionium (thorium-230) from equilibrium with uranium-238 and uranium-234 as a result of carbonate recrystallization shortly after its formation or burial. The age depends on the growth toward the equilibrium ratio, which is directly related to the passage of time. Cf: uranium-series age method; thorium-230/protactinium-231 deficiency method. Syn: ionium-deficiency method.
topographic-bathymetric map (top-o-graph'-ic-bath-y-met'-ric). A map with both the relief of the land and the bottom of the offshore areas shown by contours. Contour intervals on land and on sea bottom may not be the same (USGS, 2002b, p.2-50 to 2-51).
prosogyrate (pros-o-gy'-rate). Said of the umbones (of a bivalve mollusk) curved so that the beaks point in the anterior or forward direction. Ant: opisthogyrate.
calcic [geochem] (cal'-cic). Said of minerals and igneous rocks containing a relatively high proportion of calcium; the proportion required to warrant use of the term depends on circumstances.
liptobiolite (lip-to-bi'-o-lite). (a) A resistant plant material that is left behind after the less resistant parts of the plant have wholly decomposed and that is characterized by relative stability of composition; e.g. resin, gum, wax, amber, copal, and pollen. (b) liptobiolith.
harbor bar . A bar built across the exit to a harbor.
phreatomagmatic eruption (phre-a'-to-mag-ma'-tic). Explosive volcanic eruption caused by interaction of magma with groundwater or shallow surface water. Syn: hydrovolcanic .
crenate (cre'-nate). Having the edge, margin, or crest cut into rounded scallops or shallow rounded notches; e.g. "crenate costae" of bivalve mollusks.
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