Earth science

Earth scienceis an all-embracing term for thesciencesrelated to the planetEarth.^[2]Earth science may also be calledgeoscience.Geoscience is the study of thearchitectureof the Earth.

It is a broader term thangeologybecause it includes aspects ofplanetary science,which is part ofastronomy.The Earth sciences include the study of theatmosphere,oceansandbiosphere,as well as the solid earth. Typically Earth scientists use ideas fromphysics,chemistry,biology,chronologyandmathematicsto understand the Earth, and how it evolved to its current state.

If there is one fact which underlies all Earth science it is this: the Earth is anancient planetwhich has been changing the whole time since itsformation.The extent of the changes is much greater than people used to think.^[3]

Fields of study[change|change source]

TheOrdovician–Silurianboundary, an example ofmarinetransgression as exposed on the Southern tip of the Hovedøya island,Norway.Due to the folding of theCaledonianmountain range, the layers have been inverted, leaving Ordovician granularlimestoneon top of the later Silurian brownishmudstone.

The following disciplines are generally recognised as being within the geosciences:

Geologydescribes therockyparts of the Earth'scrust(orlithosphere) and its historic development. Major subdisciplines aremineralogyandpetrology,geochemistry,geomorphology,paleontology,Mineralogy,petrophysics,stratigraphy,structural geology, engineeringgeologyandsedimentology.^[4]^[5]
GeophysicsandGeodesyinvestigate the shape of the Earth, its reaction to forces and itsmagneticandgravityfields. Geophysicists explore theEarth's coreandmantleas well as thetectonicandseismicactivity of the lithosphere.^[5]^[6]^[7]
Soil sciencecovers the outermost layer of the Earth's crust that is subject to soil formation processes (or pedosphere).^[8]^[9]
Oceanographyandhydrology(includeslimnology) describe the marine and freshwater domains of thewateryparts of the Earth (orhydrosphere). IncludesMarine biology.
Glaciologycovers theicyparts of the Earth (orcryosphere).
Atmospheric sciences cover thegaseousparts of the Earth (oratmosphere) between the surface and theexosphere(about 1000 km). Major subdisciplines aremeteorology,climatology,atmosphericchemistryandphysics.
Astronomyincludes the study of distant stars and galaxies to the examination of the 4.6 billion years old Earth from an astronomical point of view. It is also closely related with the study of the solar system and itsplanets,a subdiscipline calledplanetology.A more distant relative of astronomy isphysical cosmology,which aims to study theUniverseas a whole.^[10]
Closely related to the earth sciences arephysical geographyandbiology.

List of Earth science topics[change|change source]

Atmosphere[change|change source]

Biosphere[change|change source]

Systems[change|change source]

Others[change|change source]

Engineering Geology
Geostatistics
Geodesy

References[change|change source]

↑Encyclopedia of Volcanoes.Academic Press, London, 2000.
↑"Wordnet Search: Earth science".Archived fromthe originalon 2020-04-10.Retrieved2010-10-09.
↑Van Andel, Tjeerd 1994.New views on an old planet: a history of global change.2nd ed, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK.
↑Adams, Simon & Lambert, David 2006.Earth Science: an illustrated guide to science.New York NY 10001: Chelsea House.ISBN 0-8160-6164-5.
↑^5.0^5.1Smith, Gary A. & Pun, Aurora 2006. How does the Earth work?. Pearson Prentice Hall, NJ.ISBN 0-13-034129-0.
↑Wordnet Search: Geodesy^{[permanent dead link]}
↑NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Geodesy
↑"Elissa Levine, 2001, The Pedosphere As A Hub".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-30.Retrieved2010-10-09.
↑"Duane Gardiner, Lecture: Why study soils? excerpted from Miller R.W. & D.T. Gardiner, 1998.Soils in our environment,8th Edition ".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-02-09.Retrieved2010-10-09.
↑CrashCourse (2015-01-15),Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1,retrieved2017-11-27

[1] Encyclopedia of Volcanoes.Academic Press, London, 2000.

[2] "Wordnet Search: Earth science".Archived fromthe originalon 2020-04-10.Retrieved2010-10-09.

[3] Van Andel, Tjeerd 1994.New views on an old planet: a history of global change.2nd ed, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK.

[4] Adams, Simon & Lambert, David 2006.Earth Science: an illustrated guide to science.New York NY 10001: Chelsea House.ISBN 0-8160-6164-5.

[smith_5-5] 5.0^5.1Smith, Gary A. & Pun, Aurora 2006. How does the Earth work?. Pearson Prentice Hall, NJ.ISBN 0-13-034129-0.

[6] Wordnet Search: Geodesy^{[permanent dead link]}

[7] NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Geodesy

[8] "Elissa Levine, 2001, The Pedosphere As A Hub".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-30.Retrieved2010-10-09.

[9] "Duane Gardiner, Lecture: Why study soils? excerpted from Miller R.W. & D.T. Gardiner, 1998.Soils in our environment,8th Edition ".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-02-09.Retrieved2010-10-09.

[10] CrashCourse (2015-01-15),Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1,retrieved2017-11-27

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