Defining the Science of Geology

Geologists

Scientists who study Earth and the processes that have shaped Earth over time.

Geology

Study of the earth. The scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth. The structure of a specific region of the Earth's crust. And, the scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the solid matter of a celestial body.

Physical Geology

a branch of geology concerned with understanding the composition of the earth and the physical changes occurring in it, based on the study of rocks, minerals, and sediments, their structures and formations, and their processes of origin and alteration.

Engineering and Environmental Geology

as society and populations grow, the demand for geologist's input into nearly all aspects of civil engineering, urban planning, natural resource management, and national require special knowledge related to geology and related fields.

Agronomy

science applied to the study of soils and crop management.

Meteorology

the branch of science concerned with atmospheric processes and phenomena, including weather and climate.

Oceanography

the branch of science concerned with the physical and biological properties of the world's oceans, seas, and coastal marine environments.

Hydrology

the branch of science of the earth's water resources, especially its movement in relation to land.

Astronomy

the branch of science that concerns celestial objects in space, and physical Universe as a whole. The physical environments of other planets and objects in the Solar System provide insights into what is happening here on Earth (utilizing space-based observation of the Earth's systems (earth, water, and air).

Historical Geology

the study of the composition, relative positions, etc., of rock strata in order to determine their geological history. Historical geology is dependent on concepts and order of events related to deep time, as defined by a geologic time scale.