As we mentioned, there are many kinds of geology. There is so much to know about our planet that most geologists become experts in a certain field. These specialties are calledBranch of Geologyand have a specific name. For example, mineralogists study minerals, while scientists monitor, to help protect people and property from harm.
Volcanologists brave lava to study volcanoes. The scientists who compare the geology of other planets with the Earth are planetary geologists. Some geologists study the moon. Others look for oil. Still others specialize in soil. Some geologists can tell the age of the rock and determine how different rock formations were formed. Pretty much everything you can think of that has to do with the planet probably has an expert!
Geologists may study groundwater found in rivers and lakes, between soil and rock particles, or even frozen water in glaciers. Geoscientists also need geographers to explore the features of the Earth's surface and collaborate with cartographers who make maps. Studying the rock layers below the Earth's surface helps us understand the history of the Earth.
As you can see, different branches of geology study a particular part of the earth. Since all branches are interconnected, experts can work together to solve complex problems. Let us look at some of the other important branches of geology.
Geochemistry is the study of the chemical processes that form and shape the earth. It includes the study of the material and energy cycles that transport geochemical components and the interactions of these cycles with the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
It is a subfield of inorganic chemistry that deals with the properties of all the elements in the periodic table and their compounds. Inorganic chemistry studies the characteristics of non-organic matter, such as non-living substances and minerals found in the earth's crust.
Oceanography is the study of the composition and movement of the water column and the processes that lead to that movement. The main oceanic processes affecting the waters of the continental shelf include waves and tides as well as wind-driven currents and other currents. Understanding the oceanography of shelf waters and their impact on seafloor dynamics facilitates a wide range of activities, such as:
Offshore oil production infrastructure assessment.
Seabed mapping and characterization for environmental management.
Marine biodiversity** research.
Renewable energy potential assessment.
Paleontologists are interested in fossils and the lifestyle of ancient creatures. Paleontology is the study of fossils and the history of the earth they reveal. In the marine environment, microfossils collected in sediment cores provide a wealth of information about the environmental history of the area**.
Sedimentology is the study of sediment particles in the ocean and other sediments, focusing on physical properties and the processes by which sediments are formed. Sedimentation is a geological process in which geological material is added to a landform. The main physical properties of interest include:
The size and shape of the sediment particles.
The degree of classification of the deposit.
The composition of the particles within the deposit.
Sedimentary structures. Together, these properties provide a record of the mechanisms that are active during sediment transport and sedimentation, and thus can explain the environmental conditions under which sediment deposits are produced in the modern environment or geological record.
Benthic ecology. Benthic ecology is the study of organisms in the seabed and their interactions with the environment.
Biostratigraphy. Biostratigraphy is a branch of stratigraphy that uses fossils to determine the relative age of rocks and to link sequences of sedimentary rocks within and between sedimentary basins.
Geochronology. Geochronology is a discipline of earth science that measures the age of the earth's materials and provides a time frame in which other earth science data can be interpreted in the context of the earth's history.
Geophysics. Information related to a variety of technologies, including: airborne electromagnetics, gravity, magnetism, magnetics, magnetotellurics, radiometry, rock properties, and**.
Marine geochemistry. Marine geochemistry is a science used to help understand the composition of coastal and seawater and sediments.
Marine Geophysics. Marine geophysics is a scientific discipline that uses quantitative observations of physical properties to understand the geology of the seafloor and subseafloor.
Oceanographic surveys. The survey environment is diverse, ranging from oceanographic studies in water columns to surveys of seafloor sediments and geochemical processes and seafloor rock imaging. The survey covers the entire extent of Australia's maritime jurisdiction, from coastal estuaries and bays, across continental shelves and slopes, to abyssal plains.
Spectral Geology. Spectral geology is the measurement and analysis of parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to identify the spectral and physically salient features of different rock types and surface materials, their mineralogy, and their alteration characteristics.