What do geologists use

Planetary geology is closely linked with Earth-based geology, and applies geological science to other planetary bodies. By either working with actual specimens that were gathered from space missions, or from analyzing photos, planetary geologists can set about understanding the climate, history, and topography of other planets.

Economic potential refers to materials that are currently or may potentially be valuable, typically referred to as mineral resources they include minerals, oil, gas, and ore deposits. Most of our modern conveniences for example computers and plastics rely on the Earth's natural resources and once started as raw materials.

The earth's population is estimated to hit over 9 billion by - more people means more natural resources will be needed. An economic geologist's primary objective is to locate profitable deposits of oil, gas, and minerals and to figure out how to extract them. Economic geologists continue to successfully expand and define known mineral resources. They are called upon to study sediment deposits in oceans, rock folds, and faults.

They also make the decision of where to drill by locating prospects within a sedimentary basin. This can be very labour-intensive work that involves special equipment to look at sedimentary and structural aspects in order to locate possible oil traps. Data may be obtained via geophysical surveys and from the mudlogger, who analyzes the drill cuttings and the rock formation thicknesses.

Volcanos, earthquakes, and tsunamis also fall within the interests of geomorphologists. As rock and sediment is worn away and moved to other areas erosion or deposition by certain processes, landforms are produced. Often particles and organic material, such as diatoms and macrofossils, that are preserved in sediments and peat can give hints on past climate changes and processes.

Geomorphologists can specialize in aeolian desert geomorphology, glacial and periglacial geomorphology, volcanic and tectonic geomorphology, and planetary geomorphology. Geophysicist A geophysicist studies the Earth by using gravity and magnetic, electrical, and seismic methods. Research geophysicists study the earth's internal structure, earthquakes, the ocean and other physical features using these methods.

Some geophysicists study the earth's properties for environmental hazards and assess areas for construction sites. Investigating the inner workings of the earth, geophysicists focus upon the physical and fluid properties of materials making up the earth, seeking a greater understanding of continental formation and processes that happen because of it earthquakes, etc.

Geophysicists also focus on finding oil, iron, copper, and many other deposits of minerals created by the earth's movement and compression of materials. Geohydrologist Geohydrologists study the properties and distribution of natural underground water reservoirs, their capacity to store water, and the movement of water through the reservoirs.

More importantly, geohydrologists investigate the cycles of drawing out water from the reservoirs for human consumption, as well as the replenishment by precipitation. Paleontologist Making deductions about ancestral climates and environmental conditions through fossil records is the job of a paleontologist , a type of geologist.

We can understand so much more about the past earth thanks to these researchers who analyze deposited layers of rock and soil for clues about pre-historic times. A paleontologist works with evolutionary biology, determining the factors that made species go extinct and those that brought about the origin of species as well.

Mapping and Fieldwork Field mapping - to produce a geological map by examining rock types, geological structures, and how they relate to one another. Geotechnical mapping - to evaluate the properties and stability of rock areas to determine suitability for any kind of construction or modification, such a building a tunnel.

Logging Rock core logging — also known as rock chip logging, for mining and exploration companies Mud logging — for oil and gas exploration Geotechnical logging — to assess the strength or weakness of rocks; to identify fractures. Laboratory Work Lab work is essential in the field of geology. In fact, some geoscientists work exclusively for large commercial laboratories that conduct data analysis for mining, oil and gas, engineering, and environmental companies.

Geological Survey portray the grids that are used on deeds to identify the location of real estate, so homeowners and property owners sometimes find it useful to refer to topographic maps of their area. Most topographic maps make use of contour lines to depict elevations above sea level. The contour lines reveal the shape of the land in the vertical direction, allowing the 3-dimensional shape of the land to be portrayed on a 2-dimensional sheet of paper or computer screen.

When you know how to read contour lines, you can look at them on a topographic map and visualize the mountains, plains, ridges, or valleys that they portrays. Topographic maps are important in geology because they portray the surface of the earth in detail. This view of the surface shows patterns that provide information about the geology beneath the surface. The landforms of the earth result from surface processes such as erosion or sedimentation combined with internal geological processes such as magma rising to create a volcano or a ridge of bedrock pushed up along a fault.

They can also find clues to the underlying geologic structure and geologic history of the area. In addition to a topographic map, a complete understanding of the underlying geologic structure and history of an area requires completion of a geologic map and cross-sections. A topographic map provides the frame of reference upon which most geologic maps are constructed. Reading a topographic map requires familiarity with how it portrays the three-dimensional shape of the land, so that in looking at a topographic map you can visualize the shape of the land.

To read a topographic map, you need to understand the rules of contour lines. Standard United States Geological Survey topographic maps cover a quadrangle.

A map quadrangle spans a fraction of a degree of longitude east-to-west and the same fraction of a degree of latitude north-to-south. Because lines of longitude degrees also called meridians in the Northern Hemisphere come closer and closer together the nearer they get to the North Pole, whereas lines of latitude degrees remain the same distance apart as they circle the earth, quadrangle maps span less distance east-to-west than they do north-to-south. Meridians, lines of longitude, run from the South Pole to the North Pole, converging coming together at the poles.

Because the meridians converge at the poles, a degree of longitude gets smaller and smaller near each pole. In contrast, a degree of latitude remains approximately 69 miles across, no matter how near or far from the poles or equator it is.

Degrees of latitude and longitude are divided into arc minutes and arc seconds. In this context, they are usually just called minutes and seconds, but it must be kept in mind that these minutes and seconds are units of angles, not units of time. These units, which divide angles into smaller parts, work as follows:.

The image above shows the northeastern corner portion of the topographic map of the Juniper quadrangle, which spans the border of the states of Oregon and Washington. The name of the quadrangle comes from the name of a place on the map. Find the following information using this corner of the map:. Important information is shown at the bottom of a USGS quadrangle map, including the map scale, the contour interval, and the magnetic declination. The image above is from the bottom of the Juniper 7.

It tells you, among other things:. Construction of a topographic profile allows you to visualize the vertical component of a landscape. A topographic profile is similar to the view you have of a landscape while standing on earth, looking at hills and valleys from the side rather than from above. Determine the line of profile, the line across that part of the map that you want to see in profile or cross-section view. Depending on which part of the map you want to see in profile, you can draw your line of profile in any direction you choose, across any part of the map you choose.

Draw a grid that will contain the profile. The width of the grid should be the same as the length of the line of profile. To draw the profile, the grid must be crossed by evenly-spaced horizontal lines that represent the contour elevations. The grid must extend high enough to span the elevation range of the contour lines spanned by the line of profile. You can see that the grid, shown below, includes the range of elevations that the line of profile crosses on the map. In addition, the grid must have an extra horizontal line at the bottom and top to accommodate the parts of the profile that go above the highest contour elevation and below the lowest contour elevation.

That is why the grid in the example below goes below feet and above feet in elevation. Transfer the contour elevations from the topographic map to the profile grid. The point where each contour line crosses the line of profile on the topographic map determines the horizontal coordinate of each corresponding point on the grid of the topographic profile. The elevation of each contour line corresponds to the vertical coordinate of each corresponding point on the profile grid, as shown on the diagram below.

Now that you have marked the elevation points on the profile grid, draw a smooth line connecting the data points as shown below. Note that the ends of this profile go below the foot contour elevation but they do not extend to the foot elevation because on the map the line of profile did not reach the foot contour line.

Also note that the top of the profile reaches a peak above feet but less than feet because the line of profile does not cross the foot contour line. The completed topographic profile and the map it was drawn from are shown below. Topographic profiles are usually constructed without drawing any lines on the map. Instead, the edge of a piece of paper is laid along the line of profile and the contour line data is transferred to the edge of the piece of paper.

From the edge of the piece of paper, the data are transfered to the profile grid, which is on a separate piece of paper. Notice on the topographic profile constructed above that the peak of the hill is above ft, but below ft. Similarly, the ends of the profile are below ft but above This is consistent with the elevations of those parts of the line of profile on the map. Note that the vertical scale on the profile is very different from the horizontal scale on the map.

In this example, the map covers 0. As a result, the topographic profile is greatly exaggerated vertically. In an actual view of the hill, looking at it from the side, it would not look nearly as steep as it does in the topographic profile that we have constructed. If the vertical scale on a topographic profile is different from the map scale, as it is in this case, then the profile will exhibit a vertical exaggeration. The vertical exaggeration of a topographic profile can be calculated.

A topographic profile with a VE of would be a very exaggerated topographic profile. It would be as if a rubber model of the landscape has been pulled in the vertical direction, until it is times taller than it really is. Compare the profile to the topographic map. You will see that the hill is steeper on the west left side than on the east right side. This is consistent with the contour lines being spaced more closely on the west side of the hill and farther apart on the east side of the hill.

This accords with the rules of contour lines, which state that slopes are steeper where contour lines are more closely spaced, and slopes are less steep where contour lines are more widely spaced. If you drew a profile from north to south across the peak of the hill, do you think the profile would be symmetric or asymmetric? Use this resource to answer the questions that follow. You may stop watching at the mark.

Figure 3. Loihi volcano growing on the flank of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Black lines in the inset show the land surface above sea level and blue lines show the topography below sea level.

Click on the image to view a larger version. A bathymetric map is like a topographic map with the contour lines representing depth below sea level, rather than height above. Numbers are low near sea level and become higher with depth. Kilauea is the youngest volcano found above sea level in Hawaii. On the flank of Kilauea is an even younger volcano called Loihi.

The bathymetric map pictured in figure 3 shows the form of Loihi. A geologic map shows the geological features of a region see figure 4 for an example. Rock units are color-coded and identified in a key. Faults and folds are also shown on geologic maps. The geology is superimposed on a topographic map to give a more complete view of the geology of the region. A geologic map shows mappable rock units, mappable sediment units that cover up the rocks, and geologic structures such as faults and folds.

A mappable unit of rock or sediment is one that a geologist can consistently recognize, trace across a landscape, and describe so that other people are able to recognize it and verify its presence and identity. Mappable units are shown as different colors or patterns on a base map of the geographic area. Figure 4. Geologic maps are important for two reasons. First, as geologists make geologic maps and related explanations and cross-sections, they develop a theoretical understanding of the geology and geologic history of a given area.

Second, geologic maps are essential tools for practical applications such as zoning, civil engineering, and hazard assessment. Geologic maps are also vital in finding and developing geological resources, such as gravel to help build the road you drive on, oil to power the car you travel in, or aluminum to build the more fuel-efficient engine in your next vehicle.

Another resource that is developed on the basis of geologic maps is groundwater, which many cities, farms, and factories rely on for the water they use. The legend or key to a geologic map is usually printed on the same page as the map and follows a customary format. The symbol for each rock or sediment unit is shown in a box next to its name and brief description.

These symbols are stacked in age sequence from oldest at the bottom to youngest at the top. The geologic era, or period, or epoch—the geologic age—is listed for each rock unit in the key. By stacking the units in age sequence from youngest at the top to oldest at the bottom, and identifying which interval of geologic time each unit belongs to, the map reader can quickly see the age of each rock or sediment unit. The map key also contains a listing and explanation of the symbols shown on the map, such as the symbols for different types of faults and folds.

See the Table of Geologic Map Symbols for pictures and an overview of the map symbols, including strikes and dips, faults, folds, and an overview.

The explanations of rock units are often given in a separate pamphlet that accompanies the map. The explanations include descriptions with enough detail for any geologist to be able to recognize the units and learn how their ages were determined.

If included, cross-sections are usually printed on the same page as the geologic map. They are important accompaniments to geologic maps, especially if the map focuses on the geology of the bedrock underneath the soil and loose sediments.

A geologic cross-section is a sideways view of a slice of the earth. Geologic cross-sections are constructed on the basis of the geology mapped at the surface combined with an understanding of rocks in terms of physical behavior and three-dimensional structures. Check out this augmented reality map originally developed by The University of California—Davis. It was created to help students understand topographic maps. How would you find Old Faithful?

One way is by using latitude and longitude. Latitude and longitude are expressed as degrees that are divided into 60 minutes. Each minute is divided into 60 seconds. What does this mean? Latitude tells the distance north or south of the Equator.

Latitude lines start at the Equator and circle around the planet. Old Faithful is at 44 degrees, 27 minutes and 43 seconds north of the Equator. A hiking hat may seem unnecessary but it is important to shield your face, head, and neck from the scorching rays of the sun. The higher-end hats have interior bands which are soft to avoid skin, absorb and to catch sweat, dismantlable for packing and travel. Because they are usually amongst drilling rigs, bulldozers, heavy augers, and other construction site dangers, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration OSHA requires a minimum set of health and safety gear for geologists out in the field.

At all sites, some level of personal protective equipment PPE is a requirement for field geologists. There are multiple categories for PPE. If breathing zone concentrations are above action levels; the field geologist will have to upgrade PPE for breathing protection. Ultimately, these job requirements define the attire of a geologist and the things geologists wear and use on-site. Oftentimes, the attire of a geologist in the field involves wearing an air-purifying system.

The use of breathing respirators and purifying cartridges are typically in accordance with the local OSHA laws and ordinances. All on-site personnel, including the geoscientist, must possess a properly fitted air-purifying and respiratory system on-site. If not, he or she may face the obligation to exit the job site. For instance, in the environmental engineering industry, entry-level geologists spend almost all their time in the field. As a result, they typically dress casually to work.

Whereas project-level geologists, who spend half their time in the office and the other in the field, may have alternating attire. At the project manager level, the attire of a geologist during field days could be casual, and office days could be slightly more professional. Very rarely does the attire of a geologist involve wearing a suit and tie.

Although, it does happen from time to time. Aside from the attire of a geologist, is the subject of what geologists use in their line of work. Field geologists make a career out of examining rock formations and earth characteristics at various locations.

To perform this effectively and efficiently, they require special tools. The equipment listed below are some of the basic things that geologists wear and use in the field when studying the earth. In writing about things that geologists wear and use… From a research and academic standpoint, the rock hammer is one of the vital pieces of field equipment that every geologist has in school. This hand-tool is made of hard steel and helps earth scientists break and split rocks.

It is also known as rock pick or geological pick.