THE SCULPTED
EARTH
"Geography is the study of the stage on which the human drama is played."— Landscape & Force
Geomorphology Lab
The river flows fast, creating a slight curve due to uneven erosion.
Landforms are not static. They are the result of a constant battle between Uplift (Tectonics building mountains) and Erosion (Water/Ice wearing them down).
Feature Atlas
Oxbow Lake
A U-shaped lake that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water.
Fjord
A long, deep, narrow body of water that reaches far inland. Formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley and the sea fills the void.
River Delta
Wetlands that form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water, such as an ocean.
Mesa / Butte
An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top. Formed by weathering and erosion of horizontally layered rocks.
Atoll
A ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets. Formed when a volcanic island sinks, leaving the reef ring behind.