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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Maps & Fieldwork

Geological map

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, geological map means: A map that shows which rock units occur at or just below the surface, together with their ages, boundaries, faults, folds and strike and dip measurements.

In Turkish: jeoloji haritası, jeolojik harita

How it is used

Called a geologic map in the US. Students learn to read the legend, draw cross-sections and make their own geological maps at field camp. In Turkey, the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) publishes them at several scales.

Example sentences

  1. According to the geological map, the village is built on alluvium.

  2. Your final task at field camp is to produce a geological map of the area.

Common collocations

  • geological map legend
  • produce a geological map
  • geological map sheet
  • geological cross-section
  • topographic mapA detailed map that shows the shape and height of the land using contour lines, together with rivers, roads, buildings and other features.
  • strike and dipTwo measurements that describe the orientation of a rock layer or fault: strike is the compass direction of a horizontal line on it, and dip is its angle of tilt.
  • outcropA place where bedrock appears at the surface, not covered by soil or plants, so that geologists can see and study it directly.
  • scaleThe ratio between a distance on a map and the real distance on the ground. On a 1:25,000 map, 1 cm on paper equals 250 m on the ground.
  • fieldworkWork done outdoors at real sites, such as observing, measuring, mapping and sampling rocks, soils or rivers, rather than in a laboratory or office.

More terms: Maps & Fieldwork

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