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Escarpment

In geomorphology, an '''escarpment''' is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves a sharp, steep elevation differential, characterized by a cliff or steep slope. Usually ''escarpment'' is used interchangeably with '''scarp''' (from the Italian language|Italian ''scarpa''''scarp'' - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). But some sources differentiate the two terms, where ''escarpment'' refers to the margin between two landforms, while ''scarp'' is synonymous with a cliff or steep slope.Easterbrook, D. J. (1999) Surface processes and landforms. (Second Ed). Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.Summary: Escarpments, US Army Corps of Engineers. The surface of the steep slope is called a scarp face. Scarps are generally formed by one of two processes: either by differential erosion of sedimentary rocks, or by vertical movement of the Earth's crust along a fault (Geologic fault|faulting). Most commonly, an escarpment is a transition from one series of sedimentary rocks to another series of a different age and composition. When sedimentary beds are tilted and exposed to the surface, erosion and weathering may occur differentially based on the composition. Less resistant rocks will erode faster, retreating until the point they are overlain by more resistant rock (see cross section schematic). When the strike and dip|dip of the bedding is gentle, a cuesta is formed. Steeper dips (greater than 30-40°) form hogback (geology)|hogbacks. Escarpments are also frequently formed by Geologic fault|faults. When a fault displaces the ground surface so that one side is higher than the other, a fault scarp is created. This can occur in dip-slip faults, or when a strike-slip fault brings a piece of high ground adjacent to an area of lower ground. More loosely, the term scarp describes the zone between coastal lowlands and continental plateaus which have a marked, abrupt change in elevation caused by coastal erosion at the base of the plateau. Earth (planet)|Earth is not the only planet where escarpments occur. They are believed to occur on other planets when the Crust (geology)|crust contraction|contracts, as a result of cooling.

Significant escarpments

Europe

- England
    - Cotswolds|Cotswold escarpment
    - North Downs
    - South Downs
    - A colloquial adjective to describe escarpments in England is "edge" as in
    - *Alderley Edge
    - *Edge Hill, Warwickshire|Edge Hill famous as the place of the Battle of Edge Hill|first battle of the English Civil War.
    - *Kinver Edge
    - *The Lincoln Cliff|Lincoln Edge
    - *Wenlock Edge
- France
    - La Côte d'Or (escarpment)|Côte d'Or is famous for its wines and has given its name to a département, Côte-d'Or.
    - Le Pays de Bray, a clay vale enclosed by chalk escarpments.
- Germany
    - Swabian Alb
- Sweden, Estonia and Russia
    - Baltic Klint
- Malta
    - Victoria Lines {| style="float:left;" |

North America

- Canada and the United States
    - Niagara Escarpment (Ontario, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin)
    - Onondaga (geological formation) (Ontario and New York)
    - Devil's Rock (Lake Temiskaming, Ontario)
- United States
    - Allegheny Front (Pennsylvania-Maryland-West Virginia)
    - Balcones Fault (Texas)
    - Caprock Escarpment (Texas)
    - Catskill Mountains|Catskill Escarpment (New York)
    - Cody Scarp (Florida)
    - Elkhorn Scarp (San Andreas Fault)
    - Highland Rim encircling the Nashville Basin (actually a geologic dome) in Middle Tennessee
    - Knobstone Escarpment Southern Indiana
    - Mescalero Escarpment (New Mexico)
    - Missouri Escarpment (North Dakota)
    - Mogollon Rim (Arizona)
    - Muldraugh Hill (Kentucky)
    - Nickel Escarpment, formally Sigsbee Escarpment, Gulf of Mexico
    - Pine Ridge (region)|Pine Ridge (Nebraska and South Dakota)
    - Pottsville Escarpment (Kentucky-Tennessee; see Cumberland Plateau)
    - Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada range (eastern slope) in California.

References

Category:Escarpments Category:Landforms

Related Images

- Schematic cross section of a cuesta, dipslopes facing left, and harder rocklayers in darker colors than softer ones.

Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL

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Home > Escarpment

Learn more about "Escarpment"

Escarpment

Significant escarpments

Africa

Antarctica

Asia

Australia and New Zealand