Escarpments are steep cliffs or slopes caused by faulting or erosion, found on every continent and even on planets and moons. They can mark boundaries between different climatic zones and provide shelter for human settlement. Escarpments also offer opportunities for geologists and paleontologists to study geological history and fossils.
An escarpment is a geological formation caused by faulting or erosion in which a steep cliff or slope forms over time. Escarpments can be found on every continent and are also present on a number of planets and moons, as astronomers have learned with the assistance of flybys and robotic exploration. Their size and composition can be quite variable, and the escarpment sometimes marks a boundary between different climatic zones and other features of interest, making it an important landmark.
In the case of a fault scarp, a series of earthquakes over time pushes up one section of land or causes another to fall. In front of the escarpment several geological strata can be observed, illustrating different periods of the geological history of the area. Often, the lowland area becomes covered in deposits of rich, silty soils and can support a variety of plants and animals, while the exposed plateau can become more arid and rocky due to erosion.
Escarpment erosion is a gradual process and is usually observed near geological boundaries, where rocks of different types begin to wear unevenly. Soft sandstone can be eaten away, for example, leaving behind harder granite. The wear of the weaker stone can be the result of winds, water, ice and other weather events. Often, the soft features of the raised section of land are worn away and can leave bizarre and visually interesting formations.
Escarpments can present significant barriers to travel, as they can be very high, and it will be necessary to either fill in the lowlands, create a road along the cliff face, or move onto flatter ground. They can also provide shelter from wind and rain, making the area at the foot of an escarpment a popular area for human settlement. The tendency to accumulate topsoil in lowlands can also be beneficial for agriculture.
For people like geologists and paleontologists, an escarpment can present an excellent opportunity. People can see geological history neatly drawn into the layers of the rock face and can take samples to learn more about the geological history of the area. Fossils can be identified to see what kind of organisms lived there and to gather information about the climate during previous geological eras. This information can also be applied to understanding other rock formations in the area.
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