Illustrated Geology Glossary (at 35,000 feet) - S

Glossary!

These are common geologic (and manmade/geographic features), as seen from 35,000 feet.

You can open any of these examples in Google Earth by clicking the Google Earth icon:

If you don't know the name of the feature you're looking for, go here: "What Was That?" (This is a tool that sorts features based on what they look like: mountains, rivers, valleys, piles of sand etc.)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


{S} back to top

---

Salt Domes - A dome pushed up from below as subsurface salt rises through overlying layers. These are rare in the U.S., but are sometimes seen in the southwest (e.g., Texas) {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Scrollbars / Ridge and Swale - Arcs of small ridges and valleys ("swales") that parallel a river. They're usually deposited as the river meanders across its floodplain. {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Sea Stack- A rock isolated by coastal erosion. {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Seif Dunes - See "Dunes, Longitudinal"

---

Sinkhole- A lake made from the collapse of an underground cave. Most sinkholes don't hold water, but when they do, they're noticeable and cool. {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Ski Slopes - Long tree-less scars down a mountainside often mark ski slopes.

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Slot Canyon - See "Canyon, Slot"

---

Star Dunes - See "Dunes, Star"

---

Stream Offset - Stream offsets occur when faults dramatically change the course of a stream or river. This is especially well illustrated along the San Andreas Fault in California {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.

---

Syncline - Folded layers of rocks can make mountains and valleys. When viewed from the side, syncline folds look like smiley-faces. When viewed from above, syncline folds tend to have valleys in the middle. Syncline valleys are common in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge Province {read more}

Scale: Images are taken from an altitude of ~35,000 feet, and so are each ~1 mile across.

Open these examples in Google Earth, or download all of the landforms here.