Geomorphology- II

GEOGRAPHY

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Rocks
Rocks are aggregates of one or more minerals held together by bonds either chemical or physical. Feldspar
and quartz are the most common minerals found in rocks. The scientific study of rocks is called petrology.

Important Rock-Forming Minerals

 Feldspar: Half the crust is composed of feldspar. It has a light colour, and its main constituents are
silicon, oxygen, sodium, potassium, calcium, aluminium.

 Quartz: It has two elements, silicon and oxygen. It has a hexagonal crystalline structure. It is uncleaved,
white or colourless. It cracks like glass and is present in sand and granite. It is used in the manufacture of
radio and radar.

 Bauxite: A hydrous oxide of aluminium, it is the ore of aluminium. It is non-crystalline and occurs in small
pellets.

 Cinnabar: Mercury is derived from it. It has a brownish colour.

 Dolomite: A double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It is used in cement and iron and steel
industries. It is white.

 Gypsum: It is hydrous calcium sulphate and is used in cement, fertiliser and chemical industries.

 Haematite: It is a red ore of iron.

 Magnetite: It is the black ore (or iron oxide) of iron.

 Amphibole: It forms about 7 per cent of the earth's crust and consists mainly of aluminium, calcium,
silica, iron, magnesium, etc. It is used in the asbestos industry.

 Mica: It consists of potassium, aluminium, magnesium, iron, silica, etc., and forms 4 % of the earth's
crust. It is generally found in igneous and metamorphic rocks and is mainly used in electrical instruments.

 Olivine: The main elements of olivine are magnesium, iron and silica. It is normally a greenish crystal.

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 Pyroxene: It consists of calcium, aluminium, magnesium, iron and silica. It is of green or black colour.

 Other minerals like chlorite, calcite, magnetite, hematite, bauxite, barite, etc., are also present in rocks.

Source : Slideplayer

Based on the mode of formation three major groups

of rocks are defined
 Igneous,

 Sedimentary, and

 Metamorphic.

Igneous Rocks
 Rocks formed out of solidification of magma below the surface and lava above the surface and are known
as igneous or primary rocks. Having their origin under conditions of high temperatures the igneous rocks
are un-fossiliferous.

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 Example – Basalt, Granite, Gabbro etc.

 They are further divided into plutonic rocks, volcanic rocks and intermediate rocks based on place and
time taken in cooling of the molten matter.

 They can also be divided as acidic and basic rocks based upon the presence of silica.

1. Plutonic Rocks
 Here magma cools slowly at great depths and mineral grains formed in the rocks may be very large.
These rocks appear on the surface only after being uplifted and denuded.

 e.g. Granite

2. Extrusive Rocks
 Here the lava gets cooled down rapidly above or just below surface preventing crystallisation and
fine grained rocks. Such rocks are called extrusive rocks or volcanic rocks

 e.g. Basalt.

 The Deccan traps in the Indian peninsular region are of basaltic origin.

3. Dyke or Intermediate Rocks

 They are the rocks that occupy an intermediate position between the plutonic bodies and the
surface lava flows.

 Dyke rocks are semi-crystalline in structure.

Economic Significance of Igneous Rocks

 Many minerals of economics are found in igneous rocks are magnetic iron, nickel, copper, lead, zinc,
chromite, manganese, gold, diamond and platinum.

 Amygdales – are bubbles formed in basalt due to escape of gases and are filled with several important
minerals.

 Many igneous rocks like granite are used as building materials as they come in beautiful shades.

Sedimentary Rocks
 Sedimentary rocks are formed by lithification ― i.e. consolidation and compaction of sediments. Hence,
they are layered or stratified of varying thickness.

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 Example: sandstone, shale etc.

 Sediments are a result of weathering and erosion of all types of rocks.

 Ice deposited sedimentary rocks are called till or tillite. Wind-deposited sediments are called loess.

 They are stratified ― consist of many layers or strata.

 They hold the most informative geological records due to the marks left behind by various geophysical
(weather patterns, wind and water flow) and biological activities (fossils).

 They are fossiliferous ― have fossils of plants and animals.

Depending upon the mode of formation, sedimentary rocks are classified into:
 mechanically formed — sandstone, conglomerate, limestone, shale, loess.

 organically formed — geyserite, chalk, limestone, coal.

 chemically formed — limestone, halite, potash.

1. Mechanically Formed Sedimentary Rocks:

 They are formed by mechanical agents like running water, wind, ocean currents, ice, etc.

 These sedimentary rocks have more sand and bigger sized particles and are hard and porous. They form
the best reservoirs for liquids like groundwater and petroleum.

 E.g. sandstone.

2. Chemically Formed Sedimentary Rocks:

 Stalactites and stalagmites are formed chemically when the deposits of lime left over by the lime-mixed
water as it evaporates in the underground caves.

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3. Organically Formed Sedimentary Rocks:

 The remains of plants and animals are buried under sediments, and due to heat and pressure from
overlying layers, their composition changes.

 Coal and limestone are well-known examples.

Economic Significance of Sedimentary Rocks

 Important minerals such as hematite iron ore, phosphates, building stones, coals and material used in the
cement industry are found.

 The decay of tiny marine organisms yields petroleum.

 Sedimentary rocks also yield some of the richest soils.

Metamorphic Rocks
 “Metamorphic” means ‘change of form’, therefore Metamorphism is a process by which recrystallisation
and reorganisation of minerals occur within a rock. This occurs due to pressure, volume and temperature
changes.

 In the process of metamorphism in some rocks grains or minerals get arranged in layers or lines. Such an
arrangement is called foliation.

 Example - Gneissoid, slate, schist, marble, quartzite etc.

 Causes of Metamorphism include -

1. Orogenic (Mountain Building) Movements: Such movements often take place with an interplay of
folding, warping and high temperatures. These processes give existing rocks a new appearance.

2. Lava Inflow: The molten magmatic material inside the earth’s crust brings the surrounding rocks
under the influence of intense temperature pressure and causes changes in them.

3. Geodynamic Forces: The omnipresent geodynamic forces such as plate tectonics also play an
important role in metamorphism.

 Some examples of Metamorphosis -

Igneous or Sedimentary rock Influence Metamorphosed rock

Granite Pressure Gneiss

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Igneous or Sedimentary rock Influence Metamorphosed rock

Clay, Shale Pressure Schist

Sandstone Heat Quartzite

Clay, Shale Heat Slate Phyllite

Coal Heat Anthracite Graphite

Limestone Heat Marble

Rock Cycle
 Rock cycle is a continuous process through which old rocks are transformed into new ones.

 Igneous rocks are primary rocks, and other rocks form from these rocks.

 Igneous rocks can be changed into sedimentary or metamorphic rocks.

 The fragments derived out of igneous and metamorphic rocks form into sedimentary rocks.

 Sedimentary and igneous rocks themselves can turn into metamorphic rocks.

 The crustal rocks (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary) may be carried down into the mantle (interior
of the earth) through subduction process and the same meltdown and turn into molten magma, the
source for igneous rocks.

Source : Wikicommon

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Volcanism
A volcano is a fissure in the crust from which molten rock or lava, ash, gases, rock fragments erupt from a
magma chamber below the surface.

Source : Wikipedia

Causes of Volcanism
Eruptions cause a huge temperature difference between the inner layers and the outer layers of the earth.
This temperature difference gives rise to movement called convection currents in the mantle. These
convection currents in the mantle create convergent and divergent boundaries that act as the weak zones.

 At the divergent boundary, molten, semi-molten and sometimes gaseous material appears on earth at the
first available opportunity.

 The earthquakes here may expose fault zones through which magma may escape, also known as fissure
type volcanoes.

 The subduction of denser plate creates magma at high pressure which will escape to the surface in the
form of violent eruptions, at the convergent boundary.

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Lava Types
Andesitic or Acidic lava

 These lavas are highly viscous with a high melting point.

 They are light-coloured, of low density, and have a high percentage of silica.

 They flow slowly and seldom travel far before solidifying.

 The resultant volcanic cone is therefore stratified therefore called stratovolcano.

Basic or Basaltic lava

 These are the hottest lavas, about 1,000 °C and are highly fluid.

 They are dark coloured basalt, rich in iron and magnesium but poor in silica.

 Due to their high fluidity, they flow readily with a speed of 10 to 30 miles per hour.

 The resultant volcano is gently sloping with a wide diameter and forms a flattened shield or dome
therefore called shield volcano.

Volcanic Landforms
 Volcanic landforms are divided into extrusive and intrusive landforms based on whether magma cools
within the crust or above the crust.

Extrusive Volcanic Landforms

 Extrusive landforms are formed from material thrown out to the surface during volcanic activity.

 The materials thrown out include lava flows, pyroclastic debris, volcanic bombs, ash, dust and gases such
as nitrogen compounds, sulphur compounds and minor amounts of chlorine, hydrogen and argon.

 These include – Volcanoes, Vents, Lava Domes and Lava Plateaus. Now let us discuss them –

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Composite Type Volcanic Landforms

 They are conical or central type volcanic landforms.

 Along with andesitic lava, large quantities of pyroclastic material and ashes find their way to the surface,
and along with pyroclastic material accumulates in the vicinity of the vent openings leading to the
formation of layers, and this makes the mounts appear as a composite volcano or a stratovolcano i.e.
divided into layers.

 The highest and most common volcanoes have composite cones. Mount Stromboli, Mount Vesuvius,
Mount Fuji are examples.

Shield Type Volcanic Landforms

 These volcanoes are mostly made up of basaltic lava therefore these volcanoes are not steep.

 Example: Hawaiian volcanoes Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

Fissure Type Flood Basalt Landforms (Lava Plateaus)

 They are a thin layer of magma that escapes through cracks and fissures in the earth's surface and flows
after intervals for a long time, spreading over a vast area, finally producing a layered.

 Example: Siberian Traps, Deccan Traps, Snake Basin, Icelandic Shield, Canadian Shield.

Crater
 A crater is an inverted cone-shaped vent through which the magma flows out. When the volcano is not
active the crater appears as a bowl-shaped depression and when water from rain or melted snow gets
accumulated in the crater, it becomes a crater lake.

Caldera
 In some volcanoes, the magma chamber below the surface may be emptied after volcanic eruptions. The
volcanic material above the chamber collapses into the empty magma chamber, and the collapsed surface
appears like a large cauldron-like hollow called the caldera.

Cinder cone
 A cinder cone is a steep circular or oval-shaped hill of loose pyroclastic fragments that have been built
around a volcanic vent.

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Source : Wikipedia

Intrusive Volcanic Landforms

 Intrusive landforms are formed when magma cools within the crust.

 Batholiths - These are large granitic rock bodies formed due to solidification of hot magma inside the
earth. They appear on the surface only after the denudation processes remove the overlying materials.

 Laccoliths - These are large dome-shaped intrusive bodies connected by a pipe-like conduit from below.

 Lapolith - As and when the lava moves upwards, a portion of the same may tend to move in a horizontal
direction wherever it finds a weak plane.

 Phacolith - A wavy mass of intrusive rocks, at times, is found at the base of synclines or the top of the
anticline in folded igneous strata.

 Sills - The near horizontal bodies of the intrusive igneous rocks are called sill. The thinner ones are called
sheets.

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 Dykes - When the lava makes its way through cracks and the fissures developed in the land, it solidifies
almost perpendicular to the ground. It gets cooled in the same position to develop a wall-like structure.
Such structures are called dykes.

Mantle Plumes
 A mantle plume is convection of abnormally hot rock (magma) within the Earth's mantle. Unlike the larger
convection cells in the mantle which change their position over geological timescales, the position of the
mantle plumes seems to be relatively fixed.

 Mantle plumes are theorised to form at the core-mantle boundary where an abnormally hot plume of
rock accumulates.

 The mantle plume is shaped like a mushroom with a long conduit (tail) connecting the bulbous head to
its base. The head expands in size as the plume rises.

Also, the Yellowstone super volcano has evoked a lot of interest in recent times. Mantle plumes are
convection currents on a small scale (in comparison to major convection currents in the mantle).

 The plume rises through the centre and diverges in all directions just below the lithospheric plates.

 The divergence of the plume exerts extensional stress (tensile stress) on the lithospheric plate above and
causes the plate to stretch and rupture and then diverge to form a rift in between.

 Afar hotspots in Africa got ruptured due to the mantle plume below. At the Afar triple junction, the
Arabian, African, and Somali plates are moving away from the centre.

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Geysers and Hot Springs

 Water that percolates into the porous rock is subjected to intense heat by the underlying hard rock
which is in contact with hot magma in the mantle or the lower part of the crust.

 Under the influence of intense heat, the water in the capillaries and narrow roots in the porous rock
undergoes intense expansion and gets converted to steam resulting in high pressure.

 When this steam or water at high pressure finds a path to the surface through narrow vents and weak
zones, it appears at the surface as geysers and hot water springs.

 Almost all the world’s geysers are confined to three major areas: Iceland, New Zealand and Yellowstone
Park of the U.S.A.

Geyser Hot water spring

Steam or water at high pressure, along its path, gets

accumulated in small reservoirs, fissures and Steam or water at high pressure smoothly flows to
fractures. Once the pressure exceeds the threshold the top through the vent and condenses at the
limit, the steam bursts out to the surface disrupting surface giving rise to a spring.
the water at the mouth. Hence the name geyser.

Silicate deposits at the mouth give them their Some springs are very colorful because of the
distinct colors. presence of cyanobacteria of different colours.

Generally, geysers are located near active volcanic

Found all across the world
areas. Iceland is famous for its geysers.

Usually, a carter-like structure is created at the mouth.

Extinct, Dormant and Active volcanoes

 Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Anak Krakatoa are active volcanoes.

 Mount Kilimanjaro (it has three volcanic cones), is a dormant stratovolcano in Tanzania.

 Mount Kenya is an extinct stratovolcano.

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Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanoes across the

World
 Most known volcanic activity and the earthquakes occur along converging plate margins and mid-oceanic
ridges. It is said that nearly 70 percent of earthquakes occur in the Circum-Pacific belt.

 Another 20 percent of earthquakes take place in the Mediterranean-Himalayan belt including Asia Minor,
the Himalayas and parts of north-west China.

 Only 10 per cent to 20 per cent of all volcanic activity is above the sea, and terrestrial volcanic mountains
are small when compared to their submarine counterparts.

Source : Wikipedia

Volcanos in India
 Barren Island is the only active volcano in India, located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which
became active in the 1990s.

 The other volcanic island in Indian territory is Narcondam, about 150 km north-east of Barren Island; it is
probably extinct.

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Destructive Effects of Volcanoes

 Showers of cinders and bombs can cause damage to life. E.g. the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

 Tsunamis can be generated in large water bodies due to violent eruptions. E.g. 1883 Krakatoa eruption.

 The collapse of the volcanic landforms in seas and oceans cause tsunamis. E.g. 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami.

 The ash from a larger eruption dispersing over a large area can lower temperatures at a regional or global
scale. This could trigger famines on a large scale. E.g. 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora.

 In Hawaiian type eruption, a single flow spreads widely over open slopes or down the valleys as lava rivers
engulf entire cities.

 Lahars (a violent type of mudflow or debris flow) can bury entire cities in a matter of minutes causing a
high number of casualties. E.g. 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano.

 The sudden collapse of lava domes can cause violent volcanic flows that destroy everything on their path.
E.g. the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée.

 Powerful winds drive the gas plume higher into the atmosphere and carry it to a greater distance
disrupting air travel (this happened in 2010 when a stratovolcano in Iceland erupted and disrupted air
travel over entire Europe for weeks).

 A super volcanic super-eruption can cause a small-scale extinction event. E.g. The Toba eruption
(Indonesia) triggered a dramatic global winter 74,000 years ago.

Volcanism – Acid Rain, Ozone Destruction

 The volcanic gases that pose the greatest potential hazard to people, animals, agriculture, and property
are sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen fluoride. Locally, sulphur dioxide gas can lead to acid
rain and air pollution downwind from a volcano.

 Globally, large explosive eruptions that inject a tremendous volume of sulphur aerosols into the
stratosphere can lead to lower surface temperatures and promote depletion of the Earth's ozone layer.

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Positive Effects of Volcanoes

 Volcanism creates new fertile landforms like islands, plateaus, volcanic mountains etc. E.g. Deccan traps.

 The volcanic ash and dust are very fertile for farms and orchards. Volcanic rocks yield very fertile soil upon
weathering and decomposition.

 Although steep volcano slopes prevent extensive agriculture, forestry operations on them provide valuable
timber resources.

 Mineral resources, particularly metallic ores, are brought to the surface by volcanoes. Sometimes copper
and other ores fill the gas-bubble cavities.

 The famed Kimberlite rock of South Africa, the source of diamonds, is the pipe of an ancient volcano.

 In the vicinity of active volcanoes, waters in depth are heated from contact with hot magma giving rise to
springs and geysers.

 The heat from the earth's interior in areas of volcanic activity is used to generate geothermal electricity.
Countries producing geothermal power include the USA, Russia, Japan, Italy, New Zealand and Mexico.

 The Puga valley in Ladakh region and Manikaran (Himachal Pradesh) are promising spots in India for the
generation of geothermal electricity.

 Geothermal potential can also be used for space heating.

 As scenic features of great beauty, attracting a heavy tourist trade, few landforms outrank volcanoes.

 At several places, national parks have been set up, centred around volcanoes. E.g. Yellowstone National
Park.

 As a source of crushed rock for concrete aggregate or railroad ballast and other engineering purposes, lava
rock is often extensively used.
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Earthquake
An earthquake is the shaking of the earth’s surface, caused by the seismic waves or earthquake waves that
are generated due to a sudden movement (sudden release of energy) in the earth’s crust (shallow-focus
earthquakes) or upper mantle (some shallow-focus and all intermediate and deep-focus earthquakes). A
seismograph is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.

Focus and Epicentre

 The point where the energy is released is called the focus or the hypocentre of an earthquake.

 The point on the surface directly above the focus is called epicentre, it is the first surface point to
experience the earthquake waves.

Source : calademy.org

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Foreshocks and Aftershocks

 A major or even moderate earthquake is usually followed by many lesser-size earthquakes known as
aftershocks.

 A mild earthquake preceding the violent shaking movement of an earthquake is known as a foreshock.

Swarms
 Large numbers of small earthquakes may occur in a region for months without a major earthquake. Such a
series of earthquakes are called earthquake swarms.

Causes of Earthquakes
Fault Zones
 The immediate cause of shallow earthquakes is the sudden release of stress along a fault crack in the
earth's crust.

 Sudden slipping of rock formations along faults in the earth’s crust happens due to the constant change in
volume and density of rocks due to intense temperature and pressure in the earth’s interior.

Source : BC open textbooks

Deformation and Rupturing

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 The longer the length and the wider the width of the faulted area, the larger the resulting magnitude.

Volcanic Activity
 Volcanic activity also can cause an earthquake, but the earthquakes of volcanic origin are generally less
severe and more limited in extent than those caused by fracturing of the earth’s crust.

 Earthquakes in volcanic regions are caused by the consequent release of elastic strain energy both by
tectonic faults and the movement of magma in volcanoes.

 There is a clear correspondence between the geographic distribution of volcanoes and major earthquakes,
particularly in the Circum-Pacific Belt and along oceanic ridges.

Human Induced Earthquakes

 Human Induced Earthquakes refers to typically minor earthquakes and tremors that are caused by human
activity like mining, large scale petroleum extraction, artificial lakes, nuclear tests etc.

Reservoir-Induced Seismicity
 The pressure offered by a column of water in a large and deep artificial lake alters stresses along an
existing fault or fracture. Also, the percolation of water weakens the soil structure and lubricates the
faults.

 Loading and unloading of water can significantly change the stress. This significant change in stress can
lead to a sudden movement along the fault or fracture, resulting in an earthquake.

 The 6.3 magnitude 1967 Koynanagar earthquake occurred near the Koyna Dam reservoir in Maharashtra
and claimed more than 150 lives. There have been several earthquakes of smaller magnitude since then.

Earthquakes based on the Depth of Focus

 For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0 – 700 km is divided into three zones: shallow,
intermediate, and deep.

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 Shallow focus earthquakes are found within the earth’s outer crustal layer, while deep focus earthquakes
occur within the deeper subduction zones of the earth.

 Shallow earthquakes are 0 – 70 km deep.

 Intermediate earthquakes are 70 – 300 km deep.

 Deep earthquakes are 300 – 700 km deep.

 Of the total energy released in earthquakes, about 12-15 per cent comes from intermediate earthquakes,
about 3-5 per cent from deeper earthquakes and about 70-85 per cent from shallow earthquakes.

 A quake's destructive force depends not only on the energy released but also on location, distance from
the epicentre and depth.

 On 24 August 2016, a 6.2 earthquake rocked Central Italy killing about 300 people. An even bigger 6.8 hit
Myanmar the same day killing just a few people.

 Italy's quake was very shallow, originating within 10 kilometres underground. By contrast, the quake in
Myanmar was deeper ― 84 kilometres.

Seismic Wave
 Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth's layers and are a result of earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, magma movement, large landslides and large human-made explosions.

 The terms seismic waves and earthquake waves are often used interchangeably.

How are Earthquake Waves Produced?

 The abrupt release of energy along a fault (sharp break in the crustal layer) causes earthquake waves.

 Rock layers along a fault tend to move in opposite directions due to the force exerted on them but are
held in place by counteracting frictional force exerted by the overlying rock strata.

 The pressure on the rock layers builds up over a period and overcomes the frictional force resulting in a
sudden movement generating shockwaves (seismic waves) that travel in all directions.

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Types of Seismic Waves or Earthquake Waves

The seismic waves or earthquake waves are basically of two types —

1. Body Waves

2. Surface Waves

Source : ScienceLearn.org

Body Waves
 Body waves are generated due to the release of energy at the focus and move in all directions travelling
through the interior of the earth. Hence, the name body waves.

 There are two types of body waves: The P-waves or primary waves and the S-waves or secondary waves.

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Primary Waves (P-waves)

 Primary waves are called so because they are the fastest among the seismic waves and hence are recorded
first on the seismograph.

 P-waves are -

 Longitudinal waves because the displacement of the medium is in the same direction as the direction of
propagation of the wave;

 Compressional waves because they produce compression and rarefaction when travelling through a
medium; or

 Pressure waves because they produce increases and decreases in pressure in the medium.

 These waves are of relatively high frequency and are the least destructive among the earthquake waves.

 They can travel in all mediums, and their velocity depends on shear strength (elasticity) of the medium.
Hence, the velocity of the P-waves in Solids > Liquids > Gases. P-wave velocity in earthquakes is in the
range 5 to 8 km/s.

Secondary Waves (S-waves)

 Secondary waves recorded second on the seismograph are also called transverse waves or shear waves or
distortional waves.

 They are analogous to water ripples or light waves.

 Transverse waves or shear waves mean that the direction of vibrations of the particles in the medium is
perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. Hence, they create troughs and crests in the
material through which they pass (they distort the medium).

 S-waves arrive at the surface after the P-waves.

 These waves are of high frequency and possess slightly higher destructive power compared to P-waves.

 S-waves cannot pass through fluids (liquids and gases) as fluids do not support shear stresses.

Surface Waves (L-Waves)

 The body waves interact with the surface rocks and generate new sets of waves called surface waves
(long or L-waves). These waves move only along the surface.

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 They are low-frequency transverse waves and they develop in the immediate neighbourhood of the
epicentre and affect only the surface of the earth and die out at smaller depth.

 They lose energy more slowly with distance than the body waves because they travel only across the
surface unlike the body waves which travel in all directions.

 Particle motion of surface waves (amplitude) is larger than that of body waves, so surface waves are the
most destructive among the earthquake waves.

 They are slowest among the earthquake waves and are recorded last on the seismograph.

Distribution of Earthquakes

Source : Wikipedia

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 Earth’s major earthquakes occur mainly in belts coinciding with the margins of tectonic plates. The most
important earthquake belt is the Circum-Pacific Belt, which affects many populated coastal regions around
the Pacific Ocean—for example, those of New Zealand, New Guinea, Japan, the Aleutian Islands, Alaska,
and the western coasts of North and South America.

 Because at many places the Circum-Pacific Belt is associated with volcanic activity, it has been popularly
dubbed the “Pacific Ring of Fire.”

 The Pacific Ring of Fire accounts for about 68 per cent of all earthquakes.

 A second belt, known as the Alpine Belt (Himalayas and Alps). The energy released in earthquakes from
this belt is about 15 percent of the world total.

 The mid-world mountain belt (Alpine Belt) extends parallel to the equator from Mexico across the
Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea from Alpine-Caucasus ranges to the Caspian, Himalayan mountains
and the adjoining lands.

 There also are striking connected belts of seismic activity, mainly along oceanic ridges—including those in
the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the western Indian Ocean—and along the rift valleys of East
Africa.

Richter Magnitude Scale

 Charles F. Richter developed the Richter magnitude scale (ML) for measuring the strength (amount of
energy released) of earthquakes in the 1930s.

 Under the Richter magnitude scale, an increase of one step corresponds to about a 32 times increase in
the amount of energy released, and an increase of two steps corresponds to a 1,000 times increase in
energy.

 Thus, an earthquake of Mw of 7.0 releases about 32 times as much energy as one of 6.0 and nearly 1,000
times (~ 32 X 32) one of 5.0.

 Richter scale is only effective for regional earthquakes no greater than M5. Moment magnitude scale is
more effective for large earthquakes.

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Magnitude Description Average earthquake effects Frequency of occurrence

 Micro earthquakes, not felt, or felt

1.0–1.9 Micro rarely.  Several million per year
 They are recorded by seismographs.

 Felt slightly by some people.

2.0–2.9  Over one million per year
 No damage to buildings.

Minor  Often felt by people, but very rarely

causes damage.
3.0–3.9  Over 100,000 per year
 Shaking of indoor objects can be
noticeable.

 Noticeable shaking of indoor

objects.
 They are felt by most people in the
affected area.
4.0–4.9 Light  Slightly felt outside.  10,000 to 15,000 per year
 Generally, causes none to minimal
damage.
 Some objects may fall off shelves or
be knocked over.

 Can cause damage of varying

severity to poorly constructed
buildings.
5.0–5.9 Moderate  1,000 to 1,500 per year
 At most, none to slight damage to
all other buildings.
 Felt by everyone.

 Damage to a moderate number of

well-built structures in populated
areas.
 Earthquake-resistant structures
survive with slight to moderate
damage.  100 to 150 per year
6.0–6.9 Strong
 Poorly designed structures receive  2011 Christchurch earthquake (6.2)
moderate to severe damage.
 Felt in wider areas; up to hundreds
of kilometres from the epicentre.
 Strong to violent shaking in the
epicentral area.

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Magnitude Description Average earthquake effects Frequency of occurrence

 Causes damage to most buildings,

some to partially or completely
collapse or receive severe damage.  10 to 20 per year
Well-designed structures are likely  1819 Rann of Kutch earthquake
7.0–7.9 Major
to receive damage. Felt across great (7.7–8.2)
distances with major damage  2001 Gujarat earthquake (7.7)
mostly limited to 250 km from
epicentre.

 Major damage to buildings,

structures likely to be destroyed.  One per year
 Will cause moderate to heavy  1556 Shaanxi earthquake (8.0)
8.0–8.9 damage to sturdy or earthquake-  1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake (8.6)
resistant buildings.
 2008 Sichuan earthquake (8.0)
 Damage in large areas.
 2010 Chile earthquake (8.8)
 Felt in extremely large regions.

Great
 One per 10 to 50 years
 At or near total destruction – severe  1960 Valdivia earthquake, Chile
damage or collapse to all buildings. (9.4–9.6)
9.0 and  Heavy damage and shaking extends  1964 Alaska earthquake (9.2)
greater to distant locations.  2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (9.1
 Permanent changes in ground –9.3)
topography.  2011 Tōhoku earthquake, Japan
(9.1)

Source : Based on U.S. Geological Survey Document

Earthquake Zones of India

 The latest seismic zone map prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority reveals that nearly
59% of India's land area is prone to moderate or severe earthquakes.

 This earthquake zoning map divides India into five different zones of earthquake intensity and highlights
the location that falls under them.

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Earthquake zones of India

Geomorphic Processes
Earth’s surface is constantly evolving and changing due to various forces emanating from below the surface
i.e. endogenic forces as well as above the surface of the earth exogenic forces. These forces cause physical and
chemical changes to the geomorphic structure.

Some of these changes are imperceptibly slow e.g. weathering, folding, some others are gradual e.g. erosion,
while the remaining are quite sudden earthquakes, volcanic eruptions.

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Endogenic Geomorphic Movements

 ‘’Endo’’ means internal; ‘’genic’’ means origin; “geo” means earth and “morphic” means form.

 The large-scale movements of the earth’s crust or its surface brought down by the forces emanating from
deep below the earth’s surface are called endogenic geomorphic movements or simply endogenic
movements.

The Force Behind Endogenic Movements

 The ultimate source of energy behind forces that drive endogenic movements is earth’s internal heat.

 Earth’s internal heat is a result of mainly radioactive decay which is a source for 50% of the earth’s internal
heat and gravitational pressure gradients.

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 Differences in temperature gradients or geothermal gradients and pressure gradients among various layers
of the earth give rise to density differences and these density differences give rise to conventional
currents.

 Convection currents in the mantle drive the crust and upper mantle and the movement of the lithospheric
plates is the cause behind endogenic movements.

 The Coriolis effect can influence where convection currents travel.

 The destination of convection currents determines the nature and location of the endogenic movements.

Classification of Endogenic Movements

 Endogenic movements are divided into diastrophic movements and sudden movements.

 Diastrophism refers to deformation of the Earth's crust. Diastrophic movements are gradual and might
stretch for thousands of years.

 On the other hand, sudden movements like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in a very short
period.

 Diastrophic movements are further classified into epeirogenic movements (continent forming ―
subsidence, upliftment) and orogenic movements (mountain building ― folding, faulting).

Diastrophism
 Diastrophism refers to deformation of the Earth's crust due to movements such as folding, faulting,
warping and fracturing.

 All processes that move, elevate or build up portions of the earth’s crust come under diastrophism. They
include –

1. Epeirogenic movements

 Epeirogenic or continent forming movements are radial movements that act along the radius of the earth.

2. Orogenic or the Mountain-forming Movements

 In contrast to epeirogenic movement, the orogenic movement is a more complicated deformation of the
Earth's crust, associated with convergence of tectonic plates.

 Such plate convergence forms orogenic belts that are characterised by "the folding and faulting of layers of
rock, by the intrusion of magma, and by volcanism.

 Orogenic or the mountain-forming movements act tangentially to the earth surface, as in plate tectonics.

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Source : Wikipedia

Folding

Sudden Movements
 Sudden geomorphic movements occur mostly at the tectonic plate margins.

 The plate margins are highly unstable regions due to pressure created by pushing and pulling of magma in
the mantle’s convection currents.

 These movements cause considerable deformation over a short period.

 They include –

1. Earthquakes

 An earthquake in Chile (1822) caused a one-metre uplift in coastal areas.

 An earthquake in New Zealand (1885) caused an uplift of up to 3 metres.

2. Volcanoes

 Depending on the chemical composition and viscosity of the lava, a volcano may take various
forms.

Exogenic Geomorphic Movements

 The geomorphic processes on the earth’s crust or its surface brought down by the forces emanating from
above the earth’s surface like wind, water etc. are called exogenic geomorphic processes.

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 Exogenic geomorphic processes give rise to exogenic geomorphic movements or simply exogenic
movements such as weathering and erosion.

 The effects of most of the exogenic geomorphic processes are small and slow but will, in the long run,
affect the rocks severely due to continued fatigue.

The Force Behind Exogenic Movements

 Exogenic processes are a direct result of the sun’s heat. The sun’s energy dictates the weather patterns like
winds, precipitation, etc.

 Sun’s heat along with weather patterns are responsible for stress induced in earth materials giving rise to
exogenic movements mainly weathering and erosion.

 All the exogenic processes i.e. weathering and erosion are covered under a general term, denudation. The
word ‘denude’ means to strip off or to uncover.

Source : NCERT Class XI

Weathering
 Weathering is the disintegration of rocks, soil, and minerals under the influence of heat, pressure and
chemical processes like leaching, oxidation and reduction, and hydration.

 There are three major groups of weathering processes: 1) chemical, 2) physical or mechanical and 3)
biological weathering processes.

Physical Weathering Processes

 Physical weathering involves mechanical disintegration of rocks due to temperature changes, freeze-thaw
cycles, wet-dry cycles, crystallisation of salts, animal and plant activity, etc.

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Various Mechanisms of Physical Weathering are Explained Below

1. Exfoliation due to pressure release or unloading

 Intrusive rocks formed deep beneath the Earth's surface are under tremendous pressure due to
overlying load and removal of the overlying load because of continued erosion causes vertical pressure
release with the result that the upper layers of the rock expand and fracture parallel to the surface.

 Over time, sheets of rock break away from the exposed rocks along the fractures, a process known as
exfoliation.

2. Exfoliation due to thermal stress weathering

 Thermal stress weathering results from the subsequent expansion and contraction of rocks caused by
diurnal and seasonal variations in the temperatures.

 The surface layers of the rocks tend to expand more than the rock at depth, and this leads to peeling off of
the surface layers.

 This process is most effective in dry climates and high elevations where diurnal temperature changes are
drastic.

3. Granular Disintegration

 Granular disintegration happens in rocks composed of different types of coarse-grained minerals.

 Dark-coloured minerals absorb more heat than the light-coloured minerals. This leads to differential
expansion and contraction of mineral grains resulting in grain by grain separation from the rock.

4. Frost weathering

 Frost weathering occurs due to the growth of ice within pores and cracks of rocks during repeated cycles
of freezing and melting.

 Frost weathering is the collective name for several processes where ice is present.

 These processes include frost shattering, frost-wedging and freeze-thaw weathering.

5. Salt Weathering

 Salt weathering occurs when saline solutions seep into cracks and joints in the rocks and evaporate,
leaving salt crystals behind.

 Salt crystals expand during the crystallization process and also when they are subjected to above normal
temperatures.

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 The expansion in near-surface pores causes splitting of individual grains within rocks, which eventually
fall off (granular disintegration or granular foliation).

 Salt weathering is normally associated with arid climates where strong heating causes strong evaporation
and crystallisation.

6. Mass Wasting

 Mass wasting is the mass movement of unconsolidated soil, sand, rocks, etc. along a slope under the
influence of gravity.

 Mass wasting occurs when the gravitational force acting on a slope exceeds its resisting force leading to
slope failure.

Chemical Weathering
 Chemical weathering involves chemical decomposition of rocks and soil.

 Chemical weathering processes include dissolution, solution, carbonation, hydration, oxidation and
reduction that act on the rocks to decompose, dissolve or reduce them to a fine state.

 These weathering processes are interrelated and go hand in hand and hasten the weathering process.

1. Natural Dissolution

 Dissolution is a process where a solute in gaseous, liquid, or solid phase dissolves in a solvent to form a
solution.

 Some minerals, due to their natural solubility like nitrates, sulphates, and potassium; and oxidation
potential will weather through dissolution naturally during rains.

 These minerals are easily leached out without leaving any residue and accumulate in dry regions.

2. Solution Weathering

 Solution weathering occurs when the solvent is an acidic solution rather than simple water. Acidic
solutions are any solution that has a higher concentration of hydrogen ions than water; solutions that have
a lower concentration of hydrogen ions than water is called basic or alkaline solutions.

3. Carbonation

 Carbonation weathering is a process in which atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to solution weathering.

 As rain falls, it dissolves small amounts of carbon dioxide from the air, forming a weak acid that can
dissolve some minerals like limestone (calcium carbonate).

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 When carbonic acid reacts with limestone, it produces calcium bicarbonate, which is partially soluble in
water (dissolution weathering).

 Caves are formed when underground water containing carbonic acid travels through blocks of limestone,
dissolves out the limestone, and leaves empty pockets (caves) behind (E.g. Karst topography).

4. Hydration

 Hydration is the chemical addition of water that involves the rigid attachment of H+ and OH- ions to the
atoms and molecules of a mineral.

 When rock minerals take up water, the increased volume creates physical stresses within the rock. For
example, iron oxides are converted to iron hydroxides which are larger in volume.

5. Hydrolysis

 In biological hydrolysis, a water molecule is consumed to affect the separation of a larger molecule into
component parts.

 In biological hydrolysis pure water reacts with silicate or carbonate minerals resulting in the complete
dissolution of the original mineral (dissolution weathering).

Biological Activity and Weathering

 Biological weathering is the removal of minerals from the environment due to growth or movement of
organisms. Living organisms contribute to both mechanical and chemical weathering.

 Lichens and mosses grow on essentially bare rock surfaces and create a more humid chemical
microenvironment.

 On a larger scale, seedlings sprouting in a crevice and plant roots exert physical pressure as well as
providing a pathway for water and chemical infiltration.

 Burrowing and wedging by organisms like earthworms, rodents etc., help in exposing the new surfaces to
chemical attack and assists in the penetration of moisture and air.

 Decaying plant and animal matter helps in the production of humic, carbonic and other acids which
enhance decay and solubility of some elements.

 Algae utilises mineral nutrients for growth and helps in the concentration of iron and manganese oxides.

Significance of Weathering
 Weathering is the first step in the formation of soil from rocks.

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 Weathering weakens soil and rocks and makes it easy to exploit natural resources.

 Weathering leads to natural soil enrichment.

 Weathering leads to mineral enrichment of certain ores by leaching unwanted minerals leaving behind the
valuable ones.

Erosion
Soil erosion is the loosening and displacement of topsoil from the land due to the action of agents like wind
and water. Soil erosion in nature may be a slow process or a fast process promoted by human activities like
overgrazing, deforestation. Weathering and erosion lead to the simultaneous process of ‘degradation' and
‘aggradation'.

Water Erosion
 Running water is one of the main agents, which carries away soil particles. Soil erosion by water occurs by
means of raindrops, waves or ice.

 Erosion by water is termed differently according to the intensity and nature of erosion: raindrop erosion,
sheet erosion, rill and gully erosion, stream bank erosion, landslides, coastal erosion, glacial erosion.

1. Raindrop erosion or splash erosion

 Raindrops behave like tiny bombs when falling on exposed soil, displace soil particles and destroy soil
structure.

 Presence of vegetation on land prevents raindrops from falling directly on the soil thus erosion of soil in
areas covered by vegetation is prevented.

2. Sheet erosion

 With continued rainfall the displaced soil particles fill in the spaces between soil particles and prevent
water from seeping into the soil. This results in surface runoff and even more erosion.

 The detachment and transportation of soil particles by flowing rainwater is called sheet or wash off
erosion.

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3. Rill and gully erosion

 In rill erosion finger-like rills appear on the cultivated land after it has undergone sheet erosion. These rills
are usually smoothened out every year while forming.

 Gully erosion is the removal of soil along drainage lines by surface water runoff.

 When rills increase in size, they become gullies. Once started, gullies will continue to move by headward
erosion or by slumping of the side walls.

4. Streambank erosion

 The erosion of soil from the banks (shores) of the streams or rivers due to the flowing water is called bank
erosion.

 In certain areas where the river changes its course, the river banks get eroded at a rapid rate.

 Streambank erosion damages the adjoining agricultural lands, highways and bridges.

5. Coastal erosion

 In the coastal areas, waves dash along the coast and cause heavy damage to the soil. During the landfall of
cyclones, storm surges destroy beaches and wash away the top layer.

 In estuaries, tidal bores cause extensive damage to the surrounding banks.

6. Glacial erosion

 In the polar regions and high mountainous regions like the Himalayas, soil erosion is caused by sowing
moving glaciers. This is called glacial erosion.

Wind Erosion
 Wind erosion or Aeolian erosion is quite significant in arid and semi-arid regions. Winds usually blow at
high speeds in deserts due to the absence of physical obstruction. These winds remove the fertile, arable,
loose soils leaving behind a depression devoid of topsoil.

 The depression formation in deserts is the first step in Oasis formation. Oasis forms in depressions when
there is underground water that gets accumulated above rocks.

 Very fine and medium sands are moved by wind in a succession of bounds and leaps, known as saltation.

 Small sand and dust particles are transported over long distances through the air by a process known as
suspension.

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 Coarse sand is not usually airborne but rather is rolled along the soil surface. This type of erosion is called
surface creep.

 Very coarse sand and gravel are too large to be rolled by wind, so wind-eroded soils have surfaces covered
with coarse fragments. This kind of arid soil surface is known as desert pavement.

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