Bedrock geologic units are fundamental mappable subdivisions of the solid Earth composed of coherent rock bodies that underlie surficial deposits and soils. Defined based on lithology, stratigraphic relationships, structure, and in some cases age or metamorphic grade, they include formations, members, groups, intrusive bodies, and metamorphic complexes. In geologic mapping and subsurface characterization, bedrock geologic units provide the primary framework for interpreting tectonic history, basin evolution, resource potential, and geotechnical properties. Their spatial distribution, thickness, and contacts are constrained through field mapping, drilling, geophysical surveys, and stratigraphic correlation across local to regional scales.
NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have captured two 360-degree landscapes that highlight how the missions are revealing details of the Red Planet's formation, watery past, and potential for life. Located 2,345 miles ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 28, 2026
0
33
Hike north on the Appalachian Trail and the scenery slowly transforms. Rugged, steep ridgelines in Tennessee and Virginia soften into the broad summits and smooth peaks of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. According to new research ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 24, 2026
0
21
New findings from NASA's Perseverance rover have revealed evidence of wave-formed beaches and rocks altered by subsurface water in a Martian crater that once held a vast lake—considerably expanding the timeline for potential ...
Astrobiology
Jan 27, 2026
0
239
You have probably seen the images of the surface of Mars, beamed back by NASA's rovers. What if there were a time machine capable of roaming Earth during its remote geological past, perhaps even going right back to its beginnings, ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 2, 2026
0
75
Bermuda may well be associated with exaggerated stories of missing ships and planes, but there is another mystery about this part of the Atlantic that has been puzzling scientists for decades: Why does the island appear to ...
A new study led by Prof. Chen Hongsong from the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed that calcium-rich bedrock can reshape the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) within karst ...
Ecology
Nov 4, 2025
0
12
A new study led by University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh geologist Timothy Paulsen and University of Colorado Boulder thermochronologist Jeff Benowitz advances the understanding of the geologic history of Transantarctic Mountains ...
Earth Sciences
May 30, 2025
0
113
