Mass WastingThe movement of material downhill

repose

Angle of repose

The angle at which material will beginto move downhill. For soils, this anglewill change (i.e. decrease) when wet.

Types of Mass Wasting

Creep

Earthflow

Soil saturated with water. Similar to creep.

Slump

Debris Flow

Rock Fall

I-40 Landslide

San Jose, CA

This pair of images illustrates the rapid growth that occurred between 1973 and 1999 in San Jose, CA. From 1970 to 1996, the population of the city of San Jose increased from 459,000 to 839,000. This is reflected by an increase in urban areas in the above Landsat images, which show up as light blue.

Permafrost: Permanently frozen soil in polar regions

SolifluctionOnly upper frost layer thaws, lower layers remain frozen. Water is trapped on frozen layer.

Putting it all together

Mechanical weathering Chemical weathering

Rock fallRock slide

Talus

Coarse material Fine material

CreepDebris flows

Stream transport ->

Beach sand &sedimentation oncontinental shelf

Fall Line