10.1: What Is Mass Wasting?

What Is Mass Wasting?

Mass wasting Links to an external site. is the downhill movement of rock and soil material due to gravity. The term landslide is often used as a synonym, but mass wasting is a much broader term referring to all movement downslope. Movement by mass wasting can be slow or rapid. Rapid movement can be dangerous, such as during debris flows. Recall that erosion Links to an external site. is a powerful and continuous process and therefore landslides can be devastating and costly. In California, we have many regions with a high potential for landslides, particularly if you live near the coast, mountains, or a recent burn area (Figure 10.1).

Those who study mass wasting are typically referred to as geomorphologists or hazard scientists. Like many other geoscientists, working with other disciplines is common, with a heavy influence from both math and technology. Many are employed by universities where they teach and/or do research, and state and federal agencies, including geological surveys, like the California Geological Survey Links to an external site. or United State Geological Survey (USGS) Links to an external site.. Additional career pathways are available in the private sector including hazard mitigation and assessment. Many of these career options require a college degree and postgraduate work. If you are interested, talk to your geology instructor for advice. We recommend completing as many math and science courses as possible (chemistry is incredibly important for mineralogy). Also, visit National Parks Links to an external site., CA State Parks Links to an external site., museums, gem & mineral shows, or join a local rock and mineral club. Typically, natural history museums will have wonderful displays of rocks, including those from your local region. Here in California, there are a number of large collections, including the San Diego Natural History Museum Links to an external site., Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Links to an external site., Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Links to an external site., and Kimball Natural History Museum Links to an external site.. Many colleges and universities also have their own collections/museums.