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Geolens

Glossary

417 words used in the labs.

Find a term from the labs, understand the process behind it, and see how it appears in the landscape. Each entry connects an explanation with a real observation and a model you can explore.

Term

Silt

Soil mineral particles 0.002–0.05 mm across in the USDA system, intermediate between clay and sand.

What to look for

NASA Landsat observation of the Thames estuary. The tidal river widens towards the North Sea; pale water reveals suspended material and shallow coastal water.

Related labs

Soil texture triangle →
Landsat view of the Thames estuary, coastal shallows and offshore wind farms.
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Explore further with USGS water glossary · USGS volcano glossary · NPS glacial geology · NASA Earth facts. Photograph acknowledgements are collected on the Image credits page.