maaperägeologian

Maaperägeologia, also known as Quaternary geology or surficial geology, is the branch of geology that studies the uppermost layers of the Earth's crust. These layers, collectively termed unconsolidated sediments or "maaperä" in Finnish, are typically less than a few hundred meters thick and have formed relatively recently, primarily during the Quaternary Period, which began about 2.6 million years ago.

The focus of maaperägeologia is on understanding the origin, composition, distribution, and processes affecting these surface materials. This includes glacial deposits like till and moraines, fluvial sediments from rivers, lacustrine sediments from lakes, aeolian deposits such as sand dunes, and residual soils formed from the weathering of underlying bedrock. It also examines the geomorphological features created by these materials and the forces that shaped them, such as erosion and deposition.

The methods employed in maaperägeologia involve field mapping, sediment sampling and analysis, subsurface investigations using boreholes and geophysical techniques, and the interpretation of aerial photographs and remote sensing data. Understanding maaperä is crucial for a wide range of practical applications, including civil engineering projects (foundations, construction), groundwater resource management, agricultural land use planning, environmental impact assessments, and the search for mineral and aggregate resources. It also provides valuable insights into past environmental conditions and climate change.