nongeological

Nongeological refers to phenomena, processes, or materials that are not related to geology, the scientific study of the solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Geology primarily deals with the Earth's physical structure, its history, and the forces that shape it, such as plate tectonics, volcanism, and erosion. Therefore, anything described as nongeological falls outside this scope.

This term is often used in contrast to geological features or processes. For instance, while a mountain range is a geological formation resulting from tectonic uplift and erosion, a weather pattern like a hurricane is a nongeological atmospheric phenomenon. Similarly, a river's course can be influenced by geological features, but the flow of water itself, driven by gravity and atmospheric conditions, is a hydrological process that can be considered nongeological in its immediate mechanics, though its interaction with the land is geological.

Biological processes, such as the growth of a forest or the formation of a coral reef, are nongeological in their primary driving forces, although they can significantly alter geological landscapes over time. Human activities, like building a city or mining for minerals, are also nongeological in their origin, though they can have profound geological impacts. In essence, "nongeological" is a broad descriptor for anything that does not originate from or primarily involve the Earth's solid structure and its internal or external geological processes.