scarp
geology
Quick Summary
Messenger: Mercury
A scarp on Mercury, as seen by the Messenger probe on January 14, 2008. The scarp (upper left) curves downward, ending in the large impact crater at the bottom. The region shown is about 200 km (120 miles) across.
A scarp is a steep slope or cliff formed by faulting or erosion. It can be a natural geological feature, such as a cliff along a beach created by wave action, or a result of tectonic activity, like a fault scarp formed by land uplift along a fault line. Scarps are also found as components of river terraces, where they represent the steep edge connecting a former floodplain (the tread) to a lower elevation in the valley. In fortifications, a scarp refers to the inner side of a ditch below a parapet.12
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
5 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
