Slump And Slide

Growing up in the Ridge and Valley region of the Appalachians, I came to enjoy studying geomorphology and cultural landscapes. Those interests have endured throughout my career and into retirement, so it's always pleasing to see the subjects presented to everyday audiences. The Sunday edition of The New York Times has just such an article on land in motion near Santa Barbara, California. Fire is an important component of landslides in that region; however, they can occur virtually world-wide, brought on by any number of factors. Interestingly, very little is known about the actual process or physics behind slumping and sliding land.