subsurface

[suhb-sur-fuhs, suhb-sur-]

adjective

1. below the surface, especially of a body of water.

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsurface¹

First recorded in 1770–80; sub- + surface

Example Sentences

Methane levels exceed 80 percent, and hot fluids rising from below create distinctive chemical conditions in the subsurface.

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Shaking can break open new rock surfaces, force out fluids that were previously sealed away, and redirect the flow of water through the subsurface.

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In the meantime, measuring what is inside the plumes and how much material they carry gives scientists a powerful indirect way to study the subsurface environment.

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By analyzing the plume material, scientists can assess subsurface conditions without penetrating the crust.

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"Faults can be found almost everywhere. Faults in the shallow subsurface are usually stable, so we do not expect shock movements to occur along them," explains Dr. Ylona van Dinther, who led the study.

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