Mass wasting, also known as
slope movement or
mass movement, is the
geomorphic process by which
soil,
sand,
regolith, and
rock move downslope typically as a mass, largely under the force of
gravity, but frequently affected by water and water content as in submarine environments and
mudflows. Types of mass wasting include
creep, slides, flows, topples, and falls, each with its own characteristic features, and taking place over timescales from seconds to years. Mass wasting occurs on both terrestrial and submarine slopes, and has been observed on
Earth,
Mars,
Venus, and Jupiter's moon
Io.