exhumation (geology)

In geology, the term exhumation refers to the geological process by which a parcel of rock approaches Earth's surface. Exhumation occurs either by erosion or by extensional tectonics. The term differs slightly from denudation in that denudation emphasizes a whole area being subject to erosion or extensional tectonics that bring forward new material to the surface, while exhumation is a more local term. Some geological literature uses the term in different way - to imply the return to Earth's surface of something previously buried in sediments, for example a landform.