What is the formal name of the rock formation at the USC site?

The correct answer reflects that the formal name of the rock formation at the USC site is categorized as surficial sediments. Surficial sediments are layers of material found on the Earth's surface, typically composed of sediment that accumulates over time due to processes like weathering, erosion, and deposition. They include a range of materials like sand, silt, clay, and organic matter, which can influence local geology, hydrology, and ecology.

Surficial sediments can be particularly significant in understanding contemporary geological processes and assessing the conditions of the landscape. Knowledge of these formations is crucial in applications like urban development, environmental assessment, and natural resource management. This choice highlights the importance of surface materials in geologic mapping and interpretation.

In contrast, subsurface sediments refer to materials located beneath the surface layer, often requiring drilling or excavation to study. Cretaceous deposits pertain to a specific geologic time period and rock formation, which may not be relevant to the current site. Quaternary layers typically refer to sediments from the last 2.6 million years but do not accurately represent the entirety of surficial sediment composition or context at the USC location.