John McPhee interview on YouTube
John McPhee and Eldridge Moores give a talk at UC Davis...
Labels: books, geologists, plate tectonics
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Trouble posting lately
Folks, I'm not sure why, but I've been having a heckuva time posting updates to this blog over the past week. I've tried like 30 times to get the "Backpacking Pololu" post (below) up, but it only went through just now.
Hopefully this problem will resolve itself, but if several days go by without a post, that's likely why.
Hopefully this problem will resolve itself, but if several days go by without a post, that's likely why.
Labels: blogs
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Backpacking Pololu
I've got a few more stories to tell from Hawai'i... Today I'd like to share the tale of a backpacking trip that my friend Lily and I took along the northern coast of the big island. From the road's end at the Pololu Overlook, we descended into the Pololu Valley, across its excellent beach, then up the adjacent ridge to the east, down into the next valley, up another ridge (and further east), and then down into the third valley, where we camped.
The route is shown on this Google "My Maps" map:
Here's a look eastward into that final valley:
Descending into the final valley:
The view from our campsite:
The substrate of our campsite: a poorly-lithified conglomerate:
The thing that stands out in my mind most about this excursion was a landslide scar that had cut off the trail at one point. This landslide occured in the middle valley (between Pololu and our campsite valley). The landslide scar is nice and visible in the lower-left of this Google Maps image:
It happened in 2006, triggered by the big earthquake that struck the big island that year. It was one of several landslides that were set off by that shaking. (Wikipedia has a nice "live-action" photo of another cliff collapsing up the coast at Waipio.)
Here's the landslide scar viewed from the east, looking west (on our hike back towards Pololu):
Another shot from the same perspective shows the run-out of debris below the source:
The tricky thing about this was that we had to get past this landslide, since it wiped out the trail. On our way in, we somewhat stupidly climbed down the face of the landslide itself, gingerly picking our way down the steep slope, so we didn't trigger any further mass wasting. Here, for instance, is a poorly-put-together composite photo showing Lily descending into the valley:
(On the way out, we found some ropes in the vegetation next to the slide, and hauled ourselves up those rather than getting on the slide surface again.) But on the way in, when we got to the bottom, we weren't sure where the trail was, and plunged through some dense bamboo forest. I felt like I was in LOST, where the characters are perpetually fighting their way through similar vegetation:
Eventually we found the trail, and continued along. Because of the landslide blocking access, this part of the trail hasn't been used as much for the past two years. Lots of pandanus leaves had been shed off and blanketed some parts of the trail. Hiking across these dried pandanus leaves was a noisy affair:
On the eastern side of the ridge between "Landslide Valley" and "Campsite Valley," we saw this two-inch-wide crack opening up along the trail, parallel to the ridge/valley trend. The edge of the ridge was about twenty feet away towards the east (direction my boot toe is pointing). Certainly something like this portends a future episode of mass wasting...
The route is shown on this Google "My Maps" map:
Here's a look eastward into that final valley:
Descending into the final valley:
The view from our campsite:
The substrate of our campsite: a poorly-lithified conglomerate:
The thing that stands out in my mind most about this excursion was a landslide scar that had cut off the trail at one point. This landslide occured in the middle valley (between Pololu and our campsite valley). The landslide scar is nice and visible in the lower-left of this Google Maps image:
It happened in 2006, triggered by the big earthquake that struck the big island that year. It was one of several landslides that were set off by that shaking. (Wikipedia has a nice "live-action" photo of another cliff collapsing up the coast at Waipio.)
Here's the landslide scar viewed from the east, looking west (on our hike back towards Pololu):
Another shot from the same perspective shows the run-out of debris below the source:
The tricky thing about this was that we had to get past this landslide, since it wiped out the trail. On our way in, we somewhat stupidly climbed down the face of the landslide itself, gingerly picking our way down the steep slope, so we didn't trigger any further mass wasting. Here, for instance, is a poorly-put-together composite photo showing Lily descending into the valley:
(On the way out, we found some ropes in the vegetation next to the slide, and hauled ourselves up those rather than getting on the slide surface again.) But on the way in, when we got to the bottom, we weren't sure where the trail was, and plunged through some dense bamboo forest. I felt like I was in LOST, where the characters are perpetually fighting their way through similar vegetation:
Eventually we found the trail, and continued along. Because of the landslide blocking access, this part of the trail hasn't been used as much for the past two years. Lots of pandanus leaves had been shed off and blanketed some parts of the trail. Hiking across these dried pandanus leaves was a noisy affair:
On the eastern side of the ridge between "Landslide Valley" and "Campsite Valley," we saw this two-inch-wide crack opening up along the trail, parallel to the ridge/valley trend. The edge of the ridge was about twenty feet away towards the east (direction my boot toe is pointing). Certainly something like this portends a future episode of mass wasting...
Labels: hawaii, landslide, mass wasting, sediment, travel
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Valley & Ridge, Water Breakout Sessions
Yesterday, I mentioned the results of the Virginia DGMR symposium's breakout session on Blue Ridge geology. Today, for completeness' sake, I'll also post the results of the other two breakout sessions (one on the Valley and Ridge province, and one on water issues):
Session 2: Unresolved Issues in Valley and Ridge Geology
In general, the consensus was that continued support for detailed geologic mapping is needed, which provides essential information for a number of major issues that need to be resolved. Major issues discussed during the Breakout Session generally fell into one or more (much overlap) of the following categories:
Geologic Framework:
Need to find better ways to communicate the value of geologic mapping (e.g. beyond the anticipated development along the I-81 Corridor).
Better communication between geologists working in the BR and VR regarding the timing and influence of major tectonic events; presently somewhat disconnected.
Evaluate the influence of basement normal faults.
Better understanding of the sequencing of thrust faults in the VR.
Better understanding of the transition between brittle and ductile fracturing in the VR.
Influence of the Rome Trough on VR structural framework.
Better understand the link between Allegheny Front and BR overthrust.
Better define stratigraphic units with economic and geohazard potential that are currently lumped (e.g. SDu, Ols, etc).
More focus on deep stratigraphy, where there is potential for deep saline aquifers that may provide geologic storage of CO2.
Geologic Hazards:
Identify, evaluate, and prioritize geologic hazards in VR.
Karst/sinkhole digital database; better understanding of the interplay between geologic controls and land use.
Large block slides, recognizing risk areas.
Better understand the nature of brittle on ductile fractures in context of subsidence risk along the western margin of the Blue Ridge
Quaternary history (e.g. evaluation of flood risks)
Economic:
Better understand the distribution of high-Ca limestones; not just limited to the middle-Ordovician units.
Stratigraphic relationships between Devonian shale units (e.g. Millboro, Marcellus)
Evaluate occurrences and distribution of non-polishing aggregate resources.
Evaluate occurrences and distribution of high purity silica (glass sands); (e.g. depositional character of the Oriskany).
Other:
Source and structural implications of Eocene-age igneous rocks (Highland Co) and alkaline dikes (Augusta Co).
Need for improved educational outreach.
Session 3: Integrating Geologic and Hydrologic studies - Benefits and Challenges
The group was divided into geologic information providers, hydrologic information providers, and hydrogeologic information users. The provider groups developed a list of the most important types of information they provide. The User group developed a list of the most important types of information they need. Based on the results of this exercise and the interest of the group, the remainder of the meeting focused on addressing gaps in available information for end users.
Geologic data providers provide:
Geologic formation information - descriptions, structure data, "cover" materials
Fracture/joint data and analysis
Detailed and regional maps
Ground truth on karst features
Hydrologic data providers provide:
Well data - location, yield, logs, geochemistry
Spring data - location, discharge, geochemistry, dye trace results
Water use information - ground water and surface water
Technical /Assistance
Hydrographs
Users of hydrogeologic information need:
Geologic maps at an appropriate scale.
Water well data - yield, depth to water table, etc.
Hydrographs
Users noted the following characteristics of information would be helpful:
Widely available and accessible information (Internet)
Standardized - uniformity of format and methodology (example pumping tests) on at least a statewide basis
Geologic descriptions and maps could include a characterization of saprolite.
Providers and users believed there was good agreement between the type of information that is being provided and that which is needed. The clear problem was recognized to be a lack of data in many places and the lack of easily accessible information (digital format, available on internet)
To address this problem, it was suggested the users of hydrogeologic information may be able to provide some assistance, such as:
Well data - construction characteristics, yield, drawdown, geochemistry over time
Soil data - maps, field notes
GIS Capabilities and data processing - especially county governments.
An identified issue:
Disconnect in some cases between geologists and soil scientists
Next Steps:
Water for America initiative may be an opportunity for geologic and hydrologic data providers to work together at the state level and provide hydrogeologic information to end users.
Based on USGS efforts in Northern Shenandoah Valley, integrated studies have both benefits and challenges. A future meeting to highlight these may be helpful to state level geologists and hydrologists.
Session 2: Unresolved Issues in Valley and Ridge Geology
In general, the consensus was that continued support for detailed geologic mapping is needed, which provides essential information for a number of major issues that need to be resolved. Major issues discussed during the Breakout Session generally fell into one or more (much overlap) of the following categories:
Geologic Framework:
Need to find better ways to communicate the value of geologic mapping (e.g. beyond the anticipated development along the I-81 Corridor).
Better communication between geologists working in the BR and VR regarding the timing and influence of major tectonic events; presently somewhat disconnected.
Evaluate the influence of basement normal faults.
Better understanding of the sequencing of thrust faults in the VR.
Better understanding of the transition between brittle and ductile fracturing in the VR.
Influence of the Rome Trough on VR structural framework.
Better understand the link between Allegheny Front and BR overthrust.
Better define stratigraphic units with economic and geohazard potential that are currently lumped (e.g. SDu, Ols, etc).
More focus on deep stratigraphy, where there is potential for deep saline aquifers that may provide geologic storage of CO2.
Geologic Hazards:
Identify, evaluate, and prioritize geologic hazards in VR.
Karst/sinkhole digital database; better understanding of the interplay between geologic controls and land use.
Large block slides, recognizing risk areas.
Better understand the nature of brittle on ductile fractures in context of subsidence risk along the western margin of the Blue Ridge
Quaternary history (e.g. evaluation of flood risks)
Economic:
Better understand the distribution of high-Ca limestones; not just limited to the middle-Ordovician units.
Stratigraphic relationships between Devonian shale units (e.g. Millboro, Marcellus)
Evaluate occurrences and distribution of non-polishing aggregate resources.
Evaluate occurrences and distribution of high purity silica (glass sands); (e.g. depositional character of the Oriskany).
Other:
Source and structural implications of Eocene-age igneous rocks (Highland Co) and alkaline dikes (Augusta Co).
Need for improved educational outreach.
Session 3: Integrating Geologic and Hydrologic studies - Benefits and Challenges
The group was divided into geologic information providers, hydrologic information providers, and hydrogeologic information users. The provider groups developed a list of the most important types of information they provide. The User group developed a list of the most important types of information they need. Based on the results of this exercise and the interest of the group, the remainder of the meeting focused on addressing gaps in available information for end users.
Geologic data providers provide:
Geologic formation information - descriptions, structure data, "cover" materials
Fracture/joint data and analysis
Detailed and regional maps
Ground truth on karst features
Hydrologic data providers provide:
Well data - location, yield, logs, geochemistry
Spring data - location, discharge, geochemistry, dye trace results
Water use information - ground water and surface water
Technical /Assistance
Hydrographs
Users of hydrogeologic information need:
Geologic maps at an appropriate scale.
Water well data - yield, depth to water table, etc.
Hydrographs
Users noted the following characteristics of information would be helpful:
Widely available and accessible information (Internet)
Standardized - uniformity of format and methodology (example pumping tests) on at least a statewide basis
Geologic descriptions and maps could include a characterization of saprolite.
Providers and users believed there was good agreement between the type of information that is being provided and that which is needed. The clear problem was recognized to be a lack of data in many places and the lack of easily accessible information (digital format, available on internet)
To address this problem, it was suggested the users of hydrogeologic information may be able to provide some assistance, such as:
Well data - construction characteristics, yield, drawdown, geochemistry over time
Soil data - maps, field notes
GIS Capabilities and data processing - especially county governments.
An identified issue:
Disconnect in some cases between geologists and soil scientists
Next Steps:
Water for America initiative may be an opportunity for geologic and hydrologic data providers to work together at the state level and provide hydrogeologic information to end users.
Based on USGS efforts in Northern Shenandoah Valley, integrated studies have both benefits and challenges. A future meeting to highlight these may be helpful to state level geologists and hydrologists.
Labels: caves, conferences, geology, valley and ridge, virginia, water resources
Friday, December 26, 2008
Blue Ridge Breakout Session
At the DGMR Blue Ridge / Valley & Ridge Symposium the other week, we had a productive hour-long brainstorming session about unresolved issues in the geology of those two physiographic provinces.
I only attended the Blue Ridge session, and with the blessing of the conference organizers, I'd like to share the results of our ruminations here:
Unresolved issues in Blue Ridge Geology
General Outcomes:
Participants would like to see this as a start to a new state geologic map for 2015.
Participants would like have follow-up workshops to discuss these issues in detail.
Participants would like to develop research needs proposals on these key topics.
Specific Issues:
1. Ramp separating the Cambro-Ordovician carbonates from the rock of the Blue Ridge
a. What is its position?
b. Is it "thick" skinned?
c. Can field work (alone) resolve this?
d. What is its age?
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000 scale across the Blue Ridge / Valley and Ridge transition
B. Applying geophysical techniques such as
a. Seismic reflection
b. Gravity studies
c. Reprocessing old data and reassessing old interpretations
C. LIDAR
2. Working out the problems with the Blue Ridge nomenclature and unit and fault correlations
a. Issues with variability in terminology and correlations across Virginia and between Virginia and North Carolina.
b. Map distribution of faults along the Blue Ridge - need to correlate their timing and extent
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000 scale along the Blue Ridge (N/S) and across the Blue Ridge (E/W).
B. Models for the Blue Ridge need to be presented, discussed and synthesized.
C. Developing a basement "tool kit" for Late Proterozoic rocks: Since we can't afford to date every rock, there is a need for key characteristics for each unit to be agreed upon and applied in the field.
D. Expunge archaic terms and agree upon an appropriate vocabulary.
E. Regular focus group meetings and field meetings are necessary to resolve these issues.
3. When did the Blue Ridge develop its topographic relief?
a. Timing?
b. Is it in a steady state?
c. What is the history of the various erosional surfaces throughout the BR's evolution?
d. How does this correlate with the other physiographic provinces?
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000.
B. Utilize low temperature chronometers such as U/Th/He at a sufficiently detailed spatial scale.
4. Role of the Mesozoic system in the Blue Ridge story and geometry.
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000.
B. Need more geophysical studies.
C. Examine the effects/association of these fractures with water
D. Examine the relationship between features and mineral resource deposits
E. More detailed fracture studies are needed
F. Compare and contrast the Mesozoic rifting with previous rifting cycles
G. A seismic risk assessment needs to be done.
5. Mylonites in the Blue Ridge
a. Triclinic deformation
b. Palinspastic restoration of the Blue Ridge in 3 dimensions.
c. Oblique convergence in Thornton Gap area.
6. Is there an unconformity between the Catoctin and the overlying sedimentary units?
7. New mica ages and their implications for deformation timing
a. Is this related to thrusting sequence?
b. Ages in the Swift Run and Weverton ages were likely the maximum temperature. Deeper rocks likely represent cooling ages.
8. Issue with the cover sequence west of the Blue Ridge - just where is the PreCambrian / Cambrian boundary?
a. Middle of the Chilhowee group?
b. Is all of the Chilhowee group Cambrian in age?
c. Is it in the Lynchburg formation?
9. Are there any Ediacaran fauna in any of the Neoproterozoic sediments?
10. There is a need to reconstruct paleoenvironments in the Blue Ridge
i.e. Mt. Rogers' glacial deposists, etc.
11. Paragneiss story
a. What is the time/temperature path these rocks took?
____________________________________________________
Again, I'd like to thank Amy, Matt, Laurie, and the rest of the dedicated staff of the Division of Geology and Mineral Resources for organizing the symposium and following up with this break-out session digest. Everyone I know who was there felt it was really useful. Facilitating discussions like these between geologic researchers is a key function of a robust state geology agency, and it chagrins me to think there will be less of this in future years due to the recent budget cuts.
What do you think of this list? Are these the most important issues in Blue Ridge geology? What would you add or refine?
I only attended the Blue Ridge session, and with the blessing of the conference organizers, I'd like to share the results of our ruminations here:
Unresolved issues in Blue Ridge Geology
General Outcomes:
Participants would like to see this as a start to a new state geologic map for 2015.
Participants would like have follow-up workshops to discuss these issues in detail.
Participants would like to develop research needs proposals on these key topics.
Specific Issues:
1. Ramp separating the Cambro-Ordovician carbonates from the rock of the Blue Ridge
a. What is its position?
b. Is it "thick" skinned?
c. Can field work (alone) resolve this?
d. What is its age?
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000 scale across the Blue Ridge / Valley and Ridge transition
B. Applying geophysical techniques such as
a. Seismic reflection
b. Gravity studies
c. Reprocessing old data and reassessing old interpretations
C. LIDAR
2. Working out the problems with the Blue Ridge nomenclature and unit and fault correlations
a. Issues with variability in terminology and correlations across Virginia and between Virginia and North Carolina.
b. Map distribution of faults along the Blue Ridge - need to correlate their timing and extent
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000 scale along the Blue Ridge (N/S) and across the Blue Ridge (E/W).
B. Models for the Blue Ridge need to be presented, discussed and synthesized.
C. Developing a basement "tool kit" for Late Proterozoic rocks: Since we can't afford to date every rock, there is a need for key characteristics for each unit to be agreed upon and applied in the field.
D. Expunge archaic terms and agree upon an appropriate vocabulary.
E. Regular focus group meetings and field meetings are necessary to resolve these issues.
3. When did the Blue Ridge develop its topographic relief?
a. Timing?
b. Is it in a steady state?
c. What is the history of the various erosional surfaces throughout the BR's evolution?
d. How does this correlate with the other physiographic provinces?
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000.
B. Utilize low temperature chronometers such as U/Th/He at a sufficiently detailed spatial scale.
4. Role of the Mesozoic system in the Blue Ridge story and geometry.
How might this question be resolved?
A. Detailed geologic mapping at 1:24,000.
B. Need more geophysical studies.
C. Examine the effects/association of these fractures with water
D. Examine the relationship between features and mineral resource deposits
E. More detailed fracture studies are needed
F. Compare and contrast the Mesozoic rifting with previous rifting cycles
G. A seismic risk assessment needs to be done.
5. Mylonites in the Blue Ridge
a. Triclinic deformation
b. Palinspastic restoration of the Blue Ridge in 3 dimensions.
c. Oblique convergence in Thornton Gap area.
6. Is there an unconformity between the Catoctin and the overlying sedimentary units?
7. New mica ages and their implications for deformation timing
a. Is this related to thrusting sequence?
b. Ages in the Swift Run and Weverton ages were likely the maximum temperature. Deeper rocks likely represent cooling ages.
8. Issue with the cover sequence west of the Blue Ridge - just where is the PreCambrian / Cambrian boundary?
a. Middle of the Chilhowee group?
b. Is all of the Chilhowee group Cambrian in age?
c. Is it in the Lynchburg formation?
9. Are there any Ediacaran fauna in any of the Neoproterozoic sediments?
10. There is a need to reconstruct paleoenvironments in the Blue Ridge
i.e. Mt. Rogers' glacial deposists, etc.
11. Paragneiss story
a. What is the time/temperature path these rocks took?
____________________________________________________
Again, I'd like to thank Amy, Matt, Laurie, and the rest of the dedicated staff of the Division of Geology and Mineral Resources for organizing the symposium and following up with this break-out session digest. Everyone I know who was there felt it was really useful. Facilitating discussions like these between geologic researchers is a key function of a robust state geology agency, and it chagrins me to think there will be less of this in future years due to the recent budget cuts.
What do you think of this list? Are these the most important issues in Blue Ridge geology? What would you add or refine?
Labels: blue ridge, conferences, geology, virginia
iPhone clinometer
Who needs a Brunton compass when you've got your iPhone?
I had a few beers earlier in the week with geoblogger-home-for-the-holidays Jess Ball. I was telling her how I was going to be teaching structural geology next semester at George Mason, which prompted Jess to show me a very cool application on her iPod Touch that also works on the iPhone: it's a clinometer!
It is very cool. Twist and turn the thing, and there in two confident digits, is the angle of inclination for the device's straight edge. I was impressed. Future structure students, take note: you need this thing ($1). But first, you need an iPhone (>$1). Or I can just loan you one of GMU's Brunton compasses ($0). Your choice.
Image from John Naughton, showing that there is a margin of error associated with this cool toy.
I had a few beers earlier in the week with geoblogger-home-for-the-holidays Jess Ball. I was telling her how I was going to be teaching structural geology next semester at George Mason, which prompted Jess to show me a very cool application on her iPod Touch that also works on the iPhone: it's a clinometer!
It is very cool. Twist and turn the thing, and there in two confident digits, is the angle of inclination for the device's straight edge. I was impressed. Future structure students, take note: you need this thing ($1). But first, you need an iPhone (>$1). Or I can just loan you one of GMU's Brunton compasses ($0). Your choice.
Image from John Naughton, showing that there is a margin of error associated with this cool toy.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
NPR: Quake tourists in China
NPR's Louisa Lim reports on tourists flocking to see Sichuan earthquake devastation in China.
Labels: china, earthquakes, news, radio
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Planning for Ecuador
I'm sorry, did somebody say there was a holiday this week?
I've been very preoccupied with the spring semester; putting my syllabi together, taking care of committee work before I leave for Ecuador next week. And they tell me the Christmas is coming up, too... It's been busy!
Does anyone have any travel advice for Ecuador? I've had so little time to plan for this trip that I really haven't made any concrete plans other than buying an airplane ticket into Quito. Because I waited so long to start planning, it looks like I missed out on the opportunity to check out the Galapagos on this trip. Very well: I'll be back!
So it looks like I'll be spending most of my time in the Andean highlands, which ain't so bad. My friend Bridget recommended the South American Explorers Club as being a great organization to join for a network of fellow travelers in the country. They even have clubhouses in Quito, Buenos Aires, Cusco, and Lima...
I'd like to spend my time hiking and geologizing out in the mountainous countryside, but have a comfy roost for the evenings. Any and all advice would be welcome. Either post in the comments section below, or shoot me an e-mail at:
I've been very preoccupied with the spring semester; putting my syllabi together, taking care of committee work before I leave for Ecuador next week. And they tell me the Christmas is coming up, too... It's been busy!
Does anyone have any travel advice for Ecuador? I've had so little time to plan for this trip that I really haven't made any concrete plans other than buying an airplane ticket into Quito. Because I waited so long to start planning, it looks like I missed out on the opportunity to check out the Galapagos on this trip. Very well: I'll be back!
So it looks like I'll be spending most of my time in the Andean highlands, which ain't so bad. My friend Bridget recommended the South American Explorers Club as being a great organization to join for a network of fellow travelers in the country. They even have clubhouses in Quito, Buenos Aires, Cusco, and Lima...
I'd like to spend my time hiking and geologizing out in the mountainous countryside, but have a comfy roost for the evenings. Any and all advice would be welcome. Either post in the comments section below, or shoot me an e-mail at:
Labels: ecuador, south america, travel
Monday, December 22, 2008
Catch the Buzz
Some geology-oriented terms made the New York Times' annual rundown on buzzwords. It's noteworthy that two of the (non-geological) others on the list (futarchy and edupunk) were coined by Virginia professors.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
WIRED covers AGU
A high-definition eruption video is giving clues to how volcanoes work, as reported by WIRED magazine staff attending last week's AGU meeting. Turns out WIRED actually had a big AGU coverage site, which I only just noticed. Some good stuff there, though. Check it out.
A year gone by
Howdy, howdy. It's the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year. It is also the one-year "blogiversary" of your humble NOVA Geoblog. Our first day on the job, we put up three separate posts of the "short and sweet" variety. Since that time, we've put up posts at an average rate of 1.24 per day (454 posts over 365 days). ("We've" also started referring to "ourselves" in the third-person plural, a disturbing development indeed.)
Some of these posts I feel pretty proud of, in terms of the detail they express, the big ideas they examine, or the language I used to write them. Others have just been meeting announcements, job opportunities, or brief mentions of newsworthy items hosted at other sources. Here's a list of 15 of my favorites:
It's been a good year. Since I started this blog, I've travelled to Northern Ireland, Buffalo and Niagara Falls in New York, Montana, Kentucky, Wyoming, the Grand Canyon, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Hawai'i, and as of next week I'm off to Ecuador and (knock on wood) the Galapagos. In that year, I've taught hundreds of students in courses ranging from one-credit field studies to four-credit Honors courses. I also took 14 credits of graduate coursework from Montana State, via the computer and in the field in the northern Rockies. At NOVA, I've gotten involved in some good activities, from greening the College to leading caving trips. I've published some articles and some cartoons, and been contracted to do art ranging from squirrel woodcuts to diagrams of coastal processes in the Gulf states. I got promoted; I got some grants; I expanded and maintained my network of geological contacts throughout the mid-Atlantic region and across cyberspace. I volunteered leading geology walks along the Billy Goat Trail and through Washington, DC, and served in various official roles for the Geological Society of Washington.
...All told, it's been a full year.
The blog has been successful. I've been delighted to get so much positive feedback from readers, and glad that the blog could serve as a case study in articles in Geotimes and EARTH. I'm also grateful for the corrections when I screw something up: I appreciate the critique and feedback. The counter I added in mid-spring (I forget exactly when) has tracked almost 50,000 hits. I put Sitemeter on in mid-August, and it's tallied up ~28,000 visits in those four months, with ~42,000 page views. That is kind of a lot, I think.
I'm very pleased to see that I have not been alone in this endeavor. The geoblogosphere has exploded in diversity and population over this same time, and I'm pleased to have been able to document that with the "Rise of the Geoblogosphere" talk at the Geological Society of Washington (and ensuing post) in September. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the survey.
My hats off to Maria, Ron, and Andrew for paving the way for the rest of us, and to Chuck, Kim, Brian, and Chris for providing such compelling examples to emulate. I've been delighted to explore the world of blogging in a cadre of 'yearlings' that includes luminaries like Dave, Garry, Bryan, ReBecca, Ralph, Jessica, Silver Fox, Dave, Lee, and Julian, among so many others that I wouldn't be able to list them all. (I leave that to Lutz.) I am delighted to see relative newcomers like Ed, Chris, Chuck, Jesse, Michael, David, and (my former/future student) Jay on the scene; I also hope for the new year to bring the resurrection of some old favorites, like Mel, Chris, Jeannette, and Jim. My sincere apologies if I've left your worthy blog off this incomplete list.
Happy solstice, everyone! Here's to another year of discussion and sharing!
Some of these posts I feel pretty proud of, in terms of the detail they express, the big ideas they examine, or the language I used to write them. Others have just been meeting announcements, job opportunities, or brief mentions of newsworthy items hosted at other sources. Here's a list of 15 of my favorites:
- Geology along Windy Run, Virginia I
- Geology along Windy Run, Virginia II
- Ultramafics in the Piedmont
- Migmatitic
- Virtual Billy Goat Trail trip
- Another field trip transcript
- Shenandoah NP: Corbin Cabin area
- Western conglomerates, Culpeper Basin
- Massanutten Synclinorium field trip
- Perspectives on coastal tectonics
- Horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay
- My favorite analogies
- Mineral habit and Japanese watermelon
- Rock varieties of Hawai'i
- Atop Mauna Kea
It's been a good year. Since I started this blog, I've travelled to Northern Ireland, Buffalo and Niagara Falls in New York, Montana, Kentucky, Wyoming, the Grand Canyon, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Hawai'i, and as of next week I'm off to Ecuador and (knock on wood) the Galapagos. In that year, I've taught hundreds of students in courses ranging from one-credit field studies to four-credit Honors courses. I also took 14 credits of graduate coursework from Montana State, via the computer and in the field in the northern Rockies. At NOVA, I've gotten involved in some good activities, from greening the College to leading caving trips. I've published some articles and some cartoons, and been contracted to do art ranging from squirrel woodcuts to diagrams of coastal processes in the Gulf states. I got promoted; I got some grants; I expanded and maintained my network of geological contacts throughout the mid-Atlantic region and across cyberspace. I volunteered leading geology walks along the Billy Goat Trail and through Washington, DC, and served in various official roles for the Geological Society of Washington.
...All told, it's been a full year.
The blog has been successful. I've been delighted to get so much positive feedback from readers, and glad that the blog could serve as a case study in articles in Geotimes and EARTH. I'm also grateful for the corrections when I screw something up: I appreciate the critique and feedback. The counter I added in mid-spring (I forget exactly when) has tracked almost 50,000 hits. I put Sitemeter on in mid-August, and it's tallied up ~28,000 visits in those four months, with ~42,000 page views. That is kind of a lot, I think.
I'm very pleased to see that I have not been alone in this endeavor. The geoblogosphere has exploded in diversity and population over this same time, and I'm pleased to have been able to document that with the "Rise of the Geoblogosphere" talk at the Geological Society of Washington (and ensuing post) in September. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the survey.
My hats off to Maria, Ron, and Andrew for paving the way for the rest of us, and to Chuck, Kim, Brian, and Chris for providing such compelling examples to emulate. I've been delighted to explore the world of blogging in a cadre of 'yearlings' that includes luminaries like Dave, Garry, Bryan, ReBecca, Ralph, Jessica, Silver Fox, Dave, Lee, and Julian, among so many others that I wouldn't be able to list them all. (I leave that to Lutz.) I am delighted to see relative newcomers like Ed, Chris, Chuck, Jesse, Michael, David, and (my former/future student) Jay on the scene; I also hope for the new year to bring the resurrection of some old favorites, like Mel, Chris, Jeannette, and Jim. My sincere apologies if I've left your worthy blog off this incomplete list.
Happy solstice, everyone! Here's to another year of discussion and sharing!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Drilling (baby, drilling) for oil in Virginia
A quick note for fellow Virginians: CNN reports on the new efforts by the Bush administration to drill for oil offshore from the Old Dominion.
Labels: environmental, news, oil, petroleum, politics, virginia
A variety of holes in lava
Holy lava, geoblogosphere!
On my recent trip to Hawai'i, I saw a variety of different kinds of holes in the basaltic "lava rock" that makes up the majority of the island. The largest examples were lava tubes, like the Thurston Lava Tube near Kilauea Iki in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park:
This is a conduit through which molten lava once flowed. Once the source of that lava ceased producing, though, the lava drained out and the tube was left empty, like a cave. (Caves, of course, are holes produced through an entirely different process.) The ceiling of this lava tube is about twenty feet high.
Not too far distant, there's a nice area where you can see tree molds:
These are holes left in the rock as the lava flowed around a tree. The heat of the molten rock burst the tree's cells, releasing water and quenching the lava in a cylindrical tube around the tree. The dewatered tree then burned up, leaving a hollow mold showing the shape of its (former) trunk:
The holes are kinda deep:
Inside the tree mold, you can see the texture of the (in this case, pahoehoe) lava that flowed around the tree trunk:
Looking up the invisible tree trunk, and out the hole towards Lily:
Here's a bigger hole, the Halema'uma'u Crater within Kilauea Caldera:
It's venting a lot of steam, hydrogen sulfide, and other gases.
Google Map for reference on how this hole relates to the even bigger hole that is the caldera:
The photo of Halema'uma'u above was taken from the Hawai'i Volcano Observatory adjacent to the Jagger Museum in the park. Stepping back a bit from the window, you can see that I'm not the only one taking this particular photo... This is the same spot where the Halema'uma'u Crater webcam is filmed. That's what all these cameras are doing in the foreground:
Janet Babb took some time out of her day to show us around the place (thanks, Janet!), and I made sure to sign into the guest book. There, I was pleased to see past visitors, including (I think) Ron Schott's crew fromFort Hays State University Lake Superior State University, the William and Mary crew, and most recently, the NOVA crew headed by my colleagues Ken Rasmussen and Nancy Chamberlain:
Janet let me hold a chunk of recently erupted basalt. This one erupted in early October, I think she said. It was about a month old when I held it -- that's my record for a really recent rock:
As noted in a previous post, this vesicular texture displayed by this sample is one more example of (smaller) holes in lava.
On my recent trip to Hawai'i, I saw a variety of different kinds of holes in the basaltic "lava rock" that makes up the majority of the island. The largest examples were lava tubes, like the Thurston Lava Tube near Kilauea Iki in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park:
This is a conduit through which molten lava once flowed. Once the source of that lava ceased producing, though, the lava drained out and the tube was left empty, like a cave. (Caves, of course, are holes produced through an entirely different process.) The ceiling of this lava tube is about twenty feet high.
Not too far distant, there's a nice area where you can see tree molds:
These are holes left in the rock as the lava flowed around a tree. The heat of the molten rock burst the tree's cells, releasing water and quenching the lava in a cylindrical tube around the tree. The dewatered tree then burned up, leaving a hollow mold showing the shape of its (former) trunk:
The holes are kinda deep:
Inside the tree mold, you can see the texture of the (in this case, pahoehoe) lava that flowed around the tree trunk:
Looking up the invisible tree trunk, and out the hole towards Lily:
Here's a bigger hole, the Halema'uma'u Crater within Kilauea Caldera:
It's venting a lot of steam, hydrogen sulfide, and other gases.
Google Map for reference on how this hole relates to the even bigger hole that is the caldera:
The photo of Halema'uma'u above was taken from the Hawai'i Volcano Observatory adjacent to the Jagger Museum in the park. Stepping back a bit from the window, you can see that I'm not the only one taking this particular photo... This is the same spot where the Halema'uma'u Crater webcam is filmed. That's what all these cameras are doing in the foreground:
Janet Babb took some time out of her day to show us around the place (thanks, Janet!), and I made sure to sign into the guest book. There, I was pleased to see past visitors, including (I think) Ron Schott's crew from
Janet let me hold a chunk of recently erupted basalt. This one erupted in early October, I think she said. It was about a month old when I held it -- that's my record for a really recent rock:
As noted in a previous post, this vesicular texture displayed by this sample is one more example of (smaller) holes in lava.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Geolutions for 2009
Christie asks: What are your top ten geological resolutions for the new year?
For me, the list would include:
For me, the list would include:
- visiting the Galapagos Islands
- visiting the high Andes (Cotopaxi, Chimborazo), Ecuador
- finding a cool outcrop of graded beds in the Martinsburg Formation (late Ordovician turbidites in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia) that Rick Diecchio told me about last week
- "walking on the Moho" in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland (late summer)
- seeing Snowball rocks and Ediacarans on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland (late summer)
- visiting Egg Mountain paleontological site, Montana
- joining my colleague Ken Rasmussen's field trip to the Culpeper Basin, a Triassic rift valley in northern Virginia
- some cool trip next winter break (2009-10): perhaps Patagonia? Or Antarctica?
- Running a successful and robust Structural Geology course for George Mason University (spring semester).
- Running a successful and innovation Environmental Geology course for NOVA (spring semester).
- Running a successful and safe Regional Field Geology of the Northern Rocky Mountains course for NOVA (summer semester).
- Preparing and running a successful and groundbreaking Honors Historical Geology course linked with English Literature 242 at NOVA, where the English professor and I will bridge the two subjects with readings of Lyell, Darwin, "A Pair of Blue Eyes," and others (fall semester).
On other topics:
- Finish my M.S.S.E. degree (July)
- Buy a house
- Put together a series of geology 'vodcasts' on local geology
- Write a few freelance articles
- Publish one cartoon per month in EARTH
- Prepping (cutting and polishing) a backlog of rock samples from all over the place
- Successfully moving the geology department into our new building
Labels: canada, ecuador, geology, msse, newfoundland, nova, south america, teaching, travel, valley and ridge, virginia
Dino Dads
Frankie Jackson, one of the professors who orchestrated my "Dinosaur Paleontology of the Hell Creek Formation" course this summer, was quoted in today's Washington Post about a study she and colleagues have published in Science today. The study suggests that male theropod dinosaurs played a significant role in incubating eggs and tending to young.
Science news note.
Science article (DOI: 10.1126/science.1163245)
Update 12/20/08: NPR did a story on this, too.
Science news note.
Science article (DOI: 10.1126/science.1163245)
Update 12/20/08: NPR did a story on this, too.
GeoCorps position at CUE
Students! What will you do next summer? I've done some work with the good folks at the Center for Urban Ecology in DC, which works with the national parks in the National Captial Region. I was notified today that they're in search of a GeoCorps participant to complete a paleontological inventory of the area's parks.
Could be fun! The relevant info is below, or you can see it all on the GeoCorps site.
Could be fun! The relevant info is below, or you can see it all on the GeoCorps site.
| Public Land Name: | Center for Urban Ecology, National Capital Region, National Park Service |
| Position Title: | Geosciences Research Assistant / Paleontologist |
| Position ID Number: | 208 |
| Location: | Washington, DC |
| Position Description: | The work of the GeoCorps participant will build upon a paleontological inventory of the National Capital Region’s parks conducted in 2004 which revealed remarkable assemblages containing vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant fossils distributed in four distinct physiographic regions. The participant will conduct paleontological resource site condition assessments, complete documentation, and help establish a monitoring program for fossil sites in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park (MD, DC), Manassas National Battlefield (VA), and National Capital Parks-East (MD, DC). The position will include both office and field work. Most of the time will be spent conducting field paleontological surveys to fully document localities and to undertake site condition assessments. Site visits will be conducted by vehicle and on foot. While working in the field, the participant will ensure that NPS regulations and safety procedures are being followed. Office duties will include reviewing literature, preparing documentation for entering into NPS databases, building a photographic library, and drafting recommendations for site monitoring. Participants may have an option to use a portion of their time for self-directed research after approval from regional and park staff. Prior to starting this position a government security background clearance will be required. This position is offered through the Geological Society of America's GeoCorps America Program in partnership with the National Park Service's Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Program. |
| Qualifications: | Undergraduate/graduate coursework and/or field experience in paleontology, with preference given to knowledge of the Mid-Atlantic region. Applicant must have completed at least three years of college-level coursework. Graduates students, faculty, and active and retired professionals are also welcome to apply. Experience in the field, discovery and evaluation of paleontological resources, particularly trace fossils, is important. The applicant should be able to work well independently, both in the office and in the field, have basic map reading and GPS skills, and must be comfortable both working outdoors and negotiating a busy city. Basic computer skills are required. Applicant must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record. |
| Position Dates: | 12 weeks with flexible starting dates in April-May |
| Payment: | $2,750.00 |
| Housing Available: | Housing will be provided at no cost to the participant most likely at Brookmont House (George Washington Memorial Parkway) in Washington, D.C. This is a 3-bedroom house shared with up to two other people. There is public transportation available but grocery shopping and other services are limited in this area, so having a personal vehicle is highly recommended. |
| Physical/Natural Environment: | Parks of the National Capital Region (NCR) encompass numerous sites ranging in size from less than one to over six thousand hectares that provide a diversity of experiences and landscapes. The 15 national parks of the National Capital Region lie within four physiographic provinces: Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Ridge and Valley, and contain significant geological resources. These parks include areas with national icons (the National Mall), national battlefields (Antietam, Manassas, Monocacy, Harpers Ferry), and natural forests (Catoctin Mountain Park and Prince William Forest Park), all amidst the rapidly growing metropolitan Washington, D.C. This unique setting provides great opportunities to gain insights into issues related to urban ecology and integrated management of cultural and natural resources. |
| Work Environment: | The Center for Urban Ecology (CUE) houses the Natural Resources and Science Division, which is an interdisciplinary team that provides scientific guidance, technical assistance, and education for the preservation and enhancement of park resources in the National Capital Region, National Park Service. Working with resource managers, researchers, and the public, CUE strives to discover and incorporate new ways to understand, preserve, and enhance natural communities within and around the national parks in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. CUE is located in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC, in a Rock Creek Park facility. Laboratories at CUE are fully equipped to support research in botany, plant health (pathology), entomology, hydrology, aquatic biology, soils, and wildlife biology. |
| # of current Applicants: | 0 |
If you have questions about the application and selection process, please contact Anny Jones. If you have questions about any aspect of the position - description, qualifications, housing, dates - please contact the primary or secondary contact below: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Labels: dc, fossils, jobs, national parks
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Giant map of DC
Check this out: planners of next month's inauguration are using a giant map to figure all the logistics out.
Montana's geological road signs
Yesterday, while trying to identify my ammonite, I did a bit of web-searching which lead me to the Montana Math and Science Initiative, sponsored by Nancy Schweitzer, wife of governor Brian Schweitzer. It includes a series of geological roadsigns, as shown on this map. Check them out and learn a little something about a great state with rich geology!
Props
A quick shout out to Barbara at Kona, Hawai'i-based Guavabee for her recent accolades for NOVA Geoblog!
Birthday card for a geologist
Two of my bestest students got me this card for my birthday last week:
I do... Also, I really appreciate students who take the time to do things like buy their professors birthday cards. I've got some good ones here!
All those warm fuzzies aside, though, we should point out for the record:
Issue #1: The oldest cave paintings (in Europe) are ~32,000 years old, not "3.2 million."
Issue #2: That's a really old dinosaur. Most dinosaurs are much younger. It's been suggested the divergence from archosaurs occurred ~230 Ma, so this isn't the most representative age for a dino.
The inside says "Don't you feel better now?"
I do... Also, I really appreciate students who take the time to do things like buy their professors birthday cards. I've got some good ones here!
All those warm fuzzies aside, though, we should point out for the record:
Issue #1: The oldest cave paintings (in Europe) are ~32,000 years old, not "3.2 million."
Issue #2: That's a really old dinosaur. Most dinosaurs are much younger. It's been suggested the divergence from archosaurs occurred ~230 Ma, so this isn't the most representative age for a dino.
Labels: art, geologic time, humor, teaching
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
More budget cuts for Virginia schools
This just in from the office of Virginia's governor, Tim Kaine:
"In higher education, our October actions reduced schools' 2009 base budgets by 5 to 7%. For 2010, I have increased the reductions to 15% for all schools, except the community colleges and Richard Bland, which will have the reduction level increased to 10%."
Especially in light of what I posted earlier today, this does not bode well.
Full text of the governor's remarks here.
"In higher education, our October actions reduced schools' 2009 base budgets by 5 to 7%. For 2010, I have increased the reductions to 15% for all schools, except the community colleges and Richard Bland, which will have the reduction level increased to 10%."
Especially in light of what I posted earlier today, this does not bode well.
Full text of the governor's remarks here.
A better "geologist's life list"
Tuesday was final exam day for me. While the students were bubbling in Scantron forms and writing essays, I did a bit of reading (reviewing a book about oil discoveries in Prudhoe Bay for EARTH) and I did a bit of thinking.
I was thinking about that meme we had going around over the weekend and the earlier part of this week -- the list of "100 things every geologist should try and do in their lifetime." Several folks pointed out the Americocentrism of the list, and it occurred to me to try and make a better list. I pulled out my notebook and started jotting down things I thought were worth seeing, places I thought were worth seeing, or activities I thought were worth experiencing to be a fully well-rounded geologist. Geoblogospherians, please take a look at this list and let me know what to add and what's spurious. Maybe we can submit the results as a newer, more-internationalized master list.
A scan of my jottings appear immediately below, and the formal list below that:
I was thinking about that meme we had going around over the weekend and the earlier part of this week -- the list of "100 things every geologist should try and do in their lifetime." Several folks pointed out the Americocentrism of the list, and it occurred to me to try and make a better list. I pulled out my notebook and started jotting down things I thought were worth seeing, places I thought were worth seeing, or activities I thought were worth experiencing to be a fully well-rounded geologist. Geoblogospherians, please take a look at this list and let me know what to add and what's spurious. Maybe we can submit the results as a newer, more-internationalized master list.
A scan of my jottings appear immediately below, and the formal list below that:
- Visit the Chalk (England, France, Ireland...)
- Visit Iceland
- Visit Mt. Fuji, Japan
- Visit Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Visit the Himalayas (Kashmir?)
- the Tibetan Plateau
- Visit the Gobi Desert
- Visit the Sahara Desert
- Visit the Sonoran Desert (for the saguaros)
- Visit the Atacama Desert
- Visit the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter)
- Visit Beijing or Shanghai (for the perspective on what really dirty air looks like)
- Visit the big island of Hawai'i
- Visit Yellowstone
- Visit the Galapagos Islands
- Visit Madagascar (for the lemurs)
- Visit Patagonia
- Visit the Andes
- Visit the Alps
- Visit the Canadian Rockies
- Visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska (and/or neighboring Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory)
- Visit Denali, Alaska
- Visit the Aleutian Islands
- Visit Chimborazo, Ecuador (furthest point from the center of the Earth, due to the equatorial bulge)
- Visit Antarctica
- Visit the Siberian Traps
- Visit the Deccan Traps
- Visit the Columbia River flood basalt province
- Visit Sumatra/Krakatau/Java, Indonesia
- Visit the South Island of New Zealand
- Visit the Appalachians
- Visit the Dead Sea
- Visit the Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
- Visit the Great Rift Valley of East Africa
- Visit the Nile River
- Visit the Mississippi River
- Visit the Amazon River
- Visit the Grand Canyon
- Visit the Owens Valley, California (or anywhere in the Basin & Range, but the Owens Valley is pretty darned special, and geologically diverse)
- Visit Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada (walk on the "Moho")
- Visit Siccar Point, Scotland (for the unconformity)
- Visit Gibraltar, "UK"
- Visit Vesuvius, Pompei, and the Pompei-to-be, Naples
- Visit Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia
- Visit the Moon
- A tectonic triple junction (Mendocino, CA is an example, or northern Burma, or Panama)
- Tower karst (Guilin, China, or southwestern Thailand are examples)
- A regional flood
- A flash flood
- Ediacaran fauna fossils in situ (possibilities include the type locality of the Ediacaran Hills in Australia, or Charnwood Forest in England, the White Sea region in Russia, or maybe the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland)
- Vertebrate fossils in situ
- Visiting a laggerstatten site (Burgess Shale, Chenjiang, Sirius Passet, Solnhofen?)
- An alpine glacier
- A continental glacier (ice cap or ice sheet)
- A kimberlite pipe (preferably with diamonds, and good luck with that)
- A coral atoll (take your pick)
- A meteor impact crater (not a buried one, either)
- A big river delta (Mississippi, Ganges, Nile, or any of the dozens of others)
- Barrier islands (Padre Island, Texas, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina come to mind, but I'm sure there are others on other continents)
- A craton (Canadian shield, Kaapvaal, North China, etc. etc. etc.)
- A big estuary (Cook Inlet, Chesapeake Bay, Bay of Fundy: all North American examples. Give me some others)
- See some karst.
- Kayak (or other boat) through a fjord.
- See a dropstone.
- See an ophiolite.
- Visit a major stike-slip fault (San Andreas in USA/Mexico, or North Anatolian in Turkey, or Tan Lo (sp?) in China)
- Visit a nappe or thrust sheet (Glarus Thrust in the Alps, Chief Mountain/Glacier NP in Montana, Blue Ridge in Virginia/North Carolina)
- Visit a really big cave (Mammoth, Lechugilla, or some other that I don't know about on another continent)
- A world-class natural history museum (London Museum of Natural History, American Museum of Natural History, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History all come to mind.)
- Meeting of a classic scientific society (Royal Society, Explorers Club, Cosmos Club...)
- Do some original research.
- Present your research at a meeting of other scientists.
- Publish your research in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
- Visit an original copy of "map that changed the world" (William Smith's geologic map of England, Wales, and part of Scotland)
- Experience a big earthquake (greater than 5.0 sounds like as good a cut-off as any)
- Experience a volcano erupting something other than gases (lava, pyroclastics)
- Go ice fishing (or just out onto a frozen lake/pond/sea/ocean and ponder the improbable nature of ice and how it freezes from the top down, preserving the living things underneath, like fish. Without this odd property, it would be tough to maintain life in our high-latitude/elevation lakes/etc. through the winter months.)
- Compare and contrast El Nino and La Nina.
- Go on an oceanographic research cruise for more than two weeks at sea.
- Experience a hurricane/typhoon/cyclone (preferably with surviving it as a caveat)
Labels: blogs, geologists, geology, travel
Community colleges feel the squeeze
The current issue of Newsweek features an article that quotes NOVA President Bob Templin on how more students are signing up for classes at community colleges like NOVA, just at the same time the state is cutting our funding.
Critters in Hawai'i
There's more than rocks in Hawai'i. Another thing that might catch the naturalist's eye is the diverse suite of interesting animals and plants. Today, I'd like to share some images of neat lifeforms I encountered on my Thanksgiving trip to the big island. I'll start with sea turtles, then move on to jellyfish, crayfish, endemic freshwater fish, chameleons, wooden tiki carvings (not technically alive), and plants.
Let's start with the turtles. These are green sea turtles, and they're pretty common in Hawai'i. They have certain beaches they frequent, where they haul themselves up and out onto the beach to rest. Here's one at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park:
Here's one feeding on algae at Punaluu Harbor:
Video of the same foraging turtle:
A short distance further along the shore, a snoozer:
But there's more in the sea than turtles... On a hike to the Polulo Valley, we found half a dozen small "Portuguese Man O' War" jellyfish on the beach:
A few valleys down, we spied these native crayfish and freshwater fish in a stream:
One of the real charmers is an invasive species, the Jackson's chameleon, native to Africa:
Look at those hands! Three "thumbs" and two "fingers."
Males have three prominent horns on their heads:
Video:
Baby Jackson's:
Do these count as "critters"? Not sure where else to put them... Tikis outside the chief's house at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park:
And lastly, a couple of botanical images:
Let's start with the turtles. These are green sea turtles, and they're pretty common in Hawai'i. They have certain beaches they frequent, where they haul themselves up and out onto the beach to rest. Here's one at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park:
Here's one feeding on algae at Punaluu Harbor:
Video of the same foraging turtle:
A short distance further along the shore, a snoozer:
But there's more in the sea than turtles... On a hike to the Polulo Valley, we found half a dozen small "Portuguese Man O' War" jellyfish on the beach:
A few valleys down, we spied these native crayfish and freshwater fish in a stream:
One of the real charmers is an invasive species, the Jackson's chameleon, native to Africa:
Look at those hands! Three "thumbs" and two "fingers."
Males have three prominent horns on their heads:
Video:
Baby Jackson's:
Do these count as "critters"? Not sure where else to put them... Tikis outside the chief's house at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park:
And lastly, a couple of botanical images:
Labels: anthropology, critters, hawaii, plants, travel
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Scholarship from AIPG
Got this today from the NAGT... thought I would pass it on... -CB
AIPG National Scholarship Program
American Institute of Professional Geologists National Scholarship Program
Students Apply Now for 2009 Scholarships
Deadline is February 15, 2009
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Purpose
To assist students with college education costs and to promote student participation in the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). Up to four scholarships will be awarded to declared undergraduate geological sciences majors who are at least sophomores.
Scholarship awards in the amount of $1,000.00 each will be made to eligible students attending a college or university in the U.S. Scholarships are to be used to support tuition and/or room and board.
Eligibility Requirements
Any student who is majoring in geology (or earth science), is at least a sophomore, and is attending a four-year accredited college or university in the U.S. can apply. Also, the student must be either a student member of AIPG or must have applied for student membership at the time the application for the scholarship is submitted.
Each student who is awarded a scholarship agrees, by accepting the scholarship, to prepare a 600 to 800 word article for publication in The Professional Geologist. The subject of the article must be related to a timely professional issue.
Application Process
Applicants must submit: a letter of interest with name, mail and e-mail addresses, and telephone number; proof of enrollment in an eligible geological sciences program, transcripts; an original one-page essay on why the applicant wants to become a geologist; and a letter of support from a faculty member familiar with the applicant's academic work. The application packet should be submitted to:
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Attn: Education Committee Chr.
1400 W. 122nd Ave., Suite 250
Westminster, CO 80234
For questions regarding the application process call (303) 412-6205 or e-mail: aipg@aipg.org.
Applications must be received by FEBRUARY 15th
Awarded the month of SEPTEMBER
Basis of Awards
Awards will be based on the content and creativityof the essays as judged by the Education Committee. The decisions of the Education Committee are final.
AIPG National Scholarship Program
American Institute of Professional Geologists National Scholarship Program
Students Apply Now for 2009 Scholarships
Deadline is February 15, 2009
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Purpose
To assist students with college education costs and to promote student participation in the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). Up to four scholarships will be awarded to declared undergraduate geological sciences majors who are at least sophomores.
Scholarship awards in the amount of $1,000.00 each will be made to eligible students attending a college or university in the U.S. Scholarships are to be used to support tuition and/or room and board.
Eligibility Requirements
Any student who is majoring in geology (or earth science), is at least a sophomore, and is attending a four-year accredited college or university in the U.S. can apply. Also, the student must be either a student member of AIPG or must have applied for student membership at the time the application for the scholarship is submitted.
Each student who is awarded a scholarship agrees, by accepting the scholarship, to prepare a 600 to 800 word article for publication in The Professional Geologist. The subject of the article must be related to a timely professional issue.
Application Process
Applicants must submit: a letter of interest with name, mail and e-mail addresses, and telephone number; proof of enrollment in an eligible geological sciences program, transcripts; an original one-page essay on why the applicant wants to become a geologist; and a letter of support from a faculty member familiar with the applicant's academic work. The application packet should be submitted to:
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Attn: Education Committee Chr.
1400 W. 122nd Ave., Suite 250
Westminster, CO 80234
For questions regarding the application process call (303) 412-6205 or e-mail: aipg@aipg.org.
Applications must be received by FEBRUARY 15th
Awarded the month of SEPTEMBER
Basis of Awards
Awards will be based on the content and creativityof the essays as judged by the Education Committee. The decisions of the Education Committee are final.
Labels: scholarships
Squid slow down in acid oceans
There's a new study out I read about today in New Scientist which took squid and put them in a tank of ocean water that was equilibrated to simulated atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide predicted for the year 2100. The oceans were also warmer in temperature, again simulating predicted future conditions. In these acidic oceans, the squid's metabolic levels dropped by 31%, and the time they spent contracting their muscles dropped by 45%. I didn't get to read the full study, which is behind a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paywall, but the abstract online hints that these mini-oceans were about 0.3 pH units lower than modern ocean values. The abstract doesn't say how much warmer the experimental tanks were, but notes that water's ability to hold oxygen decreases with warmer temperatures. The lack of oxygen may be the prime reason for the squid's diminished activity.
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Journal reference: DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806886105
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Journal reference: DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806886105
Labels: CO2, critters, mollusks, news, ocean acidfication, oceans
Rock Garden
As I mentioned yesterday, the Virginia Department of Geology and Mineral Resources has an excellent rock garden outside their office in Charlottesville, displaying a diverse suite of large rock samples from across the state's five physiographic provinces.
Here's Rick Diecchio (George Mason University) providing a sense of scale for the rock garden:
Here's a few of the samples that caught my eye, with my shoe providing a sense of scale (size 12, specifically) in each image...
Aquia Formation sandstone with Turitella fossils (Paleocene); King George County:
Balls Bluff Siltstone with mudcracks (Triassic); Culpeper County:
Conococheague Formation collapse breccia (Cambrian); Augusta County:
Cranberry Gneiss (?) showing well-developed lineation (Mesoproterozoic); Grayson County:
Kyanite quartzite (probably Ordovician metamorphic age); Prince Edward County:
Fossil Sigillaria tree trunk from the Wise Formation (Pennsylvanian); Wise County:
Unakite, the state rock of Virginia according to some (Mesoproterozoic); Rockbridge County:
Here's a link to the PDF (1.82 MB) with all the details about all the rocks in the garden, an impressive achievement just like the symposium.
Here's Rick Diecchio (George Mason University) providing a sense of scale for the rock garden:
Here's a few of the samples that caught my eye, with my shoe providing a sense of scale (size 12, specifically) in each image...
Aquia Formation sandstone with Turitella fossils (Paleocene); King George County:
Balls Bluff Siltstone with mudcracks (Triassic); Culpeper County:
Conococheague Formation collapse breccia (Cambrian); Augusta County:
Cranberry Gneiss (?) showing well-developed lineation (Mesoproterozoic); Grayson County:
Kyanite quartzite (probably Ordovician metamorphic age); Prince Edward County:
Fossil Sigillaria tree trunk from the Wise Formation (Pennsylvanian); Wise County:
Unakite, the state rock of Virginia according to some (Mesoproterozoic); Rockbridge County:
Here's a link to the PDF (1.82 MB) with all the details about all the rocks in the garden, an impressive achievement just like the symposium.
Labels: conferences, fossils, igneous, meetings, metamorphism, primary structures, sediment, virginia
Monday, December 15, 2008
Bearpaw ammonite
Here's a fossil that I have hanging around my house; it's an ammonite from the Bearpaw Shale (late Cretaceous) of eastern Montana. I collected it just south of Glendive, Montana, this summer on the "Dinosaur Paleontology of the Hell Creek Formation" class I took through the MSSE program at Montana State University.
Overall, this little fellow has a maximum diameter about the same size as a quarter:
On the back side, where the nacre has been broken off, you can see the suture patterns:
Clearly, these are ammonitic sutures (as opposed to ceratitic or goniatitic), but I haven't identified it to genus level. Any paleontologists out there able to help me out with an ID?
Overall, this little fellow has a maximum diameter about the same size as a quarter:
On the back side, where the nacre has been broken off, you can see the suture patterns:
Clearly, these are ammonitic sutures (as opposed to ceratitic or goniatitic), but I haven't identified it to genus level. Any paleontologists out there able to help me out with an ID?
Labels: cretaceous, fossils, montana, msse
DGMR Symposium report
I spent this past Friday (12/12) at a symposium put on by the Virginia Division of Geology and Mineral Resources, in Charlottesville, Virginia. This excellent branch of our state government just had their budget disproportionately slashed, but they aren't letting it bring them down. In fact, they're breaking new ground in their unparalleled service to the geological public. In honor of the groundbreaking Virginia geologist Tom Gathright (who was in attendance), they organized a day of scholarship and conversation about recent advances in the geology of the Blue Ridge and Valley & Ridge physiographic provinces.
Rick Diecchio (of George Mason University) and I drove down together, getting up at the unholy hour of 5am in order to get there on time. Once there, we trundled past their excellent outdoor rock garden (about which I will post tomorrow), and inside to join the gaggle of more than a hundred geologists from the USGS, Virginia universities and community colleges, transportation agencies, environmental agencies, and the DGMR itself.
The morning session consisted of a series of talks about the Blue Ridge. We heard from Bob Millici (USGS), Scott Southworth (USGS), Chuck Bailey (W&M), Mark Carter (DGMR), Bill Henika (Virginia Tech), and Karen Rice (USGS). I won't post any of the juicy data details we heard, for fear of spilling any unpublished beans, but there was some cool stuff we learned about. There was also a poster session in the well-appointed library. Pete Berquist (Thomas Nelson Community College) and I had lunch out in the rock garden, where I chatted with three undergrads from our alma mater.
The afternoon session was given over the the Valley & Ridge province. We heard from Scott Eaton (JMU), Steve Whitmeyer (JMU), Dave Weary (USGS), Randy Orndorff (USGS), Joel Maynard (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality), and Wil Orndorff (Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage).
My favorite part of the day, though was a break-out session to discuss unresolved issues. There were three break-out groups: one for water issues, one for the Valley & Ridge, and one for the Blue Ridge. I went to the Blue Ridge one, and really enjoyed this unique setting. I mean, here I am in a room with a bunch of people who spend the majority of their professional time trying to understand how the Blue Ridge got put together, and we're just brainstorming together, thinking about big unknowns, big gaps in our understanding. The DGMR staff is compiling these results, and once they're distributed out to the participants, I'll post them here on NOVA Geoblog. We've been asked to share the results. Since there were two geobloggers in the room (me and Chuck), we reckoned that's a quick way to disseminate some of our ideas.
I'd like to thank the DGMR for putting on such a great meeting, in particular during such lean and uncertain times. The day was positive, affirming, and valuable on many levels. Readers, remember that you (yes, you) can still write to the governor and other state officials to protest the crippling 75% reduction in the DGMR staff.
Rick Diecchio (of George Mason University) and I drove down together, getting up at the unholy hour of 5am in order to get there on time. Once there, we trundled past their excellent outdoor rock garden (about which I will post tomorrow), and inside to join the gaggle of more than a hundred geologists from the USGS, Virginia universities and community colleges, transportation agencies, environmental agencies, and the DGMR itself.
The morning session consisted of a series of talks about the Blue Ridge. We heard from Bob Millici (USGS), Scott Southworth (USGS), Chuck Bailey (W&M), Mark Carter (DGMR), Bill Henika (Virginia Tech), and Karen Rice (USGS). I won't post any of the juicy data details we heard, for fear of spilling any unpublished beans, but there was some cool stuff we learned about. There was also a poster session in the well-appointed library. Pete Berquist (Thomas Nelson Community College) and I had lunch out in the rock garden, where I chatted with three undergrads from our alma mater.
The afternoon session was given over the the Valley & Ridge province. We heard from Scott Eaton (JMU), Steve Whitmeyer (JMU), Dave Weary (USGS), Randy Orndorff (USGS), Joel Maynard (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality), and Wil Orndorff (Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage).
My favorite part of the day, though was a break-out session to discuss unresolved issues. There were three break-out groups: one for water issues, one for the Valley & Ridge, and one for the Blue Ridge. I went to the Blue Ridge one, and really enjoyed this unique setting. I mean, here I am in a room with a bunch of people who spend the majority of their professional time trying to understand how the Blue Ridge got put together, and we're just brainstorming together, thinking about big unknowns, big gaps in our understanding. The DGMR staff is compiling these results, and once they're distributed out to the participants, I'll post them here on NOVA Geoblog. We've been asked to share the results. Since there were two geobloggers in the room (me and Chuck), we reckoned that's a quick way to disseminate some of our ideas.
I'd like to thank the DGMR for putting on such a great meeting, in particular during such lean and uncertain times. The day was positive, affirming, and valuable on many levels. Readers, remember that you (yes, you) can still write to the governor and other state officials to protest the crippling 75% reduction in the DGMR staff.
Labels: blue ridge, conferences, geologists, meetings, valley and ridge, virginia
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The geologist's life list
It has been said that the best geologist is the one who's seen the most rocks. A while ago, a list was composed of what geologists should try and see in their lifetimes. Geotripper started a meme on that theme, and has been followed thus far by Saxifraga, SciGuy315, Hypocentre, ReBecca, and Kim.
I hereby join the herd... The idea is to bold the ones you have done (and add comments and details in parentheses).
1. See an erupting volcano (Kilauea, the week before last)
2. See a glacier (I've seen many, but my favorites are in Alaska)
3. See an active geyser such as those in Yellowstone, New Zealand or the type locality of Iceland (Yellowstone, check. Iceland, check.)
4. Visit the Cretaceous/Tertiary (KT) Boundary. Possible locations include Gubbio, Italy, Stevns Klint, Denmark, the Red Deer River Valley near Drumheller, Alberta. (This past summer, in eastern Montana's Hell Creek Formation)
5. Observe (from a safe distance) a river whose discharge is above bankful stage (Summer 1995, Brandywine Recreation Area, West Virginia: after a downpour there, the streams that wind through the campground filled up and overflowed. Shockingly quickly.)
6. Explore a limestone cave. (The caves around Franklin, West Virginia, for instance)
7. Tour an open pit mine, such as those in Butte, Montana, Bingham Canyon, Utah, Summitville, Colorado, Globe or Morenci, Arizona, or Chuquicamata, Chile. (I've looked into the Berkeley Pit in Butte, but I couldn't really say that I've "toured" it...)
8. Explore a subsurface mine.
9. See an ophiolite, such as the ophiolite complex in Oman or the Troodos complex on the Island Cyprus (sort of -- I've seen ophiolitic blocks in the Virginia and Maryland Piedmont, but never a full, unmetamorphosed ophiolite complex. I hope to change that this summer in Nova Scotia & Newfoundland...)
10. An anorthosite complex, such as those in Labrador, the Adirondacks, and Niger
11. A slot canyon. (The Narrows, in Zion National Park, Utah)
12. Varves, whether you see the type section in Sweden or examples elsewhere. (Konnarock formation rythymites, interpreted as possible varves, in southwest Virginia.)
13. An exfoliation dome, such as those
I hereby join the herd... The idea is to bold the ones you have done (and add comments and details in parentheses).
1. See an erupting volcano (Kilauea, the week before last)
2. See a glacier (I've seen many, but my favorites are in Alaska)
3. See an active geyser such as those in Yellowstone, New Zealand or the type locality of Iceland (Yellowstone, check. Iceland, check.)
4. Visit the Cretaceous/Tertiary (KT) Boundary. Possible locations include Gubbio, Italy, Stevns Klint, Denmark, the Red Deer River Valley near Drumheller, Alberta. (This past summer, in eastern Montana's Hell Creek Formation)
5. Observe (from a safe distance) a river whose discharge is above bankful stage (Summer 1995, Brandywine Recreation Area, West Virginia: after a downpour there, the streams that wind through the campground filled up and overflowed. Shockingly quickly.)
6. Explore a limestone cave. (The caves around Franklin, West Virginia, for instance)
7. Tour an open pit mine, such as those in Butte, Montana, Bingham Canyon, Utah, Summitville, Colorado, Globe or Morenci, Arizona, or Chuquicamata, Chile. (I've looked into the Berkeley Pit in Butte, but I couldn't really say that I've "toured" it...)
8. Explore a subsurface mine.
9. See an ophiolite, such as the ophiolite complex in Oman or the Troodos complex on the Island Cyprus (sort of -- I've seen ophiolitic blocks in the Virginia and Maryland Piedmont, but never a full, unmetamorphosed ophiolite complex. I hope to change that this summer in Nova Scotia & Newfoundland...)
10. An anorthosite complex, such as those in Labrador, the Adirondacks, and Niger
11. A slot canyon. (The Narrows, in Zion National Park, Utah)
12. Varves, whether you see the type section in Sweden or examples elsewhere. (Konnarock formation rythymites, interpreted as possible varves, in southwest Virginia.)
13. An exfoliation dome, such as those