Week 2: Field Trip Travel Journal

Field Trip Travel Journal

This week I took a trip to California. Below, you can see the Granite Boulders, in Joshua Tree National Park. Igneous rocks are formed when hot, molten rock (magma) crystallizes, and then solidifies. Magma that rises to the surface is called Lava. Igneous rocks can be classified into two groups depending on where the molten rock solidifies, the rock can either be classified as Extrusive, meaning: when the magma reaches the Earth's surface, then cools quickly. Or you can classify the rock as Intrusive, meaning: rocks that crystallize below the Earth's surface which allows for slow cooling to form small crystals. 



The most common type of rock found in Joshua Tree, is Gneiss. Gneiss is a high grade metamorphic rock, which means that the rock itself is coarse unlike the rocks picture above which are most likely low-grade formed due to their smooth texture. Overall, Joshua Tree, looks gorgeous and I would love to have been the person in this picture as I would love to run and climb up those large boulders. 

Week 3: Deserts

Deserts

Palm Desert, I have never visited but I hear that it's unlike what you would ideally think of when you hear the word, "desert." I know very little about Palm Desert, expect that Coachella is annually held there and that is another topic that I know nothing about. So this field trip will allow me to learn more about Palm Desert. 

According to the Palm Desert site of California it was incorporated November 26, 1973. The city of Palm Desert is noted as one of the safest cities in Southern California. Palm Desert is sheltered from coastal air pollution and inclement weather, there are 350 days of sunshine a year. In July the average temperature is a high of 107 and a low of 74 (still incredibly cooler than that of its fellow California resident, Death Valley). 

There are no adjacent offshore cold oceanic currents. The palms highway is surrounded by a ring of high mountains that were created primarily by uplift along faults. Overall, a trip to Palm Desert was more enjoyable than that of Death Valley. 

Week 4: Volcanoes

Volcanoes

Mauna Loa is the destination for this week and I am excited!

According to the USGS, he Hawaiian name "Mauna Loa" means, "Long Mountain" The volcano was given its name because of how far it extends, which is approximately 74 miles from the southern tip of the island to to the east-northeast to the coastline near Hilo.

USGS states that, "Mauna Loa is among the Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since is first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. It has produced large, voluminous flows of basalt that have reached the ocean eight times since 1868. It last erupted in 1984." The volcano is carefully monitored due to to its past volatility. A side note that I thought was interesting, but makes complete sense - those who live in Hawaii and are property renters or owners must attain volcano insurance, which I'm sure for a native, the thought of a Volcano erupting doesn't cross their mind all day long, but myself I would be scared - I'm sure for no reason, but I thought that was interesting.

Week 5: Converging Plates

Converging Plates 

The Cascade Mountains are a great example of convergent-plate margin. Oceanic convergent-plate margin to be specific. Aligning with the below figure, the volcanoes of northeastern California, along with the rest of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest, are the result of subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate due to the spreading of the seafloor. What I find so interesting is that of Alfred Wegener, he believed that the Earth's gravitational pull was the reason for plate movement, when really due to weathering, erosion, and the spreading apart of the seafloor and expansion of the Earth's crust are really what leads to plate movement - which additionally can lead to volcanic eruption.

The stress which aided in the creation of the Cascade mountains was due to compression stress. Due to this igneous rocks are most commonly found in the Cascade mountains.

Week 6 - Geological Interpretations

Geological Interpretations 

The Granite Quarry in California looks so interesting! Slate, Granite, and Marble can all be found here. To further my exploration and scientific research, I would need the some at least a couple of tools. I would choose a chisel, mallet, and a boring tool to allow me to drill into the rock formation in order to collect different layers of a sample. 

The data that I would request were any backlogged data from past explorers, I would also like to know how long ago was this quarry actively worked on by quarry men, I would also like archived newspaper articles - as this would allow me to date information back to with photos, this will show me what the quarry originally looked like and how weathering and erosion have since changed it over time. 

Week 7: Death Valley

I've only ever been to California once, and that was when I was a kid for a family trip to Disney Land. A trip I try to forget because I almost drown in the ocean. I quite enjoy the water and am not such a huge fan of heat of the desert. And for someone who does not enjoy the heat of Summer, this week's field trip to Death Valley National Park does not seem to be for the faint of heart. As listed on the National Park Service website, it states, "Extreme Summer Heat - expect temperatures of 110 to 120 degrees. Drink plenty of water and Travel prepared to survive." Wow, that sounds like a complete 180 from my trip to Disney. Not once did I ever hear Mickey Mouse say, "Travel prepared to survive!" 

Death Valley is known as the driest in the country. What a record, in the year 1929, there had not been a drop of recorded in Death Valley. Archaeologists have even found human presence in Death Valley to possibly date back 9,000 years. Pictured below, is one of the "Mysterious Moving Rocks," according to the National Park Service website, research has suggested that a rare combination of rain and wind conditions allow the rocks to have just enough of a slippery surface to move and leaves trails of where these heavy rocks once were. Overall, this was to hot of a trip for me, hopefully our next trip into the future is somewhere with air conditioning!

Week 8: Global Warming

It's the year 7010, Venice Italy is not what it used to be 5,000 years ago. Due to global warming in the beginning of 5,000, the entire city and the rest of the world succumbed to great bodies water over taking any above ground mass and covering it in water. The once great landmarks like the Basilica di San Marco are now underwater as once highly visited places to see. 

Basilica di San Marco

The only surviving people were those wealthy enough to build underwater homes with enough air chambers for their entire families, who also had the ability to replenish those air sources. Although, science is moving closer to finding an alternative method of underwater breathing. 

Additionally, livestock is no longer a source of food, fish and other seafood is abundant 

and scientists are continually learning how to use kelp and other underwater plants to sustain and promote health. Past ailments such 

as diabetes or heart attacks are no longer prolonged issues like they once were thousands of years ago. 

As with any period of time, those alive are able to adapt and change with the changes that occur daily. 

Global Warming Week 8

The year is is 7010, due to the people in the 2000s, everything has changed. The average temperature at the coldest spot in the world is 120 degrees. You have to wear a full body suit if you are going anywhere outside of your house. Because of all the construction and trying to modernize everything and countries wanting to be bigger and better than everyone else, the sky has turned extremely gross. Going yellow, with clouds in the sky just being gas or dust clouds. Due to this, everything, has been done because of humans. Global warming did occur, and because of this everything is basically doomed. The world is now at their worst needs and hoping to hold on to everything they can but it might be too late. In this 5,000 years people have just now learned their lessons. You would have thought that during the coronavirus in 2020 they would have noticed that they needed to start being careful because just after 3 days in the ozone had healed so much. But we did not. 

Week 8 - Global Warming

Woke up in a random pod again. Phone was dead so I staggered outside to see what time it was. I opened the door and got blasted with extremely hot wind. Everything looks different, futuristic yet desolate. I walk to the nearest internet café to figure out what is going on. I finagle my way to finding the news on one of these new computers that sit before me.

 

First thing I find is the weather for the day, Denver, Colorado, January 23rd, 7010 sunny with a high of 112. Main article is talking about the best vacation spots for your winter break. I see places like Fairbanks, Alaska and Antarctica describing their wonderful beachside resorts and mild temperatures. It gets me curious, so I keep digging. I find a few more articles. One talking about any land mass within the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn are either underwater or way too hot to sustain life. Water had rose thousands of feet because of the Polar Ice Caps melting.

 

We lost the battle with Global warming. The world was too dependent on fossil fuels and methane producing livestock to combat the problems in the future. Most people have either moved to the Artic or Antarctic Circles to stay away from the heat. While some stayed and confine themselves to a refrigerated home during the summer months. This is the future we have to look forward to.

Global Warming - Nature Cycles (Outer Banks, NC)

Growing up, I often visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The Outer Banks is on a peninsula called Bodie island, and it remains a thin sliver of land between ocean and bay. The area already faces rising sea levels which are slowly eroding away the dunes that protect the homes of the area. Since the Outer Banks is my favorite place in the world, I decided to visit it in my time machine to see if it survived global warming. Unfortunately, Bodie Island did not survive the rising sea levels. All that remained when I arrived in the year 7010 was the Bodie Island lighthouse. While we were due for another ice age, we were unable to escape the damages of global warming. Mankind made many changes as the effects of pollution became less and less avoidable, yet much of the damage that could have happened was prevented when mankind came to the realization. 

Week 8 Global Warming

The year is 7010, my time machine glitches and I ended up in a place I’ve always wanted to visit. Little did I know it would’ve looked like this five thousand years later. During my accidental travels I ended up in the Bahamas. The Bahamas was made up of seven hundred (700) islands and cays stretching from Abaco in the North to Inagua in the South.  I’m writing my journal sitting on the highest point which is Mount Alvernia in Cat Island. This hill is 206 feet which is considered high because the Bahamas is below sea level. The Bahamas is situated in the hurricane belt, leaving the nation susceptible to dangerous storms. In 2020 the catastrophic storm by the name of Dorian flattened the Island of Abaco and destroyed a major portion of Grand Bahama. Dorian was just a taste of what would the years would hold.
Observing my surroundings the majority of the islands have disappeared. The Southern islands have been covered by sea water and islanders had to relocate further up the chain. Once known for sun, sand and sea the country is now slowly being covered in water. The Bahamas is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), which are a group of countries that share sustainable development challenges; for example small populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on outside countries. As a result of this, The Bahamas has encountered the adverse effects of climate change although they were small contributors. Extreme storms continuously knock at the boarder and the seas have no regard for boundaries.
The world carried on with business as usual when their counterparts needed them desperately. They didn’t care about their carbon footprint or how it would impact the future. Anthropogenic actions far outweighed natural causations and global warming occurred. Global temperatures have exceeded what scientists have predicted and the effects of such were drastic on this archipelago.
The Bahamas was such a serene place for visitors, now it’s just a country being taken over by water day by day. The citizens of Cat Island have adapted to such drastic changes and kept up the constant fishing and farming where they possibly can. The domestication of wildlife has occurred and Islanders have become one with nature. Daily swimming to catch fish and to train the younger islanders how to do the same.
Who would’ve imagined an island destination would’ve turned to this?

Week 8 - Global Warming

For this week’s field trip I am visiting Barcelona which is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea. The year is 7010 and there have been many changes. The temperatures have risen which directly impacts the health and safety of its citizens. There was a heat island effect that occurred. This heat increase directly affected temperatures together with more intense solar radiation. In addition, there are an increased amount of heat waves. The beach of San Sebastia disappeared from a terrible flood. This was caused from irregular and torrential rain. The sea levels have risen and completely wiped out the Catalonia region and all its ports. This included some of Europe’s largest ports including Tarragona and the Port of Barcelona. Because of the gas-fired heating systems and illegal burning of industrial materials over the years, the anthropogenic effects include harming human health and the eutrophication of water and damage to natural ecosystems, buildings, and crops. There were natural contributions to global warming which caused rising temperatures, hot days, and torrid nights. This resulted in reduced availability to water from droughts. There is evidence global warming occurred here. Barcelona tried to put a plan in place to help reduce all these drastic changes, but ultimately failed. Businesses tried to adopt new measures to reduce emissions and transition to local green energy by encouraging responsible energy consumption. The city also tried to adopt measures that were in line with the COP21 Paris Climate Change agreements. Considering the next 5,000 years from now, I predict that most of Barcelona will be gone, whether it be from the rising temperatures and drought or the rising sea levels.

Picture: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/barcelona-beaches-guide/index.html

Week 8 - Global Warming

Upon visiting the futuristic city of Miami, FL in 7020, I was expected to be greeted by a person with cyber-kinetic enhancements or even by an android. However, after journeying 5,000 years into the future, all I was greeted with was abandoned skyscrapers, empty buildings and massive amounts of water. The coastal waters appeared to taken over many miles of the inland; after many hours of scavenging in my boat, I was able to locate a media clip in a worn-down television station to investigate what had occurred at this horrendous scene. After pressing play, a middle-aged woman appeared on what seemed to be a news broadcast, indicating that global warming was taking place at an advanced pace. There was no date or time stamp, so I was unsure as to what year this broadcast had actually aired; however, it's safe to say it was an emergency broadcast due to the woman's heightened tone of concern.

The woman began by describing what had caused this global warming event, stating that the grandest of all contributors were the anthropogenic effects, such as enormous amounts of livestock farming and atmospheric deposits from transportation vehicles burning fuel. All of these factors contribute more carbon dioxide into the upper atmosphere, blocking more of the Sun's heat energy in the lower atmosphere. The woman went on to state that the pleas of the people fell on deaf ears of Congress for decades, calling for regulations of the private business industry to focus on cleaner, more green-efficient methods to produce food and utilize energy. It appears that the masses were endorsing EVs, nuclear power plants and alternative food sources based on plants. However, those in charge of creating a new order for its constituents to abide by took no action and continued on with their traditional way of life. Not once were any "natural" causes mentioned in the clip. As I left the television station, I slipped the clip into my pocket as a souvenir, in hopes that evidence of the future would sway the leaders of my time to consider how their present ideologies can affect the entire future of the world and its people within.

Week 8 - Myrtle Beach Global Warming

I've always wondered what the future would look like so I procured Bill and Ted's time machine. My first stop was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the year was 7010. What I found was disappointing but also hopeful. Sea levels have exponentially risen due to the Greenhouse effect. That is the disappointing part. However the hopeful part is how our county responded.

source: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article217026850.html

Although we initially failed to limit carbon emissions to the point needed to avoid global cooling, we responded vigorously. The United States Government made a determination that in order to combat this and save our species, we needed to view this as a two step process.

1. Eliminate carbon emissions to mitigate global cooling.
2. Create physical barriers to protect from the failure of #1.

Everything was converted to clean energy, yet sea levels continued to rise. The damage had already been done. Our government made an all in effort to create barriers around our coast lines. Essentially the entire country banded together in an event that will be recorded in history forever. Citizens from all over the country filtered to our coast lines and water inlets. Imagine the United States citizens filtering from the middle of the county to the outer edges. The mitigation efforts from #1 allowed them enough time to build an initial levee barrier. Similar to those used in New Orleans yet on a much larger scale. Of course this took a lot of time but thank god the people we early enough to get this done. Myrtle Beach and all of America is now protected by there barriers. The combination of 1 & 2 saved our existence. However the work continues. One barrier is not enough to protect man kind. They continue to build barriers inland to using a honeycomb methodology from the initial barrier. This will ensure we are still protected from weak points, ruptures or overlooked maintenance over time.

source: https://www.argosyinternational.com/products/honeycomb/

Although life has changed exponentially in 7010, I am hopeful. The American people were able to come together in a time of need to save our land and save our people. This my friends is the foundation in which our county was built upon and the mindset which will secure our future forever.

Week 7 Death Valley

This week we also visited Death Valley. It is a large desert surrounded by mountains. It is in the lowest point in the western hemisphere, approximately 282 feel below sea level, with mountain ranges going 10,000+ feet above sea level themselves. In my opinion, it is called death valley because it is way too hot to be here in the summer! recorded temperatures of 134 but normally around 120 is just too hot for me. Somehow, in the winter there is still the occasional snowstorm. This happens because of the sea ranges it is in between which cause the desert to hold the cold a lot easier, and hold the heat easier in the summers. 

With all of this, it has created a beautiful sight for everything, giving out so much to look for in rock designs, structure, patterns, anything you would like to see is more than likely going to be there.

Blue Ridge Mountain Week 7

For my visit I decided to do the Blue Ridge in Northern VA.  The Blue Ridge mountains actually run from Pennsylvania all the way down to Georgia. It is been said to have been formed anywhere between 1-1.6 Billion years ago which is one of the oldest ranges. The mountain range is absolutely beautiful, getting its name "Blue Ridge" from having a blueish color from afar. It is mainly sedimentary rock that formed this ridge, and when it comes to folding and faulting, it left the ridge hot enough to deform over a span of almost 540 million years. This was one of my favorite places to visit and learn about!

Week 7 - Badwater Salt Flats

While visiting the Badwater Salt Flats located in Death Valley, I was intrigued by how this basin containing so little could demonstrate such a great amount of beauty. With next to no vegetation life, it's odd how deposits of sodium chloride could build up so much; that is, there is very little precipitation in this desert area (thus little vegetation as well) so how is all the salt building up in this basin? Through deductive reasoning, it stands that the sodium chloride must be coming from local mineral sources but I was still very unsure as to how. After returning from my adventure and surveying through various photographs, one feature stuck out to me in the photo below: elevation.

These magnificent flats would surely posses no way to drain out if below sea level, and the cracked surface of the flats is further proof that evaporation is part of the process in creating this wondrous basin. However, that's just part one of my observation! The second part regarding elevation includes the altitudes of the mountains in the background of the photo, or the Black Mountains. If we know that there is no way for the basin to drain out, and there is little precipitation in this area year-round, where is the salt coming from to build up? Precipitation falling on mountains such as these, and other distant hills, creates floods; along the way down, salt minerals dissolve from rocks in the flood waters. Finally, the floods reach the basin where the water evaporates until only the sodium chloride remains, however, there are other minerals (calcite, gypsum, and borax) present in the various layers of salt. Since the basin doesn't drain at all, detecting what other minerals remain is vital to understanding the geological make-up of the mountain and hills surrounding the area. It's a sure-fire method to creating geological maps of Death Valley for future scholars to utilize in their studies!





Crust layer of sodium chloride formed in the basin of the Badwater Salt Flats, located in Death Valley.
Source:  https://elevation.maplogs.com/poi/badwater_ca_usa.98798.html

Week 7 - Badlands Loop

At the location I stopped to visit was the Badlands Loop with its unique rock structures and patterns in the rocks. This area of the desert stood out to me for the beautiful rock designs.  For the purpose of construction a geological map would require knowledge of the rocks, analysis of folds, joints and faults caused by plate tectonic movements. An observations of the folds indicates to me that a significant number of lava intrusions from below caused the formation of the rocks. The geology of Death Valley is interesting, as there is not much vegetation on the rock formations. What factors in the geological process has caused this area to sink below sea level over time?

Week 7 - Death Valley Artist's Drive

On my trip through Death Valley we took the way down Artist's Drive. A few minutes in we stopped to marvel at the colors of Artist's Palette. The colors showing are because of mineral deposits caused by volcanic rock interacting with hydrothermal systems. The mineral rich rocks were brought to the surface because of erosion and weathering. Oxidation causing the minerals to show their colors. It makes me wonder if there is more minerals buried in the landscape that is just waiting to be exposed and show its beauty. it could be answered by a geologic map

https://anotherimg-dazedgroup.netdna-ssl.com/900/azure/another-prod/330/9/339945.jpg

Week 7 - Death Valley - Mesquite Flat Dunes

This week we decided to visit the Mequite Flat Dunes which are located in Death Valley.

source: https://www.nps.gov/tripideas/extra-few-hours-to-explore-must-see-spots-in-death-valley.htm

These are the largest Dunes in the Death Valley National Park. The dunes are comprised of sand which has collected over time. It takes a source of wind to carry the sand. One of the things I question is what is the source of this sand? And how does it continue to keep a constant supply which elevates the dunes? In order to answer these questions a geological assessment of the area and review of a topographical map would likely identify the source of the sand. This should allot me the opportunity to understand the source of the sand.

source: https://www.hikingproject.com/gem/266/mesquite-flats-sand-dunes

Upon further exploration of the area we notice the mountain ranges in the distance. These ranges are known as the Cottonwood Mountains. This begins to make me wonder if the source of this sand is in fact those mountain ranges? What are the types of rocks. Given my past experiences with Geological analysis it is visually apparent than the sand could likely be from feldspar and quartz from these mountains. Overall this trip was amazing and the next time I come back, I'll be bringing my board to sand board down the dunes!

Death Valley - Badwater Basin Salt Flats

One stop I would be sure to take at Death Valley National Park in California is the salt flats. The salt flats are in Badwater Basin which is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level (National Park Service, 2019). Water accumulates in this area forming temporary lakes. These lakes evaporate in the arid climate leaving a new layer of salt every time. The basin lies beneath sea level because strike-slip faulting which leaves uplifted ranges and dropped basins such as Badwater Basin (National Park Service, 2015). Though there are minerals, most of the salt flats consist of regular salt. Since Salt expands, strange formations exist in the salt flats as can be seen below (National Park Service, 2015). 

           

This picture seems to be of a salt or mineral enclosed water or area. I am very curious as to what this is called and the process of its formation. Though this picture was found on Google Maps at Badwater Basin, I can’t find any information about it or these types of formations online. The first thing I need to do is find out what these formations are called. Then I would research the forming process of them. To finish, I would need to understand the geology of the area to make exact determinations of the forming of this unique crystallization. A geologic map of the Basin would be helpful for this process. 

References

National Park Service. (2019, June 7). Badwater Basin (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/places/badwater-basin.htm

National Park Service. (2015, February 28). Faults. Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/faults.htm

National Park Service. (2015, February 28). Salt Flats. Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/salt-flats.htm

Pictures Retrieved From: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Badwater+Basin/@36.2340512,-116.8863299,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c7222155d82ba3:0x7c19ca2caa3f71e6!8m2!3d36.2460841!4d-116.8185076?hl=en-US

Week 7 - Badlands, Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop

https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/story/badlands-loop-state-scenic-byway

https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/golden-canyon-gower-gulch-loop-in-death-valley/

https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/golden-canyon-gower-gulch-loop-in-death-valley/

For this weeks travel journal, I visited the Golden Canyon, Gower Gulch and the Badlands. I am able to see a landscape of golden colored hills and winding narrow canyons that are important for my hiking adventure. The Badlands loop is about 2.7 miles for the entire loop. I would describe this area as having narrow drainage's. I would like to examine the softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils that have been extensively eroded by wind and water.  I would ask the question about how long ago  the badlands were formed because of their composition of ancient lake bed. There are also steep slopes here and minimal vegetation. Next, is the Golden Canyon. I wonder what type of rocks are found here because I can see a rocky corridor and some spots that require additional climbing. There are brightly colored sandstone rocks that come in glowing shades of orange, gold and red. Lastly is the Gower Gulch Loop. The walk back to the car is gradually downhill. The Gower Gulch loop is made up of red mud stone and colorful mosaic conglomerates. There is occasionally broken pavement which tells me that there was once a road here and I wonder how long ago the road existed. This whole loop is important to see on a geological map because it would tell me about the distribution of different kinds of rocks, surficial deposits and faults or folds. From what I can tell, there are both faults and folds in the rocks here. Quaternary erosional and depositional processes are responsible for most of the modern landscape.  

Week 6 Geological Interpretation

One method of completing a geological interpretation is the use of structural geology. This is the analysis of folds, joints and faults within the rocks caused by plate tectonic movements. Information obtained from the folds and faults assists in the creation of geological maps of the area. Knowledge of the condition and the shape of the surface of the land, type of rocks exposed and age are key factors in the completion of a geological interpretation.

Week 6 - Geological Interpretation

This week, I decided to visit the Alturas and Susanville sheets from the Geologic Atlas of California. Upon my travels through the north-eastern part of California, these sheets (geologic counties) appear to contain great amounts of volcanic rock from previous volcanic activity. One of the key indicators that lead me to this observation was the amount of igneous rocks present. Igneous rocks are formed by the solidification of magma, which is lava generated by partial melting of the upper mantle or the lower crust. Typically, the rate of cooling of magma is rapid, and crystal growth is inhibited; this was another valuable indicator that lead me to believe there was one volcanic activity present. The specimens in this area are fine-grained and contain well-formed crystals visible to the naked eye, called phenocrysts. This texture of igneous rock is very common and known as a porphyritic texture It develops when magma has been slowly cooling and crystallising within the Earth's crust, but then suddenly erupts at the surface, causing the remaining uncrystallised magma to cool rapidly. One of the final observations I made was the structural integrity of the rock formations in these sheets. Volcanic rocks often exhibit structures caused by their eruption, such as vesicles (open cavities that represent escaped gasses) or flow banding (formed by shearing of the lava as it flows). A vast majority of the specimens present in these geological sheets exhibit vesicles, but there are some major formations as well that demonstrate flow banding.


Vesicle traits from a specimen taken from Modoc National Forest, CA.
Source: http://www.maryhemmerlyhecker.org/sand-collection-archive/064-big-sand-butte-modoc-national-forest-ca/




An example of flow banding formations.
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/flow-banding-panum-pumice-and-obsidian

Week 5 Converging Plates

A convergent plate boundary is where two plates smash together, which causes an earthquake. For instances, the Andes Mountain range in South America is an example of the convergent plate boundary. Because of how much the oceanic and continental plate push into each other, it has created a chain of volcanoes above the oceanic plate, and of course, the mountain range. Because of this, it has created a subduction at the boundary. This area is known for its volcanoes and the mountain range and over time there will only be more growing and growing.

Appalachian Mountains Week 6

This week I visited the Appalachian Mountains, located in North Carolina. Growing up as a military brat I got pretty used to seeing this area and visited a few times. They compare it to the Rocky Mountains which has over 50 different peaks, and is approximately 14,000 feet tall. Actually according to scientists, about 200 million years ago before erosion and being weathered, the Appalachians rose to the height of the Himalayans. Making this a great site to see if you go to visit, and a very historical place.

Geological Interpretations: Humboldt County Interpretation Resources

Humboldt County, CA

1.     Humboldt County General Plan – 3.8 Geology and Soils:

https://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/58837/Section-38-Geology-and-Soils-Revised-DEIR-PDF

2.      A complete list of all known natural disasters in the area: 

https://humboldtgov.org/372/Natural-Disaster-Resources

3.     Deep Time Maps – Paleography of Southwestern North America Series:

https://deeptimemaps.com/paleogeography-of-southwestern-north-america-details/

The Humboldt County General Plan Section 3.8 Geology and Soils is the most complete and recent report of the current soil and geology of the county including the hazards of natural disasters that pose a threat. I would use this to gain background knowledge and a baseline of understanding. With this background knowledge, I would be better equipped when examining the geology of Humboldt County. The Humboldt County website lists records of natural disasters in the area. I would use this information while looking at my own notes of the area to make sense of what I observe. The Deep Time Maps includes many maps which compile geologic research and information to create maps from 550 million years ago to present. This would be helpful when examining the geology and geologic time and history of the area. This would really help save time since so much geologic information is included and put together. 

Week 6 - Geological Interpretation

This week I decided to travel to Santa Barbara, CA and look at the cliff side homes. I am honestly amazed that majority of these houses are still standing and have not fallen into Monterey Bay yet. I would like to look at the cliffs and see what they are made of and what has kept them from being part of the landslides for so long. I'd also like to see the erosion to the cliffside that the waves are making. Landslide and watershed maps will both be very helpful with these. Finally I would like to investigate on how this area is affected by the fault lines that boarder it. The San Andreas Fault to the east and the San Gregorio fault to the west.

https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/California_will_face_a_terrible_choice_Save_cliff-side_homes_or_public_beaches_from_rising_seas1.jpg?w=767

https://i1.wp.com/www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/erosion1.jpg?w=810&crop=0%2C0px%2C100%2C9999px&ssl=1

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Week 6 - Sierra Nevada Mountains - Geological Interpretation

This week I visited the Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges located in California. From the below geological maps, California's faulting activity is rather abundant and complex.

source: https://muir-way.com/products/sierra-nevada-mountains-map



                                                                                                                                                                                                       source: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fam/

These active faults have cause the mountain range to move up over time. There is much debate over how old this mountain range may be. It has originally been thought that the mountain could have been experiencing its uplift as soon as 3 to 5 million years ago. However there are recent studies from fossils which suggest that the Sierra could have been formed 40 million years ago. This would be during the Eocene time.

To aid helping this debunking this I believe I would need the following pieces of information. I would want to study the superposition in order to interpret the geological time frames. I would also like to study the current erosion from the mountain to try to draw chronological time correlations. And lastly I think we need to analyze the fossils in depth using as many of the new dating technologies.

Week 6 - Geological Interpretation

For this week’s travel blog, I visited the San Francisco Bay area where landslides are common. Mudslides also occur here and are among the most dangerous and numerous in the United States. When prolonged, intense rain falls on steep hill slopes and the soils become unstable and move rapidly downhill as debris flows. I would like to examine the stream erosion to determine how turbulent the flow of water is. I would also like to study the earthquake and volcanic activity that happens or happened in this area. Both events can cause the ground to suddenly move quickly. A landslide caused by a volcano can also contain hot volcanic ash and lava from the eruption. Lastly, I would like to examine the movement of rainfall and the mass movement of terrain that happens in that location. Also, the type of rocks that move when the landslide occurs can help determine how much movement there will be on the next landslide. The changes in water level can also be a helpful factor to take a look at. 

Week 5 - Converging plates

This week I was able to travel to the depths of Mariana Trench. Its a crescent shaped trench that is 1,580 miles long, 43 miles wide, and a maximum known depth of 36,037 ft. The trench is caused by the Pacific Plate subducting under the Mariana Plate. the subduction has been going on for 50 million years and is what helped make the Marina islands. The Pacific crust that is subducting under the Mariana plate is some of the oldest crust on earth at about 170 million years old. the crust then melts and comes up out of the volcanos that created the Mariana islands. 

Du to this fault being a thrust fault it has created folding in the plate creating the West Mariana Ridge, Mariana Trough, and the Mariana Arc. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/MarianaPlate.png/420px-MarianaPlate.png

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Week 5 Converging Plates

The convergent plate margin visits would be the Peru Chile Trench, where you have a subductive zone of Oceanic crust (Nazca Plate) against continental crust (South American Plate) and the formation of what is known today as the Andes Mountain range.

Here, the two plates are involved in a compressive type of stress where the plates move toward each other. When a collision occurs, the oceanic crust sinks under the light continental crust because it is denser. The molten rock rises to the earth’s surface, resulting in eruptions and the formation of mountain ranges.

Intrusive rocks like granite and granodiorite which are resistant to corrosion are normally deposited and form the core of the mountains (Andeansummits.com).

In the Andes Mountain regions we can see where folding is taking place and dominating the structural style. This is where the pressure of the converging plates cause the crust to fold, resulting in the creation of the mountain ranges.

Faults occurring along this region are normal faults.

Reference:

Andean Summits (nd). Geological history of the Andes. Retrieved from https://www.andeansummits.com/geological-history-andes#:~:text=Intrusive%20rocks%20such%20as%20granite,over%20the%20surrounding%20sedimentary%20rocks.

Week 5 - Converging Plates

This week I decided to visit the Himalayan mountain range and Tibetan plateau where they have formed because of the collision between the Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate which began 50 million years ago. This collision is continental crust against continental crust. The Himalayas form a huge mountain range made up of minor ranges and surround western and southern edges of the Tibetan Plateau. They stretch from mainland China in the east to Pakistan in the west, across Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal and northeast India. It is the largest range in the world and exists wholly in Asia. The Himalaya is an example of a collisional mountain belt, characterized by intense crustal shortening and uplift resulting from ongoing convergence between India and Eurasia. There are major thrust faults located here. In the Higher Himalaya and parts of the Lesser Himalaya, there are some normal faults found that constitute some brittle structures. There are compressive stresses found here. There are sedimentary rocks that include shale and limestone. Some metamorphic rocks found at this location include schist and gneiss. Two of the Himalayas’ major rock zones are comprised primarily of igneous plutonic rocks. Some of these rocks include granite, diorite, gabbro and monazite. Folding dominates the structural style.

Picture Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/6starsplus/32648583482 

Week 5 - Converging Plate Andes Mountains

This week I decided to visit the Andes Mountains which is located in South America. The mountains span through seven different countries, such as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. However the southern portion of the Andes is located in Argentina and this is the area  I decided to visit.

Source: https://www.explore-share.com/blog/exploring-andean-heights-cerro-mercedario-expedition/

The Andes were mountains formed from converging plate boundaries. More specifically ocean / continent boundaries. This is where the ocean boundary sinks below the continental crust. The Nazca plate has been subducting the South American plate for about 45 million years and continues to do so today.

Source: https://www.haikudeck.com/plate-tectonics-by-hannah-parmertor-uncategorized-presentation-p0xOuQ6gUq#slide6

Due to the factors of these converging plates I would consider compressional stresses to be a factor. Which causes the deformation that allows for the folds. Essentially the Andes are considered fold mountains. The Andes is also dominantly composed of Andesite which derives its name from these mountains. The andesite is a product of the volcanos which reside in the Andes mountain area.