Days Of Geology Research Articles

Dinosaurs in Iowa. Or: On Reading Fossils

In light of current debates over the so-called Anthropocene, “Dinosaurs in Iowa” revisits the early days of geology as a science and proposes that the humanities reconsider Charles Lyell’s groundbreaking work Principles of Geology and take serious the philosophical questions inscribed into it. Focusing on fossils as a memory medium of sorts, it suggests reading these as an existentially significant medium that can provide an important epistemological anchor for humankind’s transition into geological time. Rediscovering Lyell’s philosophical musings on species death, cyclical time and the temporal limits of individual and collective existence, the essay follows Lyellian traces through various nineteenth- and twentieth-century texts (Whitman, Dickinson, Frisch, Malick) and concludes with a Heideggerian reading of the Augenblick such data can enable.

Nannofossils in 2011 El Hierro eruptive products reinstate plume model for Canary Islands.

The origin and life cycle of ocean islands have been debated since the early days of Geology. In the case of the Canary archipelago, its proximity to the Atlas orogen led to initial fracture-controlled models for island genesis, while later workers cited a Miocene-Quaternary east-west age-progression to support an underlying mantle-plume. The recent discovery of submarine Cretaceous volcanic rocks near the westernmost island of El Hierro now questions this systematic age-progression within the archipelago. If a mantle-plume is indeed responsible for the Canaries, the onshore volcanic age-progression should be complemented by progressively younger pre-island sedimentary strata towards the west, however, direct age constraints for the westernmost pre-island sediments are lacking. Here we report on new age data obtained from calcareous nannofossils in sedimentary xenoliths erupted during the 2011 El Hierro events, which date the sub-island sedimentary rocks to between late Cretaceous and Pliocene in age. This age-range includes substantially younger pre-volcanic sedimentary rocks than the Jurassic to Miocene strata known from the older eastern islands and now reinstate the mantle-plume hypothesis as the most plausible explanation for Canary volcanism. The recently discovered Cretaceous submarine volcanic rocks in the region are, in turn, part of an older, fracture-related tectonic episode.

With a little help from friends: Pierre-Louis-Antoine Cordier (1777–1861): 50 years of experimental work on basalt

Experimentation was more prevalent and more influential in the early days of geology than has generally been recognized. While historical narratives often associate very few names with geoscientific insights or advances, these advances are often the result of general movement within the whole fabric of geology and mineralogy. This applies to the question of basalt origin, which was more complex that it appears superficially. Ancient basalts from extinct volcanoes with no observed centers were often altered on the surface, and differed from more recent flows. The tools of microscopy and the blowpipe were used with increasing advantage by inquirers from Boccone to Cordier. Combining the methods of his predecessors and contemporaries, Cordier was able to demonstrate convincingly that similar rocks were due to similar causes whatever their ages. A more complete history results from looking at the “hero” in the broader spectrum of the resources available to him.

The Development of Chemical Geology in the Nineteenth Century with Special Reference to the Situation in Britain

The overlapping field of interest of geology and chemistry varied in extent and degree throughout the nineteenth century. In the ‘heroic’ days of geology, at the beginning of the century, there was a close relationship, with chemists of note displaying not only an interest but a considerable expertise in geology. Geologists who were interested in crystalline rocks, caught up in the Neptunist/Vulcanist debate, dealt with chemical aspects of their subject as a matter of course. This pattern of work persisted throughout the century on the continent of Europe, but in Britain, for a wide variety of reasons, geologists used chemical data and techniques very little, and petrology in that country suffered accordingly. However, in the second half of the century, as advances were made in the technology used by geology, especially with the polarising microscope, in the education of professional geologists and the dissemination of knowledge from Europe and the Americas, the situation improved, so much so that, by the last two decades of the century British petrology had absorbed chemical geology into its armory of skills and knowledge and was on a par with geology from elsewhere in the world.

The Early Days of Geology in Britain

The Early Days of Geology in Britain

The Eastern Alps—a geological excursion Guide

An itinerary and outcrop description is given for thirteen days of field geology in the Eastern (Austrian) Alps. The route follows a typical north-south cross-section through this part of the Alpine belt. The selected section crosses the eastern end of the Tauern Window and runs from Salzburg in the north to the Italian border in the south. Within this section it is possible to examine all major tectonic units of the Eastern Alps and their relationships to each other. A variety of structural, metamorphic and sedimentary features of interest is described. The first six days of geology are based on Hallein, near Salzburg, the next five on Spittal, in Carinthia, and the last two on Leoben and Vienna respectively.

The Nature and Origin of Fusain

Fusain, called also mineral charcoal, fossil charcoal, mother-of-coal, fusit, fusaine, and Faserkohle, has been known and variously interpreted since the early days of geology. Of the many early hypotheses concerning its nature and origin, three still have adherents. According to the first, known as the hypothesis, fusain is the product of the well known process of fungal decay known as dry-rot. Against this, it may be argued that dry-rot does not produce anything resembling fusain, and that fusain rarely if ever shows the least sign of the decay which attends dry-rot, but on the contrary is generally exquisitely preserved. The second or acid hypothesis postulates that fusain is derived from woody debris that lay at the surface of a swamp during times of evaporation, at which times the woody matter is supposed to have become impregnated and encrusted with concentrated humic solutions. These insoluble and poisonous humic concentrates, upon drying, might have hardened and protected the wood from further decay. Under the conditions postulated, however, no product resembling fusain, that is, having among other characters a pure carbon composition, is ever formed in modern swamps or bogs. Moreover, fusain is a stratified clastic sediment commonly occurring in thin even layers; quite the reverse of the highly irregular, hummocky, residual deposit which the hypothesis would lead one to expect. The third or charcoal hypothesis postulates that fusain is vegetable matter carbonized by fire. A number of objections have been made to this hypotheis but all of them seem to be readily answerable.

The problem of the pre-Cambrian

Research Article| January 01, 1908 The problem of the pre-Cambrian CHARLES RICHARD VAN HISE CHARLES RICHARD VAN HISE Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information CHARLES RICHARD VAN HISE Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 05 Feb 1908 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2674 Print Issn: 0016-7606 © 1908 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1908) 19 (1): 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-19-1 Article history Received: 05 Feb 1908 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation CHARLES RICHARD VAN HISE; The problem of the pre-Cambrian. GSA Bulletin 1908;; 19 (1): 1–28. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-19-1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract IntroductionFollowing the precedent of many scientific presidential addresses, I shall give a general review of one of the subjects which has occupied much of my time—the problem of the pre-Cambrian. Within an hour I can not consider the merits of the questions still in controversy, nor broadly cover the field mentioned; therefore I shall confine my review to the stratigraphy and nomenclature of the pre-Cambrian rocks.The Cambrian is defined as terminating below at the base of the well recognized Olenellus fauna. In general between the Cambrian and pre-Cambrian there is an unconformity. This unconformity for a large part of the United States is profound, being the break at the base of the great Cambrian transgression.In the early days of geology in America the name “primary” or “primitive” was given to the group of rocks under consideration. By the men who used these terms there was scarcely any . . . This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

The Laurentian rocks and metamorphism

In the early days of geology, as geologists are aware, granite and the associated highly metamorphic rocks were called ‶Primary Rocks,″ as from their position they were supposed to be the oldest rocks. This misnomer, in the early days of geology, was not an unnatural one, as these early observers supposed that strata accumulated by a process very similar to building a wall, the upper stones having been placed last; they having yet to learn that younger rocks might be thrust up from below, while in many cases they carry up on them masses of much older rocks. Thus, in some cases, position may not be indicative of age, as part of such thrust-up younger rocks may be below older rocks. As geology advanced, more minute and extended examination gradually led to this supposition being abandoned, as it was found that the supposed ‶Primary Rocks,″ although lithologically similar, might differ greatly as to age; also that they were often younger than the rocks with which they were intimately connected, as the intrusive granites must be younger than the rocks through which they come up, while the associated metamorphism must have taken place subsequent to the original rocks having accumulated. The Laurentians of Canada and Scotland are known by ocular proofs to be older than the associated rocks of Cambrian age. These rocks, during the vicissitudes which they have undergone, have been subjected to more or less metamorphic action, and have therefore taken certain mineralogical or lithological characters—characters which, although very

Ami Boue

THE decade which closes this year will remain a memorable one in the annals of geology for the great names which appear in its obituary. Not a few of the early leaders, to whom it was possible to master fully every department of the infant science and to strike out into new untrodden paths in almost any direction, have lived on to witness the vast development of the studies which they did so much to foster. In this country we have lost only lately Murchison, Sedgwick, Lyell, Phillips, Scrope, whom we early learnt to reverence as demi-gods of the heroic age. And now to these names another falls to be added which, though not that of a Briton, has long been a household word among the geologists of this country. The veteran Ami Boué has just passed away. Ripe in years and universally honoured, he has remained perched on his beloved mountain slopes like a boulder stranded above the reach of the all-devouring sea. But the tide of mortality has at last swept him away, and has thus broken one of the most interesting ties that bound us to the early days of geology. Having for many years enjoyed the privilege of his friendship and having heard from his own lips many of the incidents of his life, I am able to give here a few personal reminiscences which may be of general interest at the present time, without at present attempting to offer any summary or review of the scientific work of his life. It is much to be desired that his own notices of his life should be published. His early wandering years were especially eventful, and their history is intimately bound up with that of the science which he cultivated with so much ardour.