Years Of Geology Research Articles

The Palisades at Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area

The Palisades is an impressive ridge within the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area—an area nestled on the north flank of the eastern Uinta Mountains not far from Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Sheep Creek cuts through the Palisades, as well as the heart of the geological area, to reveal about 800 million years of geology, from ancient environments to the rise and ultimate erosion of the Uinta Mountains. The oldest rocks exposed at the Palisades comprise the upper part of the Neoproterozoic (about 770 million years ago) Uinta Mountain Group, which have been thrusted upon the Mississippian (about 350 million years ago) Deseret Limestone (equivalent to the upper Madison Limestone). That thrust fault and others exposed along the north and south sides of the Palisades are part of the Uinta thrust fault zone, which is responsible for intense folding of both formations. Although the uplift of the Uinta Mountains and related deformation along the Uinta fault zone set the stage for development of the Palisades, it was erosion that revealed and shaped this spectacular feature.

The evolution of non-quantitative geological graphics in texts during the formative years of geology (1788–1840)

Although modern geology uses both pictorial and graphical illustrations for conveying information and data presentation, early books in the discipline did not place such a reliance on graphics. This study investigated the numbers and types of graphics in 72 texts containing geological illustrations, which were considered to be representative (excluding works with solely mineralogical or paleontological illustrations), published during the formative years of geology (1788–1840) in terms of Edward R. Tufte's principles of graphic design. The text graphics were analyzed in terms of the presence of proxy or inferred imagery, direct or keyed labeling, unnecessary embellishment, and their data density; and whether they exhibited multivariate properties, represented the small multiple format, or exhibited graphic modifications. Mixed methodology analyses revealed four stages in the evolution of geologic illustrations in the interval from 1788–1840: (1) early pictorial or proxy representations; (2) the introduction of labeled graphics, coinciding with the first geology textbooks; (3) ‘grand' or elaborate illustration; and (4) a high graphic density. Although progress was made in graphical representation during the time period studied, statistical graphics were hardly ever used.

What's New in the Ol' Grand?

A ccording to an old Indian legend, it's really a testament to love. Long ago, great chief of all Utes lived with his beloved wife. When she died, he mourned day and night, and his sorrow was spread throughout all his people. Seeing such grief, Ta-vwoats, a god, appeared before chief, and tried to comfort him. But chief's sorrow did not diminish. Finally Ta-vwoats offered to take chief to blessed world of dead. The chief could visit his wife and see that she was truly happy if he promised to return to earth and end his mourning. Then Ta-vwoats rolled an immense ball of fire across plain, creating a chasm that led to home of dead, and two descended in search of chief's wife. Upon their return, Ta-vwoats placed a raging river into bottom of canyon so that no one else could attempt to visit afterworld. The first white man to see Grand Canyon didn't worry about origin of huge abyss and tiny river at bottom; he was more preoccupied with how to get around it. In 1540, Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, a Spanish conquistador in search of mythical golden cities, came unexpectedly upon canyon. After spending several days trying to descend, he decided that golden cities, if they did exist, were probably not worth effort. Three centuries later, Major John Wesley Powell, a one-armed adventurer and geologist, led first recorded boat expedition down Colorado River in 1869. When Powell embarked on his monumental journey with nine other men packed into four small boats, Grand Canyon was a vast uncharted stretch that Powell called the great unknown. On best maps of northern Arizona, a conspicuous 200-mile-long blank spot was only indication that canyon existed. The publicity that surrounded expedition and false rumors of Powell's demise helped ingrain an awesome image of canyon into minds of American public. But Powell was also one of first to recognize scientific treasures that lay in canyon. Here, Colorado River has provided researchers an unparalleled opportunity to study more than 2 billion years of geology, spanning half planet's history. For more than a century, geologists have flocked to canyon, using it as a textbook and deriving fundamental concepts within its sheer walls. But textbook is by no means closed; scientists are still studying its lessons, and many pages lie yet unturned. While floating down Colorado on a recent field trip into Grand Canyon, researchers from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discussed some of new work being done in that old canyon.

Massive Sulfide Orebodies: The Buchans Orebodies . Fifty Years of Geology and Mining. E. A. Swanson, D. F. Strong, and J. G. Thurlow, Eds. Geological Association of Canada, Toronto, 1981. x, 350 pp., illus., + loose maps in slipcase. $36. The Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 22.

Massive Sulfide Orebodies: <i>The Buchans Orebodies</i> . Fifty Years of Geology and Mining. E. A. Swanson, D. F. Strong, and J. G. Thurlow, Eds. Geological Association of Canada, Toronto, 1981. x, 350 pp., illus., + loose maps in slipcase. $36. The Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 22.

Massive Sulfide Orebodies: The Buchans Orebodies . Fifty Years of Geology and Mining. E. A. Swanson, D. F. Strong, and J. G. Thurlow, Eds. Geological Association of Canada, Toronto, 1981. x, 350 pp., illus., + loose maps in slipcase. $36. The Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 22.

Massive Sulfide Orebodies: <i>The Buchans Orebodies</i> . Fifty Years of Geology and Mining. E. A. Swanson, D. F. Strong, and J. G. Thurlow, Eds. Geological Association of Canada, Toronto, 1981. x, 350 pp., illus., + loose maps in slipcase. $36. The Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 22.

Geology - Two Hundred Years of Geology in America. Proceedings of the New Hampshire Bicentennial Conference on the History of Geology. Ed. by Cecil J. Schneer. Hanover, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 1979. Pp. xvii + 385. $20.00.

Geology - Two Hundred Years of Geology in America. Proceedings of the New Hampshire Bicentennial Conference on the History of Geology. Ed. by Cecil J. Schneer. Hanover, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 1979. Pp. xvii + 385. $20.00. - Volume 14 Issue 2

Two Hundred Years of Geology in America. Cecil J. Schneer

<i>Two Hundred Years of Geology in America</i>. Cecil J. Schneer

Geology in Retrospect: Two Hundred Years of Geology in America . Proceedings of a conference, Durham, N.H., Oct. 1976. Cecil J. Schneer, Ed. Published for the University of New Hampshire by the University Press of New England, Hanover, N.H., 1979. xiv, 386 pp., illus. $20.

Geology in Retrospect: <i>Two Hundred Years of Geology in America</i> . Proceedings of a conference, Durham, N.H., Oct. 1976. Cecil J. Schneer, Ed. Published for the University of New Hampshire by the University Press of New England, Hanover, N.H., 1979. xiv, 386 pp., illus. $20.

Geology at MIT 1865-1965: A History of the First Hundred Years of Geology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Volume I: The Faculty and Supporting Staff. Robert Rakes Shrock

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsGeology at MIT 1865-1965: A History of the First Hundred Years of Geology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Volume I: The Faculty and Supporting Staff. Robert Rakes ShrockChristopher HamlinChristopher Hamlin Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Isis Volume 70, Number 2Jun., 1979 Publication of the History of Science Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/352219 Views: 1Total views on this site Copyright 1979 History of Science Society, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

One hundred and fifty years of geology at Yale

One hundred and fifty years of geology at Yale