integration of field exercises in a one-year sed/strat/structure course leading to a capstone field...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone
Field ExperienceLawrence Malinconico
David SunderlinLafayette College, Easton, PA
![Page 2: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What is this all about?• Background - Course Requirements• Combining Sed/Strat & Structure• Field Labs in preparation for capstone• Capstone Field experience – Wyoming• Integration of analog and digital field
techniques• Issues
![Page 3: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Background
• Departmental Response• 15 years ago• College went to 32 course
graduation requirement• Loss of approximately 4 courses• Required departments to reduce
major requirements: • BS: 15 to 11, plus 5 related sciences• AB: 9 courses
![Page 4: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Background
• Among other courses – no longer require field camp• Result in loss of comprehensive field
experience & now perhaps only 10% of our students complete a summer field course• Departmental response:• try to include field experiences in all upper-
level geology courses• all but 2 of our upper-level courses have
significant field projects
![Page 5: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Combining Sed/Strat & Structure
• These courses are typically partitioned into two separate semesters• However we feel that the two disciplines are
actually intimately related• For example: orogenesis creates the source for clastic
depositional materials
![Page 6: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Combining Sed/Strat & Structure
• First semester focus:• Structure (3 weeks)• Focus on plate tectonics & basin genesis/types
• Sed/Strat (11 weeks)• focus on sedimentary lithologies, bedforms,
depositional environments, unit correlation w/in basin
![Page 7: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Combining Sed/Strat & Structure
• Second semester focus:• Sed/Strat (3 weeks)• focus on depositional environments, sequence
stratigraphy
• Structure (11 weeks)• focus on deformation mechanisms & forms• also preparation for field project in Wyoming
![Page 8: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 1st semester?
• Introductory section measuring & field sketching• (jacob staff use, strike/dip, carbonate rock
description)
• Rift Basin I (Stockton & Lockatong Fms.)• Add positional data (GPS, geologic map ties),
section drafting (Illustrator, SedLog), siliciclastic rock description (SS, mudrocks)
• Rift Basin II (Passaic Fm.)• Add sedimentary structure, conglomerate
field description (point counts, imbrication, etc.) and full basin history inference from Newark sediments (including report)
![Page 9: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 1st semester?
• Foreland Basin I (Martinsburg & Shawangunk Fms.) • Introduce literature reading as background,
integrate structural measurements of contact?, reinforce sedimentary description skills
• Foreland Basin II (Bloomsburg Fm.)• Add fold measurements, reinforce
sedimentary descriptions & basin fill history
• Foreland Basin III (Mahantango & Marcellus Fms.)• Biostratigraphic concepts, basin fill history
![Page 10: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 1st semester?
• Foreland Basin IV (Catskill & Pocono Fms.) • Reinforce fold measurements and basin fill history
• Foreland Basin V (Finger Lakes weekend trip) (Hamilton, Genesee, & Sonyea Groups)• lateral variation in basin fill history
• Tectonics and Basin development • understanding the structural relationships between
orogenic belts and sedimentary basins (2 weeks)
• Introduction to using Brunton compass• Basin Report due at end
* typical “structure” topic
![Page 11: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 2nd semester?
• Field Labs are in addition to weekly lab book assignments • manipulating structural data • reading geologic maps• constructing cross-sections
• Pace and compass maps with closure error, • learn to estimate distances using
pace, and directions with Brunton
• Brunton: • vertical angles and strike and dip on
the Allentown formation.
![Page 12: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 2nd semester?
• Bighorn Basin rock identification• from collected samples
• Stratigraphy• determine the sequence of
depositional events • limited set 1st week• complete set 2nd week
• Result is a preliminary strat section for the basin
• Jacobs staff field practice• Sequence stratigraphy using
observation from basin rocks
* typical “sed/strat” topic
![Page 13: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 2nd semester?• Shawangunk Conglomerate and
Martinsburg Shale, fault boundary• continue to improve Brunton skills • determine nature of contact
• (fault, formations are not conformable)
• recognize fault motion indicators• slickenlines
• Allentown Formation w/ asymmetric ripples • strike and dip skills• elements within the bedding plane• overturned bed – rotated back to
horizontal – determine flow direction
![Page 14: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 2nd semester?
• Onondaga and Schoharie Formation – open to overturned folds• interpreting dips which all dip in the same direction• incorporate stratigraphic information to inform the structural
interpretation.
• Passaic Formation – normal faults• fault, slickenline orientations• calculate % extension
![Page 15: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
What are the lab field projects – 2nd semester?
• Rickenbach Formation – bedding and joint set• relationship between folding• final brunton practice
• Reports – formal, professional• intro sections must include a
stratigraphic description of the formations• additionally, each successive report
includes a start column with all the formations visited to date highlighted – understanding age relationships
App 70% of lab time involves field projects
![Page 16: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Capstone Field Project – 22nd week
• Sheep Mountain, Wyoming• 6 day trip over Fall break (mid-
October)• 4 full field days possible
• Objectives• collect data set appropriate for
• structural and stratigraphic interpretation
• be able to develop a depositional and deformational history of the region• will require literature research upon
return from the field
![Page 17: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Capstone Field Project – 22nd week• Day 1• whole group does partial traverse
through the section• initial structural measurements• develop the stratigraphic section
• Days 2 & 3• complete three traverses in teams
of two
• Day 4 • walk out contacts• focus on problem areas
• fault in north central part of the area
• More work than can be completed in 4 days
![Page 18: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Capstone Field Project – 22nd week• Field Data• Structure
• formation strike and dips• contacts
• orientation• nature
• Stratigraphy• formation description
• Data Collection• Google/Bing maps paper base (8 x 10)• field notebooks, bruntons• location info from Garmin gps
• data recorded on micro sd cards and field books
![Page 19: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
• Evening• Transfer information to larger image base (20 “ x 30”)
• enter each data location (lat/long) into Google Earth coded by observation type• formation (strike and dip)• contact (strike and dip)• fault (type)
• compare locations • field map• Google Maps
• Complete transfer• correct map symbol• correct orientation
Capstone Field Project – 22nd week
![Page 20: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Capstone Field Project – 22nd week
![Page 21: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
• Almost no lecturing last 6 weeks – work on Sheep Mountain Data – group work• Tangibles – these are submitted according to a schedule
• Stratigraphic section• Geologic Map – 1st draft, 2nd draft (paper or GIS)• Geologic cross-sections (three) – 1st draft, 2nd draft (paperP• Stereoplots of fold data (digital and/or paper)
• Descriptions of the folds
• Literature research on regional tectonics and stress fields• Report (individual) & presentation (poster - team)
• “Depositional and deformational History of Sheep Mountain, Wyoming” – multiple drafts• this course fulfills a College-wide writing requirement• professionally completed (bound, pockets, digital data)
Capstone Field Project – 23rd – 28th week
![Page 22: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Advantages
![Page 23: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
• Funding• Currently supported by the College
• Cost per person is approximately $850• In the process of raising and endowment to support the cost
• $200,000 to $250,000• several interested alumni who understand the value of field-based
research
• Weather• October can be ideal but…
• Need to take two semester sequence in order to go…
• Summer melt…• Evolving curriculum - Assessment
Issues
![Page 24: Integration of Field Exercises in a One-year Sed/Strat/Structure Course Leading to a Capstone Field Experience Lawrence Malinconico David Sunderlin Lafayette](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022062304/56649f065503460f94c1b630/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
• Over the 28 weeks our students clearly evolved into “geologists”
Discussion?
Value?