So many stories in the rocks. Attempting to understand and translate their stories is endless and fascinating in our PNW landscape. Geology puts our human condition into perspective.
Speaking of uplift and erosion (or subsidence), the New York Times published a fascinating piece this morning about the Batagay crater in Siberia, whose cliffside is retreating 40 feet every year due to destruction of the permafrost. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/23/opinion/russia-oil-mining-permafrost.html
I worked for a time with a group working on trace fossils of ant nests. There is a spectacular road-cut in western Kansas that exposes hundreds, or even thousands, of fossil ant nests, many of them obviously Pogonomyrmex harvester ants, but other species as well. The ichnofossil paper is available on Science Direct at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.046. My role in this ichnofossil project was to provide casts of modern ant nests for comparison. Here for example, is my paper on Pogonomyrmex harvester ant nest architecture: http://bio.fsu.edu/%7Etschink/publications/2004-2.pdf. The similarity of modern Pogonomyrmex nests to the fossil ones is very strong. Someday, I hope to have a chance to see these fossil ant nests.
Loved this.....I just returned from a raft trip in Colordo and found (I think) Great blue heron tracks in the mud along the river. I thought: dinosaurs alive and well.
A lovely stretch. I once got in trouble leading a paddle raft trip on the upper stretch of the river. It was a group of kids and they were having a few issues and I yelled "Paddle or you're not going to get any F-ing dinner." Apparently that wasn't the best thing to say! Oh well. I was 24.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on how large meteor impact strikes affect the geology. One interesting take on the word Snoqualmie is that it meant "the place where the moon fell." Add to that the puzzling eggshell crack faults reaching across Puget Sound.
Gerald, I hadn't heard that derivation of Snoqualmie. Well, we certainly know of that one big meteor and what it did to the ammonites and other critters, particularly those big track makers. And, of course, those impacts are the singular type of geological event that fascinates me.
Can you recommend a book or other source for finding fossils in the stones of local buildings, as you've mentioned? Seattle to Portland, I have a grown daughter and grandson who'd love seeing those.
Thanks for your note. I am not familiar with Portland but know of many in Seattle. I am not sure what else I can add to this newsletter that I wrote a few weeks ago, in case you missed it.
So many stories in the rocks. Attempting to understand and translate their stories is endless and fascinating in our PNW landscape. Geology puts our human condition into perspective.
Speaking of uplift and erosion (or subsidence), the New York Times published a fascinating piece this morning about the Batagay crater in Siberia, whose cliffside is retreating 40 feet every year due to destruction of the permafrost. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/23/opinion/russia-oil-mining-permafrost.html
I'll check it out. Thanks for sharing.
I worked for a time with a group working on trace fossils of ant nests. There is a spectacular road-cut in western Kansas that exposes hundreds, or even thousands, of fossil ant nests, many of them obviously Pogonomyrmex harvester ants, but other species as well. The ichnofossil paper is available on Science Direct at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.046. My role in this ichnofossil project was to provide casts of modern ant nests for comparison. Here for example, is my paper on Pogonomyrmex harvester ant nest architecture: http://bio.fsu.edu/%7Etschink/publications/2004-2.pdf. The similarity of modern Pogonomyrmex nests to the fossil ones is very strong. Someday, I hope to have a chance to see these fossil ant nests.
Wow, thanks. And that nest you made is amazing! It must have been fun and challenging.
Loved this.....I just returned from a raft trip in Colordo and found (I think) Great blue heron tracks in the mud along the river. I thought: dinosaurs alive and well.
I am jealous. Where on the Colorado? And, GBH tracks certainly do looked dinosaurian.
Hittle Bottom to Moab. Fun times!
A lovely stretch. I once got in trouble leading a paddle raft trip on the upper stretch of the river. It was a group of kids and they were having a few issues and I yelled "Paddle or you're not going to get any F-ing dinner." Apparently that wasn't the best thing to say! Oh well. I was 24.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on how large meteor impact strikes affect the geology. One interesting take on the word Snoqualmie is that it meant "the place where the moon fell." Add to that the puzzling eggshell crack faults reaching across Puget Sound.
Gerald, I hadn't heard that derivation of Snoqualmie. Well, we certainly know of that one big meteor and what it did to the ammonites and other critters, particularly those big track makers. And, of course, those impacts are the singular type of geological event that fascinates me.
another example of discrete events - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/30653455681/
Yes, I have seen such tidal deposits, not in Australia, but in Utah, I think, unless I am misremembering, which is a distinct possibility.
good one
Can you recommend a book or other source for finding fossils in the stones of local buildings, as you've mentioned? Seattle to Portland, I have a grown daughter and grandson who'd love seeing those.
Thanks for your note. I am not familiar with Portland but know of many in Seattle. I am not sure what else I can add to this newsletter that I wrote a few weeks ago, in case you missed it.
https://streetsmartnaturalist.substack.com/p/neanderthals-in-the-house
Your appreciation for earth’s geology is totally infectious!!