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University of Texas, Life Long Learning SAGE: Winter 2011 Vagabonds tramping geology in Iberia, France, UK, & Germany Don Beaumont, Sandi Phillips, & Rocky Romero Sessions 1 and 2 Iberian Peninsula Portugal and Spain Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice. Will Durant Senior University Georgetown Winter 2011 Vagabonds tramping geology Don Beaumont, Sandi Phillips, & Rocky Romero Sessions 1 and 2 Iberian Peninsula Portugal and Spain Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice. Will Durant Senior University Travels GEOLOGY WITH DON BEAUMONT Thursday, March 10, 2011 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Tracing the 65 million year old Balcones Fault and 100 million year old Edwards Limestone Aquifer from Georgetown to Austin,Texas Join us as we follow the Balcones Fault and Edwards Aquifer from the Georgetown Airport where the fault begins and shallow water wells can be drilled to the Edwards limestone. Then we visit the Buie Ranch where we learn how unpredictable drilling for water can be. At nearby Berry Springs Park we will explore one of five major Edwards springs that attracted early settlers to the Georgetown area. Driving south on IH-35 we will learn why Inner Space Cavern and the Texas Crushed Stone Quarry are located here and what caused the prominent ridge on which LaFrontera shopping mall is built. Driving down Route 1 we will follow the fault to its greatest vertical displacement at Mount Bonnell. Then it is lunch at the Oasis Restaurant on the upthrown side of the fault followed by a river cruise viewing the river gorge landscape created by the fault. $78 per person Includes motor coach, lunch, boat, refreshments, all gratuities, Hosted by Babs Cape Class has priority for reservations through February 4; Open to membership February 5 EMAIL: [email protected] checks to POB 488, 78627 Geology in the News Humans left Africa earlier than once thought Austin American Statesman, January 28, 2011 It might have been like this 125,000 years ago to eastern Arabia rather than 100,000 years ago into Palestine Suggests new route directly from East Africa to Arabia rather than up the Nile River and then through the Sinai. Now to BP and Arctic Russia BP to spend billions exploring for oil & gas in the Kara Sea of Arctic Russia Kara Sea Now to Western Europe and Iberia North Sea Countries of Western Europe Iberia Topographic Provinces Topographic Provinces Mountains, Plateaus, and River Low Lands Geologic Map of Western Europe Colors relate provinces of the same age Geologic Map Colors show rocks of different: 1. ages 2. types What are the earth’s rock types? http://certmapper.cr.usgs.gov/data/envision/index.html?widgets=geologymaps&mapservice=ge ology_europe&xmin=-35.79&xmax=55.75&ymin=27.96&ymax=74.57 Three Types of Rocks make up the Earth’s Crust 1. Sedimentary Rocks 2. Metamorphic Rocks 3. Igneous Rocks Let’s look at sedimentary rocks Portugal and Spain have all three rock types in a very complex pattern Rocks: Types & Cycles Sediments Burial: heat pressure Sedimentary Rocks Common Sedimentary Rock Types Common Sedimentary Rock Types Limestones = sea shells & shell debris Sandstones = sand Shales = clay (mud) Most sedimentary rocks are formed: 1. in the oceans 2. at the edge of the continents Next: Metamorphic Rocks Rocks: Classes & Cycles Sediments to Sedimentary Rocks Sedimentary Rocks to Metamorphic Rocks Partial Melting Common Metamorphic Rocks Common Metamorphic Rocks Limestone: partially melted = marble Sandstone: partially melted = quartzite Shale: partial melting = slate Shale & Sand partial melting = schist = gneiss Finally, igneous rocks Rocks: Classes & Cycles At the surface molten Lava Complete Melting At depth molten Magmas Metamorphic Rocks to Igneous Rocks Sedimentary Rocks to Metamorphic Rocks Igneous Activity Volcanic: At or near the surface of the earth Plutonic: Well below the surface of the earth (visible by deep erosion) Now, at quick look at volcanic igneous rocks Igneous Rocks Volcanoes From melted oceanic crust or shales From melted continental Crust or sandstone & shale Next: the Plutonic Igneous rocks Basalt Rhyolite Dark color Heavy No “grains” Light color Medium weight No “grains” Plutonic (deeply buried) Igneous Rocks Mantle rock Original rock below the earth’s crust Original Continental Crust or melted sandstone & shale Putting it all together; our solid earth Gabbro Granite The Solid Earth The Rocky Igneous Crust Continental Granite: 20 to 50 miles thick The Earth’s Rocky Crust Oceanic Basalt 5 miles thick 5 to 50 miles thick The Solid Earth Continental Granite The Mantle Composed of rock called gabbro Where are sedimentary rocks created? Oceanic Basalt Sedimentary Rocks Where are they formed? Continent being Destroyed by Weathering & Erosion Rivers move the Continental Debris to the Continental Margins Where it is accumulates as layers of sediments Modern sediments of Iberia Sediments (sands, muds, & shells) are buried and squeezed into Sedimentary Rocks Modern sediments of Iberia Where & how are sedimentary rocks converted to metamorphic rocks? Where & how are sedimentary rocks converted to metamorphic rocks? Ocean Rivers carry erosional debris to the ocean at the continental margins But first a word about the earth’s crust Oceanic Crust: Under all of the deep seas About 5 miles thick Continental Crust: Comprises all continents About 20 to 50 miles thick Where & how are sedimentary rocks converted to metamorphic rocks? Sediments in ocean at the margin of the continent Building a new mountain range by crushing & melting the sedimentary rocks creating metamorphic rocks Where have sedimentary rocks in North America been converted to metamorphic rocks? Where are Metamorphic & Igneous Rocks Made? Note: Iberia has Appalachian age mountains! How do we explain this? Debris along continental margins is crushed and melted when crustal plates collide forming Metamorphic and Igneous Rocks Appalachian age mountains Alpine (“recent”) age mountains Where and how did this happen? The Crushing and Melting when Africa collided with North America to produce Metamorphic & Igneous Rocks of the Appalachian Mountains Before we continue with the history of Appalachia and Iberia: Geologic Time Iberia On a collision course Geologic Time: The Last 570 Million Years Collision!! Mountains in Appalachia, Iberia, France, Scotland & Norway North America & Africa (Iberia, etc) on a collision course Last slide The Crushing and Melting when Africa collided with North America creating Metamorphic & Igneous rocks in Appalachia, Iberia, France, Scotland & Norway Crunch!!!! Mountain ranges created by collision of earth plates Crust broken into PLATES North American Plate Eurasian Plate African Plate Plate motion: Continental Drift Plates move (drift) slowly colliding & shearing each other Continental (plate) Drift Appalachian Mountains North America & NW Europe Focusing on western Europe Super continent Pangaea South America, Florida, Africa & SW Europe Continental (plate) Drift European “Appalachians” Modern World Mountain Ranges From Blakey Modern World Mountain Ranges From Blakey North Atlantic: Close Up Modern World Mountain Ranges (blue) From Blakey Back to Iberia: The Geologic Map Iberia: The Geologic Map Colors show rocks of differen 1. ages 2. types Iberia: The Geologic Map This map shows the present day rock surface produced by the weathering & erosion of the complex continental crust of Iberia Why is this important? Weathering & Erosion of different rocks produces different topographies & soils Different topographies & soils determine where humans live and flourish Colors show rocks of different: 1. ages 2. types Weathering & Erosion Topography and Soils Geologic Map Rock Types at the surface Natural Resources Map Farming & Mining (Ores) Weathering and Erosion also exposes different ores at or near the surface The mineral resources of Iberia Human history has been shaped by Proposition: Rocks of different typesof weather & erode the possession ore Why are ore occurrencesdeposits important? producing different soilsBeaumont, that determine agriculture Univ type PennofSPP paper 203, 2010