Geology/EarthScience
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Death Valley, California, USA
Death Valley National Park is one of many units within the National Park service established because of its underlying geologic theme. Death Valley NP is renowned world-wide for its exposed, complex, unique tectonics and diverse geologic resources. Contained within its boundaries is a diverse rock record stretching throughout most of geologic time. From 1.8 billion-year-old metamorphic rocks exposed in the Black mountains, to recent playa sediments deposited in the valley basins, Death Valley possesses a superb geologic record. Paramount to understanding Death Valleyās geology is realizing that it is an ongoing dynamic process. Wind, water, and plate tectonics are still hard at work shaping the park on a day-to-day basis.
Death Valley is currently building a rock collection of the parkās stratigraphy. The following list of geologic formations and corresponding ages represents what has been collected in the park and are available for viewing at our curatorial facility. 41 formations are listed with a number correlating them to the original reference used to describe and locate them. Based on research, 61 formations are known to exist in the park. Those missing 20 formations have not yet been added to our Stratigraphy Collection. It should be noted that 3 formations have been given unofficial names: Warm Spring Granite, Skidoo Granite, and Strozziās Ranch Rhyolite.
Mikrovalto, Kamvounia mountains, potamia stream, Kozani, Macedonia, Greece.
The whole area consists of sandstone rocks, which over the centuries have formed special geological formations.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area lies in Nevadaās Mojave Desert. Itās known for geological features such as towering red sandstone peaks and the Keystone Thrust Fault, as well as Native American petroglyphs. Panoramic viewing spots dot the 13-mile Scenic Drive. The sheltered Ice Box Canyon has seasonal waterfalls. To the south, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park features historic buildings and hiking trails.
Address: 1000 Scenic Loop Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89161
The Sajama National Park includes geological natural wonders like volcanoes, diverse organisms, and thermal springs, and also cultural wonders such as ancient burial buildings, cave paintings, and colonial architecture and art.
Mammoth Hot Spring's Orange Mound Spring is a sight to see. Colors were nice and rich on this rainy afternoon. Dimensions are 48'x25'x25'. It is quite tall and impressive.
The Orange Mound Spring is thermally cooler (~170ĖF) than most springs in Yellowstone and at the Mammoth Hot Springs themselves, allowing the orange-tinted cyanobacteria to thrive and color the spring a darker shade of orange than the rest of the Mammoth Terraces. Depending on the nutrients that the bacteria receive, the color may change throughout the year.
The Spring is said to be very old due to the shape and size of the mound as well as how little water flows out of the spring itself. It has created other nearby cone-shaped springs from itself due to the travertine deposits wearing away.
Have a wonderful weekend!
This week's theme for Mosaic Montage Monday was Geological. Sunlight rising on a montage of local geology. HMMM!
Rainbow Basin Natural Area, near Barstow, California.
I overcooked the colors a bit to bring out the texture. Quite a nice place to spend a day exploring the area.
This pipe plug is a part of the underground plumbing system of a long extinct Volcano, revealed by erosion, more pipes from the same system are visible in the back. Interestingly, the lava raising up is not mixed thoroughly and composed two distinct types, one dark, the other light. These pipes feed a large volcano, most likely a cone like stratovolcano. The red sandstone of the Comb Ridge monocline stretches across the background.
Had a great day traveling across I-70, especially that part through my home state of Utah. Definitely got a little exercise as I made several stops and hiked to areas I wanted to photograph from. Took over 150 pictures to day. I'll post a few more some other time. Still sorting and deciding which I like best.
These are late Cretaceous greywacke sandstones of the Cambria slab. They are interpreted as submarine landslides into a large marine canyon, something like the present-day Monterey Canyon. Ordinarily they look like massive, grey, featureless sandstone. But in flat light & when they are wet, sometimes you get enigmatic hints like this. . .
Field of view is about 2 ft (60 cm) across, by memory.
An dark capture on the edge of the loch near Ardtur with the layers of three mountain ridges in the horizon and some wonderful trees on the shoreline. Fences run all across the bay towards the sandy parts of the Loch Linnhe shore.
Waterscape 4 of 100 for 2025.
This massive rock sits proudly in the middle of Deadman's Beach. I've often wondered how it ended up thereāwhat geological forces shaped its journey?
Today, as I looked at the photo, it struck me: the rock resembles a giant bao bun buried in the sand. Naturally, this led me down a rabbit hole exploring the history of bao buns. Originating in Northern China, bao dates back to the Three Kingdoms period in the 3rd century, with some evidence pointing as far back as 400 BC.
And then it all made sense: giant, rock-eating aliens with a penchant for Chinese cuisine must have dropped this here during one of their visits in ancient times. Mystery solved. You're welcome!
Thank you all for the kind likes and commentsātheyāre always deeply appreciated!
P.S. Speaking of buns, if youāve got 3 minutes, I recommend this touching animation about motherhood and buns:
The Cottonwood Canyon Road is a rough 47 mile road which travels past many interesting geologic features such as these rounded uplifted sections of rock.
Happy Slider Sunday!
I love the geology of this bit of coast just south of Aberystwyth (Aberystwyth Grit Group) and the hearty plants in the vicinity are a delight.
Thrift or Sea Pink
Armeria maritima
The County Flower of Pembrokeshire
Ā© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
The Trotternish Landslip seen from The Quiraing on the Isle of Skye, with a couple of walkers on the ridge for scale. In geological terms the Trotternish landslip on Skye is recent, occurring around 11,000 to 15,000 years ago and part of it is still moving to this day! Enjoy!
Although a classic view, I really enjoyed taking the image and worth climbing over the fence for! :P
Whilst I was here taking photographs my sister and mum were at the visitor centre in Lulworth and when we later met up they told me a few geology facts. The archway would have originally been a cave that was eroded away over time. Geologists predict that over time, the roof of Durdle Door will be eroded away, leaving just a stack. There are several other limestone stacks along the coast. Although considering that Durdle Door was formed about 140 million years ago I'm guessing that neither us or any near decedents will ever see this.
It makes you realise that we are only here for the shortest blip and for most of the time this beach has been on the earth it hasn't seen humans.....
This is a section of rock rising up on the shore of Lake George in Killarney Provincial Park. The colors, textures and shapes combined with the reflection in the water simply mesmerized me. It is a tapestry of history layered and exposed over time by the elements of nature.
A land of hoodoos, spires, petrified wood and unique shaped geological features. A place to wander among the stark beauty and find the unusual.
A tour of Cathedral Valley in the Capitol Reef National Park gives so many interesting views, like this geological "stack", as seen on April 27, 2023.
The greenhouse at the spanische Terrassen in the Planten un Blomen botanic gardens in Hamurg, Germany.