Utah Geological Survey

Special POTD submission, August 23, 2013: Henry Mountains viewed through Summerville Formation hills, Emery, Wayne, & Garfield Counties

This photo was submitted to us by Dennis Udink. You can see the Henry Mountains viewed through Summerville Formation hills near the Little Wild Horse road (Goblin Valley area in Emery county).

The Henry Mountains were formed around 31 to 25 million years ago when partially molten rock, from the Earth’s interior, forced its way into overlying sedimentary rocks forming huge domes called laccoliths. Subsequent erosion has exposed the igneous rocks which make up the high peaks of the mountains. Mt Ellen is one of Utah’s highest peaks (outside the Uinta Mountains) at 11,522ft.  The domed and arched sedimentary rocks form the flanks of the range.

One of the more notable inhabitants of the range are the Henry Mountains Bison Herd, which wildlife scientists believe to be only one of four free-roaming, genetically pure bison herds in North America.

Great photo Dennis! Remember, you can always submit photos to the Utah Geological Survey at ugssmedia@gmail.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 23, 2013: Poison Strip area, east of Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah

Poison Strip area, east of Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Don DeBlieux

A geologist examines a sequence of Early Cretaceous-aged paleosols (ancient soils) in the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation. Many dinosaur fossils are found in these rocks, and the study of paleosols can provide valuable
information about the environments in which these dinosaurs lived.

Utah Geological Survey

Misplaced Piece of the Cretaceous Returns to Utah, August 2013

Utah State Paleontologist, Jim Kirkland, is happily reunited with this unique (the first fully intact) shark coprolite from the Cedar Mountain Formation.

In August, the UGS received an important piece of Utah history in the form of an Early Cretaceous coprolite.  A coprolite is a fossil feces; and in this example a fully intact feces from an Early Cretaceous fresh water spiny (hybodont) shark. Although discovered in the early 1990s, the fossil had been missing for about 20 years.

The discovery goes back to when Utahraptor had first been discovered; I was exploring the outcrops of the upper Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation with geologist Dan Howe (Howe Resources, Buena Vista, CO) who picked up an unusual blob of rock that included fish scales within it. Fragments of such things were not uncommonly found in this interval throughout the area and were an important line of evidence that these rocks had been deposited in a lake. A spiral, layered structure indicated these lumps were coprolites from a fish with a spiral intestine (spiral valve). Of the fish known from these beds only lungfish and hybodont sharks had spiral intestines and only hybodont shark coprolites were apt to consistently include fish scales within them. However, this was, and still is, the only complete example of this kind of fossil known from these rocks. Later, I called Dan and asked him where the fossil was and he assured me he had given it to me. After an intensive search through all my sample bags, it did not turn up. So, I assumed I had stupidly put it down and walked off without it.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from Dan who had stumbled across it going through some boxes (he had moved his life a few times across three states).  Dan quickly sent it back over to Utah.

While, future scientific studies of these coprolites can be carried out on the many fragmentary specimens, this remains the sole specimen for which the complete external morphology can be appraised. This specimen will be added to the Natural History Museum of Utah’s collections, where it may be examined by students and researchers in perpetuity.

Yellow Cat Road Section with Hybodont Shark level indicated.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 22, 2013: Bluffs above Wahweap Bay on Lake Powell, Kane County, Utah

Bluffs of Entrada Sandstone above Wahweap Bay on Lake Powell, Kane County, Utah
Photographer: Lance Weaver

One of the most photographed geologic formations in Utah if not the world, the Entrada Sandstone is the featured rock unit of Arches National Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park, and parts of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Variations in the Entrada’s appearance across the state are due to differences in internal structure and composition as well as external stresses.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 21, 2013: Kodachrome Basin State Park, Kane County, Utah

Kodachrome Basin State Park, Kane County, Utah
Photographer: Carole McCalla

Sand pipe of Carmel Formation sediment intruded into the overlying Entrada Sandstone. One of the most photographed geologic formations in Utah if not the world, the Entrada Sandstone is the featured rock unit of Arches National Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park, and parts of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Variations in the Entrada’s appearance across the state are due to differences in internal structure and composition as well as external stresses.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 20, 2013: Temple of the Sun, Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah

Temple of the Sun, Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah
Photographer: Michael Vanden Berg

Two of Capitol Reef National Park’s popular attractions: Glass Mountain (foreground) and Temple of the Sun (background). Glass Mountain is a large exposed mound of selenite gypsum that formed within the Jurassic-aged Entrada Sandstone. The “gypsum plug” became exposed as the relatively soft Entrada Sandstone eroded away. Temple of the Sun is a large monolith that was also created by erosion of the Entrada Sandstone.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 19, 2013: Gooseneck State Park, San Juan County, Utah

Gooseneck State Park, San Juan County, Utah

Photographer: Mike Hylland

 

The bent mariposa is found in coarse, sandy soils at elevations of 2,700 to 6,500 feet in the arid lands of the southern part of the state. Utah’s impressive topography directly influences temperature and precipitation and consequently shapes Utah’s flora and fauna. The state’s substantial elevation differential—over two vertical miles between the highest and lowest points—contributes to a variety of habitats and a great diversity of species. Mountains force air to flow up in a process called “orographic lifting,” which causes air to cool and humidify, and enhances precipitation.

Utah Geological Survey

The Wasatch Behind

sunad.com

Back in 1961, a young geology teacher at Carbon College spoke at a meeting of the local rock and gem society. The young man from California told those assembled that they lived in one of the most unique and interesting areas of the United States and they really should have a museum where they could share the geological, paleological, and archaeological treasures of the region with the world.

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Utah Geological Survey

Special POTD submission! August 16, 2013: Lake Powell, Alstrom Overlook.

This photo was submitted to us by  Gerard Dauphinais. From the Alstrom Overlook you can see Gunsight Butte and Padre bay of Lake Powell. Alstrom Overlook can be accessed from Big Water via Warm Creek road to Smokey Mountain road.  Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado Rive in Glen Canyon. Glen Canyon itself was carved out of the Colorado Plateau by differential erosion over an estimated 5 million years. The canyon exposes layers of rock from over 300 million years ago to relatively recent volcanic activity. Thanks for the fantastic photo Gerard!

Remember, you can always submit your photos to us at ugssmedia@gmail.com, on Facebook, or Twitter! 

Utah Geological Survey

POTD August 16, 2013: Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah

 

Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah
Photographer: Michael Vanden Berg

A claret cup cactus is neighbor to a basalt boulder in Capitol Reef National Park. Utah’s impressive topography directly influences temperature and precipitation and consequently shapes Utah’s flora and fauna. The state’s substantial elevation differential—over two vertical miles between the highest and lowest points—contributes to a variety of habitats and a great diversity of species. Mountains force air to flow up in a process called “orographic lifting,” which causes air to cool and humidify, and enhances precipitation.