Bentonite Hills, east of Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2012
Black volcanic boulders litter colorful but seemingly lifeless badlands formed in the Brushy Basin Member of the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation. Moisture-sensitive swelling clays, formed by the alteration of volcanic ash, allow little vegetation to take root.
We’re getting on the Throwback Thursday bandwagon this week. Here is a part of an 1826 world atlas that shows geography and period events, and was recently donated to the Utah DNR Library. Talk about #tbt!
The map is titled “Morse’s New Universal Atlas of the World on an Improved Plan of Alphabetical Indexes, Designed for Academies and Higher Schools” by Sidney E. Morse.
A stunning Utah view.
Antelope Island & Farmington Bay, Great Salt Lake, Davis County, Utah
Photographer: Ken Krahulec; © 2012
Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Photographer: Paul Inkenbrandt; © 2012
Storm clouds clear over Bridger Bay and Antelope Island, the largest island in Great Salt Lake. Much of the island, including Stringham Peak (left background; elevation 6,345 feet), is made up of Precambrian-age rocks that are some of the oldest rocks in Utah (600 million to 2.5 billion years old).
Wasatch Range, Weber County, Utah
Photographer: Ken Krahulec; © 2012
Snow Basin on the east side of the Wasatch Range, Weber County.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Dixie National Forest, Iron County, Utah
Photographer: Robert F. Biek; © 2012
Hancock Peak (elevation 10,598 feet) is one of many cinder cones that dot the Markagunt Plateau east of Cedar City. Engelmann spruce trees, many of which were killed by spruce bark beetles, and colorful quaking aspen blanket the cinder cone and associated lava flow, which are estimated to be about 600,000 years old.
sunews.net
Residents living within high rock-fall-hazard zones in Rockville, Utah, face the possible consequences of a large rock fall similar to the fatal event that occurred last December.
The Windows Section, Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Adam McKean; © 2012
The Windows Section, Arches National Park, Grand County.
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
Sandstone Mountain, Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2012
Shifting sands partially bury an unusually large (about 1 foot in diameter) spherical hematite concretion that has eroded from the nearby Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone. The concretion’s dark concentric bands formed when iron-oxide minerals precipitated out of groundwater that flowed through the sandstone.
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.
1594 West North Temple, Suite 3110
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
801-537-3300 (phone)
801-537-3400 (fax)
Mailing Address:
PO BOX 146100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Monday through Friday,
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