Current Issue Contents:
• The Uinta Mountains: A Tale of Two Geographies
• In Memoriam: Lehi F. Hintze
• Students Fill the GIS Gap
• The 2014 Crawford Award
• GeoSights: Roosevelt Hot Springs Geothermal Area, Beaver County
• New Publications
• Teacher’s Corner
• Core Center News
• Glad You Asked: What are keeper potholes & how are they formed?
We can’t get enough of that jaw-dropping Utah geology—here’s another gorgeous photo to help kick off your Wednesday.
Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2013
Fall foliage adorns the already colorful walls of Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone in the Zion Narrows. The North Fork of the Virgin River has cut the 1000-foot-deep Narrows in a relatively short span of geologic time (about 1 to 2 million years).
How was everyone’s Labor Day weekend? We hope you had a chance to relax and get out into Utah’s awesome geology. Speaking of Utah’s awesome geology, who caught this phenomenon in the news this weekend? One of our geologists, Bill Lund, gives some possible reasoning behind the event.
ksl.com
Farmers in southern Utah are scratching their heads and trying to figure out what caused an unusual phenomenon in an irrigation pond. Earlier this week, Gary Dalton of Circleville discovered a mysterious crater that suddenly appeared under the water.
mnn.com
Named for its thousands of bizarre, goblin-like rock formations, Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park is a hidden gem in the San Rafael Desert. The goblins, known scientifically as “hoodoos,” were formed through the gradual erosion of Entrada sandstone, which was deposited about 170 millions years ago when the area was situated next to an ancient sea.
Hurricane Cliffs near Pintura, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Paul Inkenbrandt; © 2013
Permian-age strata in the Hurricane Cliffs near Pintura, Washington County.
How about another round of “Spot the Rock”? Who can tell us what mineral the yellow arrow points to in the image?
UPDATE: Answer Revealed
It is SELENITE! For those who guessed, Gypsum, you are technically correct. Though this crystal pictured, Selenite, is a specific type of Gypsum.
This selenite crystal was found in the the mud of a canal bank and U.S. Magnesium near the south shore of Great Salt Lake. Selenite is the name given to the crystalline variety of the mineral gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O). Gypsum is a common evaporative mineral. While gypsum is commonly mined for use in drywall (what interior surface of most building walls), the crystaline form of selenite makes it difficult to process and thus undesirable for use in drywall.
For what are arguably the most amazing crystals ever found, check out Mexico’s Cueva de los Cristales
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/crystal-giants/shea-text
Town of Springdale, Zion Canyon, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2013
Towering walls of Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone guard the historic pioneer cemetery atop Moquitch Hill in lower Zion Canyon. The cemetery serves as the final resting place for many founders of the Town of Springdale.
The views in Utah go on for days, years, and centuries. Good thing we’ve got all of these beautiful geology photos to share with you! Have a wonderful evening, geo friends.
Raft River Mountains, Box Elder County, Utah
Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2013
Raft River metamorphic core complex, Raft River Mountains, Box Elder County, Utah.
Utah—putting the “Awe” in geology since the Precambrian.
High Uintas Wilderness, Summit County, Utah
Photographer: Chris DuRoss; © 2013
Ostler Peak (12,718 feet) is reflected in a meander bend of the Stillwater Fork of the Bear River in the Uinta Mountains. Thousands of years ago glaciers inundated much of the Uinta Mountains, leaving behind long glacier-carved valleys, steep-sided cirques, and jagged peaks.
Bryce Canyon National Park from Rainbow Point, Garfield County, Utah
Photographer: Gregg Beukelman; © 2013
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.
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