Crestone Science Center, Inc.

600 East Galena Avenue
P.O. Box 837
Crestone, Colorado 81131
USA

FIELD SEMINAR ON QUATERNARY GEOLOGY AND NEOTECTONICS (May 26-June 8, 2008, residential)

SYLLABUS—Week 1

Monday, May 26:                 participants arrive at CSC in Crestone, CO. See How To Get Here
Tuesday, May 27:                   morning, photogeologic mapping of normal fault scarps in the Crestone area
                                              afternoon, take photogeologic maps to the outcrop
Wednesday, May 28:                  plot mapping using computer software
Thursday, May 29:                morning, soil profiles in the field; define soil horizons, make a field description, calculate Profile Development Index; soil chronosequences and catenas
                                              afternoon, Quaternary geologic mapping along fault traces
Friday, May 30:            morning, scarps profiles and make geomorphic-topographic map with 10 cm contours; diffusion dating of scarp profiles
                                                 afternoon and evening, plot map data in computer lab
Saturday, May 31:               Begin Mini-Projects (2-person teams)
Sunday, June 1:                DAY OFF

 

SYLLABUS—Week 2
Monday, June 2:                  MINI-PROJECTS
Tuesday, June 3:                 Morning: Finish Mini=Projects; Teams present results of their Mini-Projects;
Wednesday, June 4:                Locate and excavate 2 new trenches across the Sangre de Cristo fault;
                                              Rules of thumb for locating a good trench; difference between displacement sites and recurrence sites; when to quit digging; satisfying OSHA safety requirements; cleaning the trench walls
Thursday, June 5:            trench logging- erect control system and begin logging; definition of mapping units (parent materials vs. soils horizons); photograph trench with the Trench-o-Matic
Friday, June 6:               trench logging- manual techniques, digital techniques; making a photomosaic and logging on it with a laptop computer
Saturday, June 7:             trench logging- digitizing and retrodeforming the trench log
Sunday, June 8:                 lectures—application of neotectonic data to seismic hazard analysis; course evaluation;
COURSE ENDS AT 5pm
Seee also Overview of Geology of the Northern San Luis Valley (PDF file)
See also our list of Recommended equipment

 

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