Geology – Page 9 – Penny Higgins – Storyteller • Artist • Scientist

Color

Sometimes, I write these posts to explain something that I myself am trying to understand. So here goes.

Color. You know, the spectrum. Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet. ROY G BIV.

ROY G. BIV (credit: Oren neu dag CC 3.0-Share Alike)

Field Work Travelogue – Day nine

We packed up this morning and left the Hanna Basin. It’s always sad to leave. But I have plans for next summer already. Need to find an unsuspecting undergraduate who wants a senior research project…

Today we went on the Vernal for the second leg of our journey. We paused briefly at Flaming Gorge, where I’d never been before.

Tomorrow, it’s into the Uinta Basin. Wish us luck!

Field Work Travelogue – Day eight

Tomorrow, we leave the field. We’re hoping the weather won’t delay our departure.

It’s always a little sad to leave the field, but we were highly successful. Today, we got to go on a lovely geologic tour of the Hanna Formation. We geeked out a bit over an awesome angular unconformity, collected a bunch more mammal teeth from a favorite locality, and found this:

Yup, I think that’s a horsetail, or something similar. Paleocene in age. Pretty cool, eh?

Tomorrow’s a travel day, and then it’s into the Eocene for us!

Field Work Travelogue – Day one

As a geoscientist, I find myself each summer in remote places doing field work. The fossils don’t just appear in the lab. I have to go find them.

This year’s work includes sites in Wyoming and Utah. I’m heading to Wyoming first.

I’ve just completed the first leg of the typical three needed to get from my home near Rochester, NY to my field area near Laramie, WY. It’s a 1600 mile drive. Today, I drove a little over 600 miles. I was feeling good.

Plus, I wanted to be past Chicago before the morning rush.

So 1000 miles to go. Two 500 mile driving days. Not too difficult.

Provided the truck holds out, of course. Stupid “Check Engine” light is on. That’s never good.

It’s off to bed for me.

Field work cometh

In one week I begin the long trek across the country, from my home in western New York State, to Laramie, WY (and then to Vernal, UT), for three weeks of field work.

It’s been two years since I’ve been to my old stomping grounds in Wyoming. I’ve never been to the field site in Utah. There will be a lot to see.Continue reading “Field work cometh”