VOLCANIC LANDFORMS

Excellent websites for volcanoes:
http://www4.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/volcanic_landforms/outline.html

& more general geology:
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/navigation/home.cfm

PAST PAPERS & MARKING SCHEMES

Past papers and marking schemes can be found on the P drive. 

Geo/Geology Geo/6th form access/Geology Past papers and mark schemes

You might like to save them to a memory stick before the Easter holidays.

KT BOUNDARY

The space rock that hit Earth 65m years ago and is widely implicated in the end of the dinosaurs was probably a speeding comet, US scientists say.

Researchers in New Hampshire suggest the 180km-wide Chicxulub crater in Mexico was carved out by a smaller object than previously thought.The space rock gave rise to a global layer of sediments enriched in the chemical element iridium, in concentrations much higher than naturally occurs; it must have come from outer space.

The team suggests that frequently quoted iridium values are incorrect. Using a comparison with another extraterrestrial element deposited in the impact - osmium - they were able to deduce that the collision deposited less debris than has previously been supposed.

The recalculated iridium value suggests a smaller body hit the Earth. So for the second part of their work, the researchers took the new figure and attempted to reconcile it with the known physical properties of the Chicxulub impact.

For more information follow the link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21709229

CAMERON SINKS TO NEW DEPTHS

Though one member of Y9 thinks it was David Cameron, the film producer James Cameron has released footage of the Marianas Trench from his dive last year. 
This is a teaser for a longer film to be released later this year.

Video Clip:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17013285
Guide to the ocean depths:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17521115

SEE YOU IN LONDON CHARLIE!

Charlie Bacon (left W.C.S. in 2001) will be representing the Western Region of the Geological Society at their competition for 'Early Years Geoscientists' at the Geol Soc in London on the same night as the Schools' challenge.

He read Geology at  Durham University before doing an MSc in Hydrogeology at Birmingham. After that he has been working as a Hydrogeologist with Golder Associates since 2007.  This has been an extremely varied role and a mix of fieldwork and office work, as well as projects abroad. He has  been abroad on projects in India, multiple parts of Africa and all over the UK.

He is a part-time PhD student at Bristol university since Oct 2010 and aims to complete his PhD by October 2014. 

His  research is based on investigating the geochemical reactions between dissolved metals and different natural oxides in the caves of the Mendips.

 

GEOLOGY CATCHPHRASE

Thanks to Jonny & Ginny for this (and other) magnificent efforts!

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/presentation/d/1dY5v_RW-DlI4AFcMz-pU_Zjjd0pevVbrqlAl9TDgAPI/edit#slide=id.gb4989de3_00

Mariana Trench: Deepest ocean 'teems with microbes'

An international team of scientists found that the very bottom of the Mariana Trench, which lies almost 11km (7 miles) down in the Pacific Ocean, had high levels of microbial activity.

The underwater canyon was once thought to be too hostile an environment for life to exist.

But this study adds to a growing body of evidence that a range of creatures can cope with the near-freezing temperatures, immense pressures and complete darkness.

In 2010, the scientists sent an unmanned submersible down into the vast underwater canyon, where it collected samples of the murky sediment that cakes the sea floor.

An analysis of the levels of oxygen in the sample revealed the presence of a large number of microbes.

For the full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21806406

For the excellent article: 'RACE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MARIANAS TRENCH ' FULL STORY CLICK THE LINK: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17041438

LANDSLIP ABOUT TO HAPPEN?

A large crack has appeared near a stretch of the Dorset coast path. The 150ft (45m) long, 6ft (1.8m) deep crack appeared on cliffs near Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, on a clay section of coastline. Heavier than usual rainfall since last spring has led to a number of landslip incidents.

For more info click: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-21806314

Thanks to the http://geologywestcountry.blogspot.com/ for this post.

SINKHOLES (UPDATED!)

A brilliant gallery of sinkholes around the World. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9908055/In-pictures-sinkholes-craters-and-collapsed-roads-around-the-world.html

Golfer falls into sinkhole in USA.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/03/golfer-swallowed-by-sinkhole/

The 'golfer' sinkhole is from soil collapse, not limestone 

and so is slightly different from those above.

Thanks to Jos for the update.

OCEAN FLOOR MINERALS

A new and controversial frontier in mining is opening up as a British firm joins a growing rush to exploit minerals in the depths of the oceans.

The company says surveys have revealed huge numbers of nodules - small lumps of rock rich in valuable metals - lying on the ocean Pacific Ocean floor south of Hawaii and west of Mexico.

FOLLOW THE LINK AND LOOK AT THEIR INTERACTIVE VIDEO!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21774447

Thanks to Kim for the link

FURTHER READING:
NIGHT OF ERROR (A THRILLER BY DESMOND BAGLEY)
Mike Trevelyan, an English oceanographer, learns that his brother Mark, a marine biologist has died in suspicious circumstances while prospecting in the South Pacific. The only clues, a notebook written in a code, and a lump of deep sea rock which indicates that Mark may have stumbled onto a potentially lucrative deposit of manganese nodules.

SW GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY COMPETITION

Well done to the team of Jonathan, Doug, Ellie, George, Greg & Kim 

who won the SW round of the Geological Society Schools Competition 

hosted by Plymouth University. 

They go on to represent the SW in the final in London in April.

FRACKING

The Next Bath Geol Soc Meeting is on April 4th during the first week of the Easter Holiday:

Shale Gas and Fracking

Roy Hartley, Consultant Petroleum Engineer & Bath Geological Society

Shale gas and fracking have appeared regularly in the news in the UK in the last two years. Two extreme views are portrayed - one that development of the UK's shale gas will make the country self sufficient with all the economic benefits that implies - the other is that fracking will pollute our water sources, increase greenhouse gas emissions and have other detrimental effects. 

I am pretty sure I can go, and will take a minibus if required. A sign up list will go up in my classroom.

In the meantime have a look at:
Trailer for Matt Damon Fracking feature film (Promised Land)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JQqLiZgDQI

The (infamous) fracking song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHQu3SeUwUI

Also see the Earth Science Guy blog (on the right)

WOWSER! VOLCANO IN NEW YORK

Illegal experimentation accidentally rips open a previously unknown hidden magma reserve directly under Manhattan!

I think this may be another Disaster Movie to add to the 'Hall of Fame'  to go alongside:

• Volcano
• The Core

I only saw about 10 seconds, they were drilling a geothermal borehole in New York and hit a pocket of magma!!

One day someone must do an EPQ on 'The depiction of Geology & Geologists at the Movies'!

Japan quake 'heard at edge of space'

The great Tohoku earthquake in Japan two years ago was so big its effects were even felt at the edge of space. 

Scientists say the Magnitude 9.0 tremor on 11 March 2011 sent a ripple of sound through the atmosphere that was picked up by the Goce satellite.

To find out more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21730887

GEOLOGY CAKES UPDATE

Y12 ARE JOINING IN THE GEOLOGY CAKE FUN

The three most recent cakes are: Earth Structure (Emily) , Alluvial Fan (Chloe) & Dinosaur  (Kate)

Click the link to see all the cakes (but I am not sure it will work)!

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/presentation/d/1sr678xBNV-tevVenmdp3X8cYEeKKVku4jEJ_c2Ds1ig/edit#slide=id.p13

DAILY TELEGRAPH: GUIDE TO WEATHER

There is a free two-part supplement in the Daily & Sunday Telegraph this weekend.

The Daily Telegraph Guide to the Weather (by the Met Office)

GIANT ICE BOULDERS

Though it's a rare occurrence, there is a simple explanation for the giant ice boulders. Enormous sheets of ice form over Lake Michigan in winter. Chunks of the ice break off, growing layer by layer. As the growing chunks are tossed by waves they eventually form smooth, rounded balls which then wash up along the shores.

To find out more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285997/Hundreds-giant-ice-boulders-weighing-75-POUNDS-wash-ashore-Michigan-beach.html

SAN FRANCISCO: EARTHQUAKE CITY

San Francisco is home to seven million; but it is built on a fault line and suffers catastrophic earthquakes.
How can engineers protect the city?

Essential viewing for Y12 Geology & Y13 Geography

QUEST TV (Channel 38)

1800 SUNDAY 10TH MARCH

RUSSIAN VOLCANO SPECTACULAR ERUPTION!

Take your pick from Daily Mail (360 degrees panoramic) or Daily Telegraph for coverage of the eruptions on the Kamchatka peninsula.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2271934/Watch-volcano-exploding-Amazing-360-degree-interactive-panorama-shows-eruption-remote-Kamchatka-peninsula.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/9908916/Spectacular-eruptions-and-lava-flows-at-Russian-volcano.html

GEOREVISION

Need to practice long answers?  
Have a look at these!

Wishing for a geology dictionary with a test-yourself section? Look no further!

Long answers: Tectonics (F791)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZNVRQR0F3Q0ZPOWs/edit

Key words: Tectonics (F791)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZVVZNNGZIOTRjMFU/edit

Key words: Rock cycle (F792)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZUGZGNmFVeDBpM2s/edit

Long answers: Rock Cycle (F792)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZZzh5cFc3QnZUczg/edit


Long answers: Economic  (F794)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZVU1BVnRhcHhlVlk/edit

Key words: Economic (F794)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZMGpYdGZsUXg5V0E/edit


Long Answers: Fossil (F795)

https://docs.google.com/a/wells-cathedral-school.com/file/d/0B1VEyCBAKEAZTDgwSkp2anpDWXc/edit

FIERCE EARTH: VOLCANOES

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbbc/episode/b01r2t2j/Fierce_Earth_Volcanos/

I enjoyed this children's programme! It goes to Mt Etna & Stromboli and has some great footage of Stromboli in particular. I really want to go there.

I will be tuning in on iPlayer to the programmes on Earthquakes and Tsunami!

The presenter is a geologist, not a comedian or TV gardener!

FIREBALLS FROM SPACE

There are two programmes on Sunday 3rd March about meteors & meteorites:

8pm-9pm on Channel 4: 'Meteor Strike: Fireball from space'

9pm-10pm on BBC2: 'Horizon, the Truth about Meteors' with Prof Iain Stewart

Here are a pair of swiftly assembled documentaries pondering what, if anything, it all means. BBC2’s offering is presented by Professor Iain Stewart. He’ll be exploring the role of meteorites in earth’s history and assessing the possibility of them making a return visit at some point. 

C4’s documentary will be attempting something fairly similar while utilising a slightly more dramatic title (‘Meteor Strike: Fireball from Space’, no less!) – although it does promise previously unseen footage, which, let’s be honest, is what it’s all about. 

RELEVANT FOR:

• Y12 GEOLOGY: EVIDENCE FOR EARTH'S INTERIOR AND THE FORMATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
• Y13 GEOLOGY: MASS EXTINCTIONS
• THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE IAIN STEWART PROGRAMMES