Well we are all back from our amazing Spring Break Fieldtrip to New Mexico. We went down through Idaho, Utah then onto New Mexico. We went through Colorado, Wyoming and back through Billings, Montana on our return journey. All in all we covered 3,000 miles in eight days!!
Our first stop was Green River in Utah where we studied the Book Cliffs- Cretaceous Interior Seaway cliff forming sandstone similar to the Eagle Formation in Billings where we will be mapping this summer.
We then drove further South to the Bandelier National Monument where we spent two days camping. On our first day we hiked down through the Frijoles Canyon (Beans Canyon) where we got to walk down through the sequence of various volcanic activites, where fluvial processes have incised through the canyon since its formation exposing the stratigraphy. We got a few hours to roam around the area ourselves to experience the Pueblo history in the form of ancient dwellings.
From Bandelier we went further south through the Rio Grande Rift where we got to hike down to the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande River. We also went to an overlook point of the Rio Grande Rift.
From here our journey started northwards towards Montana. In Colorado we stopped off at the Great Sand Dunes National Park where we got see modern aeolian processes in action. We hiked the great sand dunes and got to experience hurricane wind speeds at the summit. Our professor had visited this site on numerous occasions prior to this and he felt it was his best experience of sedimentary transport at this location.
Our last stop was in Billings, Montana where Joern told us more about his thesis work and we got a glimpse of where all four of us will be mapping this coming summer. We revisited some of the locations we saw last summer to familiarise ourselves more with the area.
Check out our amazing pictures documenting our experience during the trip.
Next week there will be undergraduate research presentations held here in UM with incoming students from across the country which is a great opportunity for us to learn from our peers.
All the best,
IFGs
Apr 9, 2010
Mar 10, 2010
Mid - Spring Semester Update!
Since we last posted we have kept busy with our classes and assignments and labs. We have completed some mid-term exams but unfortunately due to the weather we have had no field trips. We are half way through the term at this point and Spring is on its way...meaning spring break. We will be spending our spring break on a field trip to New Mexico/Colorado/Utah/Idaho to the Rio Grande Rift looking at modern aeolian deposits, volcanics, tectonic structures and sedimentary structures such as fluvial, fan deltas, conglomerates and maybe even some ash!
We are looking forward to our first St. Patrick's day in Missoula. There is a good Irish community here, so there will be a lot to do such as the parade on Sunday, 5km charity run, Ceili and Irish festivities in an Irish pub in town. Some members of the Irish department here in UM will hold a "puc fada" (long puck) competition. This is a traditional Irish event were people hit the sliotar (ball) as far as they can using a hurley (wooden stick)...
Until the next time - Happy Paddy's day
IFG's
We are looking forward to our first St. Patrick's day in Missoula. There is a good Irish community here, so there will be a lot to do such as the parade on Sunday, 5km charity run, Ceili and Irish festivities in an Irish pub in town. Some members of the Irish department here in UM will hold a "puc fada" (long puck) competition. This is a traditional Irish event were people hit the sliotar (ball) as far as they can using a hurley (wooden stick)...
Until the next time - Happy Paddy's day
IFG's
Jan 29, 2010
Spring Semester 10
Well we are all back to work again after our 5 weeks off. First week of semester down. We are all taking Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Petroleum Geology, Global Tectonics and Spring Break Field Trip. Joanne and Loretta are also taking Quantitative Methods and Kathleen and Noelle have selected Jim Sears's class Miocene Structure of North West America.
It's great being back. In the coming weeks we are getting a lot of opportunities to conduct group research projects within each course. The Spring Break Field Trip has sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic aspects which will accommodate everyones preferences.
Due to the weather we won't have any fieldtrips until April. There were great subject choices this semester and it was difficult to select which ones to take. There were certain classes which were unique to the University of Montana such as the class Noelle and Kathleen are taking.
We will keep ye posted on our activities throughout the semester.
It's great being back. In the coming weeks we are getting a lot of opportunities to conduct group research projects within each course. The Spring Break Field Trip has sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic aspects which will accommodate everyones preferences.
Due to the weather we won't have any fieldtrips until April. There were great subject choices this semester and it was difficult to select which ones to take. There were certain classes which were unique to the University of Montana such as the class Noelle and Kathleen are taking.
We will keep ye posted on our activities throughout the semester.
Dec 11, 2009
Final Few Weeks of Semester
Today was our last day of class of this semester. We are busy studying for finals at the minute but before we talk about that we'll fill you in all that we have been up to since our last post.
We went on a fieldtrip for hydrogeology looking at the Missoula Aquifer. We looked at some very interesting contamination issues that that are challenging the abilities of hydrogeologists. We learned about some really interesting research that the department here at UM are currently involved in.
We experienced Thanksgiving in Missoula in tradition style with all the trimmings! It was a great experience to here about the story behind Thanksgiving and celebrate this holiday.
We have had a few exams and problem sets and other assignments, which have kept us busy. Today being the last day of class marks the beginning of study for our next set of big exams- the finals!
Noelle will be hosting the geology Christmas party at UM this evening so it will be a really nice chance to relax before the upcoming week of finals!
We have four finals next week. Two on Monday followed by the final two on Tuesday. We look forward to updating this blog again after the the break.
We went on a fieldtrip for hydrogeology looking at the Missoula Aquifer. We looked at some very interesting contamination issues that that are challenging the abilities of hydrogeologists. We learned about some really interesting research that the department here at UM are currently involved in.
We experienced Thanksgiving in Missoula in tradition style with all the trimmings! It was a great experience to here about the story behind Thanksgiving and celebrate this holiday.
We have had a few exams and problem sets and other assignments, which have kept us busy. Today being the last day of class marks the beginning of study for our next set of big exams- the finals!
Noelle will be hosting the geology Christmas party at UM this evening so it will be a really nice chance to relax before the upcoming week of finals!
We have four finals next week. Two on Monday followed by the final two on Tuesday. We look forward to updating this blog again after the the break.
Nov 6, 2009
Missoula continued...
Since our last post we have gone on more field trips; Garrison for Architecture of Sedimentary Deposits and a mini field trip to view some on site Hydrogeology on campus. In Garrison we saw different sedimentary deposits from fluvial environments to volcaniclastics. This gave us an opportunity to see the architectural elements we cover in class. Garrison is a major metropolitan town in Montana... with a population of 17.
On campus they are working on a major green energy heating system and a commercial Hydrogeological company is digging wells on campus to test possible sites for a geothermal pump system. This gives an ideal opportunity to study Hydrogeology in action on our doorstep. A past student of UM was working on site and was able to give us an in depth insight into the work they were conducting as well as giving us information on how he got to where he is today in the Hydrogeology world.
We have an upcoming field trip in Hydrogeology around the Missoula area which we are all looking forward to. In class during the week we were looking at Google Earth images of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. This was one of our examples of groundwater contamination.. which was awesome! (word)
We are all really busy with various assignments and upcoming exams before the semester ends. We have registered for Spring Semester classes. We are all taking Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Petroleum Geology and two further options along with the Spring Break Fieldtrip to New Mexico... Spring Break babay yeah!
Until next time! Watch this space...
Joanne, Noelle, Loretta and Kathleen
On campus they are working on a major green energy heating system and a commercial Hydrogeological company is digging wells on campus to test possible sites for a geothermal pump system. This gives an ideal opportunity to study Hydrogeology in action on our doorstep. A past student of UM was working on site and was able to give us an in depth insight into the work they were conducting as well as giving us information on how he got to where he is today in the Hydrogeology world.
We have an upcoming field trip in Hydrogeology around the Missoula area which we are all looking forward to. In class during the week we were looking at Google Earth images of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. This was one of our examples of groundwater contamination.. which was awesome! (word)
We are all really busy with various assignments and upcoming exams before the semester ends. We have registered for Spring Semester classes. We are all taking Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Petroleum Geology and two further options along with the Spring Break Fieldtrip to New Mexico... Spring Break babay yeah!
Until next time! Watch this space...
Joanne, Noelle, Loretta and Kathleen
Oct 2, 2009
First month in Missoula
So we finally arrived on US soil. We are settling in really well. We all arrived on Saturday the 22 August. The next Monday and Tuesday were college orientation. On Wednesday 26th August we went on a field trip to Billings, which is across the continental divide in East Montana. There was approximately 10 undergrads and 5 postgrads and the two soft rock professors, Marc Hendrix and Jim Staub.
We were split into groups with a postgrad taking point. On day one we spent a few hours in the morning looking at different clasts on a gravel bar. We took a 100 rock samples putting them into different groups of ultra mafic, quarztzite, felsic, volcanics etc.
In the afternoon of day one we went looking at the Eagle formation, which is a cliff forming sandstone that surrounds the Billings area. For the next four days we spent our time examining the Eagle Formation in greater detail. The reason why we were partaking in this field trip was due to a PHD student called Jorn Hauer who was studying this area for his thesis. Marc felt it would be a great opportunity for us to be introduced to the geology of Montana as Jorn was presenting his findings to the Montana Geology Society on the 30th August.
We are all taking four modules this semester: Structural Geology, Architecture of Sedimentary Deposits, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry. For all these modules bar geochemistry there is an opportunity for us to partake in field trips.
For structural geology we have gone on two field trips. The first being a day trip to the Blackfoot thrust and the second being a weekend trip to the Sun River Canyon where we looked at various structural features. In class we have drawn individual cross sections of these areas, with the intention of overlaying these cross sections to give us an overall understanding of the area.
We have field trips coming up for architecture of Sedimentary deposits and hydrogeology.
We have been in UM for a month now and have been welcomed by both faculty and students alike who have taken great interest in us being here. We have also taken part in extra curricular activities including the Geology Club with Noelle being the webmaster and various outdoor activities such as white water rafting and hiking.
We will keep you posted on upcoming fieldtrips and other events. Don't forget to check our photo album!
We were split into groups with a postgrad taking point. On day one we spent a few hours in the morning looking at different clasts on a gravel bar. We took a 100 rock samples putting them into different groups of ultra mafic, quarztzite, felsic, volcanics etc.
In the afternoon of day one we went looking at the Eagle formation, which is a cliff forming sandstone that surrounds the Billings area. For the next four days we spent our time examining the Eagle Formation in greater detail. The reason why we were partaking in this field trip was due to a PHD student called Jorn Hauer who was studying this area for his thesis. Marc felt it would be a great opportunity for us to be introduced to the geology of Montana as Jorn was presenting his findings to the Montana Geology Society on the 30th August.
We are all taking four modules this semester: Structural Geology, Architecture of Sedimentary Deposits, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry. For all these modules bar geochemistry there is an opportunity for us to partake in field trips.
For structural geology we have gone on two field trips. The first being a day trip to the Blackfoot thrust and the second being a weekend trip to the Sun River Canyon where we looked at various structural features. In class we have drawn individual cross sections of these areas, with the intention of overlaying these cross sections to give us an overall understanding of the area.
We have field trips coming up for architecture of Sedimentary deposits and hydrogeology.
We have been in UM for a month now and have been welcomed by both faculty and students alike who have taken great interest in us being here. We have also taken part in extra curricular activities including the Geology Club with Noelle being the webmaster and various outdoor activities such as white water rafting and hiking.
We will keep you posted on upcoming fieldtrips and other events. Don't forget to check our photo album!
Jun 21, 2009
A Terribly Important Post
This is an extremely important post as it is our very first! From today on, we will be recording our progress through this blog.
We are getting ready to depart from Ireland on the 26th of July. We've just gotten our visas sorted and getting all the other documentation together.
Look forward to keeping you posted! Next time we post a comment it will hopefully be on US soil!
We are getting ready to depart from Ireland on the 26th of July. We've just gotten our visas sorted and getting all the other documentation together.
Look forward to keeping you posted! Next time we post a comment it will hopefully be on US soil!
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