Astro 28M March '10 - Post Trip Highlights

 

Our camp, complete with snow patch for keeping food refrigerated!

Our caravan, driving up to Chimney Peak as we begin Saturday's geology adventures

Our first micro-lecture; overlooking the steep fault-generated face of the Eastern Sierra scarp

I lecture on the basic physics of planetary formation and cooling

Same area, climbing up the ravine for a better overlook and some interesting grano-diorite.

Fine granite, and fine students to admire it

Expert student assistance from Patti, who examines the geologic maps at our first lecture spot (on the hood of Rick's fine automobile)

 

Patti and Sophie whacking some granite

Big grains = slow cooling

Our second stop was 20 miles north along Hwy 395; Fossil Falls, a water fall through basalt dating back to the Pleistocene

As the last glaciation melted, the Owens River cut this deep gorge through volcanic basalt.

Now, of course, the Owens River is piped off to LA long before it gets here

 

 

 

 

The Graze

The Observed graze profile - waiting for data