APPALACHIAN+GEOLOGY


 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION **
 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION **
 * Here is the electronic file with all of the questions. A hard copy was handed out in class. **
 * Below the text are photos from various places in and around the Appalachian Mountains. **
 * [[image:https://www.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document.png caption="APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION.docx" link="file:rgreenbergscience/APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION.docx"]] ||
 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION.docx ||
 * [|Details]
 * [[file:rgreenbergscience/APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION.docx|Download]]
 * 22 KB


 * __ APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY INVESTIGATION - INSTRUCTIONS __**

Do assignment in composition book (handwritten) or on a shared Google Doc in your science folder. Name the document “Appalachian Geology.” Copy and paste each heading (bold type) and type the answers below. Separate the five sections.

If you do the assignment in your composition book, cut questions from each part and tape into composition book. Your responses for each set of questions should follow before the next set of questions. Use the numbering system provided for your responses. Leave space if there is a question you do not understand.

Listen to each video (links and instructions on the page – “Appalachian Geology”). Pause often so you can write your responses. The questions are in order of how the information is presented in each video. The videos are each less than ten minutes long.


 * HERE ARE LINKS TO THE VIDEOS. **
 * I am sending these links to the district person who can unblock them. **


 * Appalachian Geology Part 1 **
 * [] **
 * Appalachian Geology Part 2 **
 * [] **
 * Appalachian Geology Part 3 **
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 * Appalachian Geology Part 4 **
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 * Appalachian Geology Part 5 **
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 * HERE ARE THE SETS OF QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF THE FIVE VIDEOS **

10.Great thicknesses of what type of rock were deposited at that time? 11.What would be a modern equivalent of what this region was like? 12.The approach of what system made this region go from being a passive margin to a tectonically active margin about 440ma? 13.Eventually the sediments from this system accreted (became added on) to Laurasia and were folded, faulted and uplifted into __what ancient mountain range__ (the first large mountain chain of the Paleozoic in this region)
 * __ APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY – Part 1 – Late Precambrian to Cambrian __**
 * 1) 1. What was the origin of the 1.2 billion year old Cranberry gneiss?
 * 2) 2. What did the Grenville Orogeny form in the late Cambrian?
 * 3) 3. (Write the following sentence and fill in the blank) All continents are amalgamations of pre-existing (fill in the blank)
 * 4) 4. What is the name of the first documented supercontinent?
 * 5) 5. When was this supercontinent in existence?
 * 6) 6. What evidence do the late Precambrian dated Connorock and Mt. Rogers formations (in Virginia) preserve?
 * 7) 7. The dropstones in these formations include pieces of what rock formation?
 * 8) 8. About 540ma, Rodinia split apart. Name the four ancient landmasses that resulted from this.
 * 9) 9. What did much of the region become about 450ma?

10.What is a thrust fault? 11.What are the two formations exposed above and below the Lake Champlain (Vermont) thrust fault? 12.How did the climate change during the late Ordovician? 13.What formed in the southern hemisphere at this time and what was the result? 14.What climate switches took place between 480ma and 460ma? 15.What was going on with the Gondwanaland supercontinent during this time? 16.Why did 85% of all species become extinct at the end of the Ordovician? 17.How is the Ordovician mass extinction different from large extinctions that followed?
 * __ APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY – Part 2 – The Ordovician World __**
 * 1) 1. What was sunlight like in the early Ordovician period? What was this the case?
 * 2) 2. What marine organisms first appeared or became far more common in the Ordovidian period?
 * 3) 3. What type of rock can fossils of these species be found?
 * 4) 4. What “conquered the land” during the late Ordovician and early Silurian periods?
 * 5) 5. What formed off the eastern coast of ancient North America during the late Ordovician? (FYI - this is how the much of the bedrock that underlie the Carolina Terrane - our geologic region of the state - originated)
 * 6) 6. What is the name of the land underlain by limestone bedrock called?
 * 7) 7. What are some characteristics of this topography?
 * 8) 8. Graptolites are delicate marine animals preserved in dark gray to black shales that formed in sedimentary basins. Why were graptolites preserved in this type of rock?
 * 9) 9. What is the Queenston Delta?
 * 18. ** What type of climate returned in the early Silurian?


 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY – Part 3 – Devonian **
 * 1) ** 1. ** What was different about the plants and soils in the Devonian compared to the past?
 * 2) ** 2. ** What grew in the forests of the Devonian?
 * 3) ** 3. ** Describe the appearance of the early amphibians?
 * 4) ** 4. ** Describe the ocean currents and land surfaces during this time period.
 * 5) ** 5. ** What was the cause of deep water anoxia (low oxygen levels) during the Devonian?
 * 6) ** 6. ** What geological evidence of the Devonian can be observed throughout the United States?
 * 7) ** 7. ** If you could go back in time to this period, why would you have difficulty starting a campfire?
 * 8) ** 8. ** What life forms were the most vulnerable during this time period?
 * 9) ** 9. ** What did the Ordovician Taconic Mountains look like during this time?
 * 10. ** Describe the Caledonian orogeny?
 * 11. ** What is preserved in late Devonian sediments that points to a plate collision and a subduction zone of the east coast of ancient North America?
 * 12. ** Describe the Catskill Delta?

10. Why did the abundant, large arthropods not need to live near water to thrive? 11. What other class of animals that evolved during this time, also did not need to live near water to thrive? 12. Why did the cores of more ancient mountain chains become exposed? 13. What is the name of the current mountain range that is comprised of these ancient (late Precambrian and early Paleozoic) igneous and metamorphic rocks that became exposed during the Pennsylvanian period? 14. When was the formation of the Appalachian Mountains and the supercontinent of Pangea completed?
 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY – Part 4 – Pangea **
 * 1) 1. What occupied most of North America at the beginning of the Mississippian period?
 * 2) 2. Great thicknesses of what type of rock were deposited?
 * 3) 3. What caused a reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide?
 * 4) 4. What caused ice house conditions (and the reappearance of ice caps) on the Earth?
 * 5) 5. What caused the significant atmospheric rise of oxygen?
 * 6) 6. Describe what happened when the continent of Gondwanaland approached the ancient North American continent from the south.
 * 7) 7. What was deposited over the limestone beds that formed during the Mississippian period? Where did this sediment come from?
 * 8) 8. Describe the geographic conditions of the delta that formed to the west of the youthful, tall Appalachian Mountains.
 * 9) 9. What animals and plants is the Pennsylvanian period known for?

10. What were the main two directions of stream flow after the formation of the Appalachian Mountains? 11. What is the nature of the flow of streams that pre-date the uplift of the Appalachian Mountains? (how do these streams flow compared to the ones in question #10)? 12. Explain isostatic rebound as it pertains to the resurrection of the Appalachian Mountains. 13. How do meandering streams become entrenched? 14. How many periods of uplift occurred during the Cenozoic Era, which began 64ma? 15. What was the amazing discovery that took place in May 2000 in eastern Tennessee? Describe how these animals became preserved. 16. What is Claire’s favorite college basketball team?
 * APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY – Part 5 – Resurrection **
 * 1) 1. What happened to the Appalachians after their formation during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods and the formation of Pangea?
 * 2) 2. What was happening to the supercontinent Pangea 220 ma?
 * 3) 3. What geologic features formed as Pangea began to split apart?
 * 4) 4. What is the evidence of dinosaurs during the Triassic period?
 * 5) 5. What is special about the Anchisaurus?
 * 6) 6. How did the Appalachians appear during the Jurassic period 200ma?
 * 7) 7. Where are Jurassic and Cretaceous period rocks preserved?
 * 8) 8. What was sea level like 85ma?H
 * 9) 9. Describe how the Appalachian Mountains were “resurrected” 65ma?


 * GEOLOGIC PROVINCES IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES **


 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Simplified Geology map of Appalachians.jpg caption="Simplified Geology map of Appalachians.jpg"]] ||
 * Simplified Geology map of Appalachians.jpg (above) ||


 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Geologiic regions eastern US.jpg caption="Geologiic regions eastern US.jpg"]] ||
 * Geologic regions eastern US.jpg (above) ||

The diagram below shows a cross section of plunging folds, common in the Valley and Ridge as seen above.
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Pennsylvania satellite.jpg caption="Pennsylvania satellite.jpg"]] ||
 * Pennsylvania satellite.jpg (above) ||
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/plunging folds diagram.jpg width="606" height="409" caption="plunging folds diagram.jpg"]] ||
 * plunging folds diagram.jpg (above) ||


 * FAULTS AND FOLDS **
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Eagle Rock roadcut 2.jpg caption="Eagle Rock roadcut 2.jpg"]] ||
 * Eagle Rock roadcut 2.jpg (above) ||
 * Eagle Rock roadcut on US 220 north of Roanoke, Virginia (above) **
 * Seneca Rocks, West Virginia.** **Vertically outcropping Silurian-aged Tuscarora sandstone formation (above)**
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Nelson-Rocks Tuscorora SS.png caption="Nelson-Rocks Tuscorora SS.png"]] ||
 * Nelson-Rocks Tuscorora SS.png ||
 * Nelson Rocks, Virginia. Vertically outcropping Silurian-aged Tuscarora sandstone formation (above)**
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Devils Backbone.jpg caption="Devils Backbone.jpg"]] ||
 * Devils Backbone.jpg ||


 * Devil's Backbone - outcrop of Tuscarora sandstone near Minnehaha Springs, WV (above) **


 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/US 460 road cut New River.jpg caption="US 460 road cut New River.jpg"]] ||
 * US 460 road cut New River.jpg ||


 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/US 460 road cut New River 2 jpg.jpg caption="US 460 road cut New River 2 jpg.jpg"]] ||
 * US 460 road cut New River 2 jpg.jpg ||


 * Folded middle Ordovician limestone south of St. Clair thrust. US 460 at the Narrows of the New River **

// **The above two photos courtesy of James St. John, professor of geology at Ohio State University at Newark** //


 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Copper Creek Thrust fault TN.jpg caption="Copper Creek Thrust fault TN.jpg"]] ||
 * Copper Creek Thrust fault TN.jpg ||


 * Copper Creek Thrust Fault with folded Rome Formation limestones (Middle Cambrian) in hanging wall (upper right) and tilted Mocassin Formation limestones (Middle Ordovician) in the footwall (lower left) Tennessee **
 * [[image:rgreenbergscience/Devonian Brallier fmtn.jpg caption="Devonian Brallier fmtn.jpg"]] ||
 * Devonian Brallier fmtn.jpg ||
 * The famous Sideling Hill roadcut in western Maryland. This is a synclinal ridge. **