Posted: September 29th, 2016

Apply stratigraphic principles to interpret the rock record visible in three national parks, determining the relative timing of geologic events.

Learning Goals that will determine your grade:
1. Gain experience using Google Earth, a popular, free program that remains the industry and scientific standard for accessibly visualizing and analyzing geographic information. You will be able to navigate, measure elevation, use the “path” tool, and create elevation profiles.
2. Apply stratigraphic principles to interpret the rock record visible in three national parks, determining the relative timing of geologic events.
3. Use radio-isotopic dates of rocks to place these into the context of geologic time, and to calculate rates of geologic processes like sedimentation and erosion.

Getting Started
• Type your answers into this document and save it as: lastnamefirstname_MP1.docx. Sketches can be completed on paper, digitally photographed or scanned, and inserted into the MS Word document.
• Install Google Earth. If you haven’t already downloaded Google Earth, go to: http://www.google.com/earth/ and click on the “Download Google Earth” tab in the upper right-hand corner. Click “agree and download” and complete the installation process. Regular and Pro flavors both work.
• Download GoogleEarth_MiniProject1.kmz from the course Blackboard site under the “Course Documents” tab.
• Launch Google Earth. Open the .kmz file in Google Earth. Turn off all layers (uncheck boxes). You will see a window that will take you through a short tutorial. If you are not familiar with Google Earth, please complete the tutorial to become acquainted with the program.
• Change settings for use in GEOL 101, if you haven’t already. Mac: In the menu bar, choose ‘Google Earth’, then ‘Preferences.’ On the first tab (‘3D View’), Under ‘Units of Measurement,’ choose ‘Meters, Kilometers.’ PC: Go to Tools, then Options, then select your Units of Measurement. Select “Meters/Kilometers”. Now we’re doing science.
Part 1: Applying stratigraphic principles at Canyonlands National Park, USA (25 points)
A. Double-click “Canyonlands National Park” Google Earth layer.
o Describe the features that distinguish each of the strata with ~2 sentences: (5 points)
 A-i

 A-ii

 A-iii
 A-iv
o Using the “Path” tool, draw a line from the top of layer A-iv to the bottom of layer A-iv. Make sure that your “Units of Measurement” are set to ‘Meters, Kilometers’ (see “Getting Started”) and name the path “A-iv”. Select your path in the toolbar at the left side of your window and then under “Edit” choose “Show Elevation Profile.” You should see something like this: (5 points)

Using the information on this profile, calculate the estimated total thickness of each layer. Show your work. (5 points)