UC Santa Cruz Summer Field Camp

Regional Geologic Setting Assignment

A significant portion of your grade in EART 188A will be based on the quality of your Poleta Fold Belt geologic report. The final report will have six sections, including: Introduction, Regional Geologic Setting, Rock Descriptions/Depositional Environment, Structural Geology, Geologic History and References Cited. Due dates and explicit instructions for each section will be given to you on the other side (in the field). However ‘Regional Geologic Setting’ will be due at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday June 20, so instructions for that section follow. I strongly recommend that you begin reading the articles in your Reader and get started on this section as soon as the Readers come in. Having ‘Regional Geologic Setting’ completed before you arrive at Camp Nelson will give you many advantages:

1) You will be familiar with the terms, events, concepts and places introduced in the first few days of field camp and thus have a head start in being able to put it all together in your head and on your maps.

2) You will have part of 188 completed before you even get to the field!

3) You will develop an intimate relationship with your Reader now that will serve you well in the summer.

 

Instructions for ‘Regional Geologic Setting’

Length: ~2 pages (maximum) of typed, double-spaced, well- written, well-organized, geologically savvy prose.

Format: Research style. That is, all pertinent literature should be cited in the body of the text. However, you will not attach a reference list to this section, as the references you cite herein will be included in the ‘References Cited’ section of your final Poleta report.

Figures: This section must be accompanied by Figure 1: an original (hand drawn or traced from other figures), neatly done sketch map that shows major geomorphic features (e.g. mountain ranges), structural features, cultural reference points and the location of the Poleta folds field area. Remember: 1) maps always have scales and north arrows,

referred in the relevant text! You should choose one of the maps in the Reader to trace over, adding features from other maps as needed. Do not include non-essential information on your Figure! Your Figure 1 must be customized for the Poleta field area. Figure 1 must be inked and on clear vellum, and it must be on its own separate page.

Contents: The following information must be includedin ‘Regional Geologic Setting’. The order below does not indicate the order of topical discussion in this section you must decide how to organize and present the material. You may add additional information as long as the final product is no more than two pages long.

• description/location of the study area and of pertinent geologic and geographic features in the general region of the study area (e.g. White Mountains, Inyo Mountains, White-Inyo Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Owens Valley, Basin and Range, major faults and folds, etc... ). Mention of well-known cultural/biological features is optional.
• description of the general geologic history of the present day White, Inyo and White-Inyo Mtns. and their major geologic features should include mention of rifting, miogeoclinal deposition, active margin processes (including specific orogenies), and Cenozoic extension and volcanism.
• ages, names and general lithologies of Precambrian - Cambrian sedimentary rock formations in the White-Inyo Mtns. (This = a description of bedrock geology.)
• description of the Poleta Formation, i.e. general lithologies, fossils, subdivisions, and Grand Cycle interpretation
• the present tectonic state of the field region

Writing: Clarity, solid research, and good organization are what will make or break your ‘Regional Geologic Setting’ section. I suggest taking ample notes from materials in the Reader before you get started. Refer to the “Guidelines for preparation of geologic reports & illustrations” section of your 109 Reader for grammar and syntax guidance.

 

Suggestions for further intellectual preparation for field camp

1. If you have not taken Structural Geology look over the Reader section on folds and faults.

2. If you have not taken Strat-Sed look over the Reader section on carbonates.

3. Study the White-Inyo strat column well - I suggest that you make a reduced copy and paste it somewhere in your field notebook for easy reference.

4. Look over the paleo section in the Reader and start getting familiar with your future best dead friends, namely trilobites, archaeocyathids, helicoplacoids and the trace fossils Planolites and Skolithos.

Have fun!