Instructions for Field Work, Garvin Heights Section

Each group should continue this work outside of lab in order to finish the progress report and the final report in a timely manner.. You won't be able to finish the project by the due dates (progress report Wednesday, September 12, and final report, Wednesday, September 19) unless you make significant progress this in the field on the 5th, and also on your own outside of lab. Do NOT put the work off until the last minute. When you plan to do group work on your own, you will have to get help from Shelby in checking out the Jacob's staffs and for asking questions about details of procedure.

Measure and describe the Garvin Heights Section along the Garvin Heights Road from base to top. Do this work in the groups that have been assigned (see announcement section of course web page). Refer to the base of the section as zero feet, and measure continuously to the top of the section. Take careful field notes that include thorough rock descriptions and the thickness of each rock unit. The rock units you use for measurement and description will be at a smaller scale than the formations that are present. For example, when you are describing the Jordan Formation, you should break it down into smaller units that have common lithologic characteristics, as we discussed in the field last week. Include covered intervals in your measurement and in your field notes. You will have to decide where the boundaries between formations are located, so that you can measure the thickness of each formation.

Your field notes should begin at the base and should be set up as follows.

Formation "A" (of course, you will assign a name to the formation)

unit 1 - 0-x' - follow format in appendix of syllabus for description

unit 2 - x'-y' - description

unit 3 - y'-z' - description

etc.

Formation "B"

unit 1 etc., etc. as above

I have provided you with a generalized stratigraphic column for southeastern Minnesota. You already know that the Jordan Formation is present in the GH section - you sampled it last week. Use the Jordan as a reference point to assign formation names and boundaries in your field notes to the remainder of the section.

You will need acid bottles for the field work. If you don't have an acid bottle from your field I course, you will have to borrow one from the department. See Shelby.

Remember that your field notes will be graded as a part of your project. Sketches are integral to notetaking, so be certain to include drawings of outcrop features, sed structures, etc., that have orientation and direction on them. The appendix of your syllabus has a format for doing rock descriptions.

On the 12th, I will also discuss the graphic format (the stratigraphic column) into which your measurements and descriptions must be arranged. Bring your standard field geat, including acid bottles, to class on the 12th, as we will go out to GH in car pools.

Again, this work is due Friday, September 16. On that day, bring your field notebooks with your completed section description to class. I will collect them and return them the following Monday.