From sand seas to sand stones: Global data sets and virtual exploration in the classroom using Google Earth by Les Hasbargen SUNY Oneonta 2014

Key Themes: Inquiry-based exercise 1.Students explore the world! (and planets…) 2.Students measure landforms 3.Students construct hypotheses and test them--if data are available ●For sand seas, students discover size, location, and shape ●Initial observations lead to questions about stratigraphy and sandstone bodies from the past...

Key Themes for Student Projects In this exercise, students: ●Measure dunes and sand seas ●Attempt to decipher wind direction from shape ●Tie dune shape and size to cross stratification (this is an attempt! ) ●Look at stratigraphy in regional cross stratified sandstones (if imagery is available) ●Interpret the setting for the sand body

Learning outcomes/goals Learn how to use spatial data to measure geologic features Develop critical thinking skills in comparing modern to past dune environments Develop writing and report presentation skills Develop skills in collaborative investigation

Enter Google Earth... ●Global (and planetary) aerial imagery and topography ●Students do need some training with navigation, storage of user-created data, and point-line-area creation in GE ●Students learn how to use screen captures and develop annotation skills ●If there’s internet, pull up Google Earth...

Mongolia ●Can one determine thickness of the sand sea? ●Dune height can be measured. ●If cross-stratification scales with dune size, then x-strat is measurable ○slip face slope = bounding surface? ○set thickness scale with dune height? ○dune asymmetry set by wind direction ○foreset dip direction

Namibia Note that it may take a minute or two for the higher resolution topography to be accessed--you can tell when dunes become visible How might x-strat vary around this sand sea? Can one use Hadley cell circulation to model wind patterns? Where is the sand coming from?

Afghanistan What kind of cross stratification here?

Taklimakan Desert What is the wind direction, based on dune asymmetry?

Taklimakan Desert, north-south profile Note that wedge-shaped deposit, and ability of sand to “climb to new heights”

Taklimakan Desert, west-east profile Note the variation in dune size Note the wedge-shaped mass of sand

Cross stratified sandstones in the US ●Glen Canyon Group o Navajo sandstone o Kayenta formation o Wingate formation ●Locations o Zion Canyon o Glen Canyon o Grand Canyon o Valley of Fire

Background for Dunes and Sandstones ● from National Park Service, about the Navajo SS ● very nice summary with maps of SS extent in the Jurassic ●Current research list: Query results from Astrophysics DatabaseCurrent research list ●Recent experimental dune growthRecent experimental dune growth ●Dave Rubin o o ●Wikipedia:

More Online Geology ●Utah Geologic Map, 1:500K: needs to be converted to online searchable map ●Geolex (USGS) ●I couldn’t find an easy, sortable, searchable geologic map online (and problems with size for a Fusion table) ●Take advantage of photos in Google Earth

Student created products ●Topographic profiles of dune seas, and eroded cross sections of Navajo/Wingate SS showing thickness ●Screen captures of mapped extent ●Verbal descriptions of sand sea geometry and dune shape ●Statement about slip face orientation and dominant wind flow direction ●Statement about sediment sources for the dune field ●Statement about conditions of formation for Glen Canyon Group (Navajo ss, Kayenta formation, Wingate formation)

Assessment ● The topographic profiles need to have descriptive titles with location; annotation on the profile and/or comments in a caption which describe and interpret the profile. ● Sand sea descriptions should provide a sense of the extent and rough estimate of thickness, along with the geographic setting for the dune region; an estimate of dominant wind direction; and an identification of the potential sources of the sand. ● Data collection and analysis can be ranked according to excellent, good, fair, poor, unacceptable. ● Summarization can be ranked according to excellent, good, fair, poor, unacceptable.

Work in Progress! I could use some sedimentologic advice on this one! ● Better imagery of cross stratified cliffs would make this project much more feasible ● Imagery should have a viewing direction and approximate scale ● An online resource for on the ground imagery would be ideal, either in Google Earth, or as a Fusion Table (looks like Google Maps…) ● A clickable, searchable, filterable online geologic map of Utah would also allow students to discover the extents of sandstone deposits on their own

And a plug for one more thing… See my teaching activity for this workshop called Meander Migration in the Amazon In it, you’ll find links to Google’s Earth Engine, with time series of Landsat imagery since mentary/SGP2014/activities/85513.html