Download Free Late Cenozoic Lava Dams In The Western Grand Canyon Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online Late Cenozoic Lava Dams In The Western Grand Canyon and write the review.

The Late Cenozoic history of the western Grand Canyon is one of profound and rapid transformation. The constantly changing morphology and dynamics of the canyon during this period have been recorded in spectacular geologic features, such as frozen lava cascades and lava dams, as well as volcanic cones, necks, and dikes. All of these unique features, which make the western part of the Grand Canyon strikingly different from other parts, resulted from the interaction of basaltic lava flows and vigorous erosion by the Colorado River. The volcanic phenomena in the Grand Canyon were created by eruptions of basaltic lava in the southernmost part of the Uinkaret volcanic field. Some lava flows were extruded on the Uinkaret Plateau and cascaded over the outer rim of the Grand Canyon into Toroweap Valley and Whitmore Wash, while others were extruded within the Grand Canyon itself and partly covered the Esplanade Platform. The remaining flows cascaded over the rim of the canyon's inner gorge. Red molten rock cascading into the canyon and forming lava dams must have presented a spectacular scene, the likes of which have never been viewed by human beings. Even more spectacular is how quickly these lava dams formed - from small single-flow dams that were created in only a few days, to complex, multiple-flow dams that took several thousand years. The dams were then destroyed when the water impounded behind them ultimately overflowed. Although their construction and destruction occurred in a geologic instant, these events were the most significant in the late Cenozoic history of the Grand Canyon. Because of the largely inaccessible nature of the western part of the canyon, the author and his field assistants researching this area had to be creative in their data-gathering techniques. For example, they made photo mosaics of the entire canyon wall using a hand-held aerial camera; these mosaics served as cross sections on which all geological data were plotted. In addition, to photograph features hidden from view at river level, they utilized light aircraft and helicopters. Finally, a professional mountain climber collected samples from various units exposed high on vertical cliffs. Memoir 183 is a compilation of this field work, which took more than two decades to complete. It contains numerous maps, photographs, and cross sections of frozen lava cascades and the remnants of a sequence of 13 major lava dams that once formed huge barriers to the Colorado River. The volume also discusses the history of lakes that formed behind these lava dams and the associated sedimentary deposits that once partly filled the Grand Canyon. The results of this study provide new insights into the rates at which the Colorado River is able to downcut its channel, as well as the major factors that controlled erosion of the Grand Canyon.
Papers in this title were selected from presentations from an April 2005 workshop sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Surface Dynamics Program, the U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, and the Smithsonian Institution. Papers are divided into two broad topics of the configuration, areal extent, and temporal development of the chain of interconnected lakes that emptied into Death Valley during periods of the Pleistocene, and the late Cenozoic history of drainage integration in the lower Colorado River region. Papers are occasionally illustrated in both color and black-and-white; the publication contains no index.
Ten authors present an overview of the diverse natural environments in Arizona, including information on the state's climate, geology, soil and water resources, flora and fauna, and human impacts on the fragile ecosystems.
A fascinating and accessible introduction to the principles of physical and historical geology. For the millions who visit them each year, U.S. national parklands offer a glittering spectacle of natural wonders. But beyond the spectacular scenery, these national treasures have a much bigger, more awe-inspiring tale to tell--a sprawling story of upheaval and transformation, involving forces and time-spans almost beyond imagining. The purpose of this book is to provide you with the knowledge you need to read and interpret that story, and to make visits to the parklands even more special. Requiring no prior familiarity with the geological sciences, this region-by-region exploration of the U.S. parklands teaches the principles of physical and historical geology by example. It begins with a general introduction to all important concepts, terms, and principles. In the chapters that follow, the authors take you on a tour through the geological regions of the United States. Beginning with Hawaii and the Pacific borderlands and moving progressively eastward to the Appalachian Mountains and the coastal plains of the East Coast, they provide you with a geologist's-eye view of the landforms, mountains, and bodies of water encountered in over 70 national parks and monuments, and tell the fascinating story of their evolution. Lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 stunning photographs and maps and featuring greatly expanded coverage of the geological story, history, and culture of U.S. parks and monuments, this new edition of Dr. David Harris's classic text is an ideal introduction to the principles of geology for students and nature enthusiasts alike.
An updated treatment of management and geomorphology of large rivers around the world The newly revised Second Edition of Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management delivers a thoroughly updated exploration of the form and function of major rivers. The book brings together a set of papers on the large rivers of the world, offering readers an insightful examination of a demanding subject. The new Second Edition of the book includes fully updated and revised chapters, as well as two entirely new chapters on the Ayeyarwady and the Arctic rivers. This fascinating volume describes the environmental requirements for creating and maintaining a major river system, case studies on over a dozen large rivers from different continents in a variety of physical environments, and the measurement and management of large rivers. Unmatched in scope, Large Rivers sheds light on a subject lacking in comprehensive study. Readers will benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the geology of large river systems, hydrology and discharge, transcontinental moving and storage of sediment, and the greatest floods and largest rivers An exploration of the classification, architecture, and evolution of large-river deltas Discussions of sedimentology and stratigraphy of large river deposits, including their recognition in the ancient record and the distinction from incised valley fills An examination of the effects of tectonism, climate change, and sea-level change on the form and behavior of the modern Amazon river and its floodplain Measurement and management of large rivers The effect of climatic change on large rivers Perfect for postgraduate students and researchers in fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, sedimentary geology, and river management, Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management will also earn a place in the libraries of engineers and environmental consultants in the private and public sectors working on major rivers around the world.
This volume presents a unique compendium of papers assessing theeffects of volcanism on lakes, as recorded by the volcaniclasticsediments deposited within them. The unifying theme is that theeffects of volcanism on lacustrine sedimentation are diverse anddistinctive, and that volcaniclastic lacustrine sediments hold thekey to understanding a range of processes and events that cannot bereadily addressed by the study of any non-volcanic lakes. Thirteen papers, with authors from nine countries, examine bothmodern and ancient eruption-affected lacustrine deposits. Volcaniceruptions affect lakes and their deposits in many ways, and thesepapers evaluate processes and products of volcanic eruptions withinlakes, of tectonically impounded lakes strongly influenced byvolcanism, of eruption-impounded lakes and of general factorscontrolling sedimentation of vitric ash and pumice.Tephrastratigraphic studies also take advantage of the exceptionalpreservation of thin laminae in quiet lakes to precisely dateepisodes in the evolution of long-lived lakes and their catchmentareas, and to understand how volcanism affects normal lacustrineprocesses. The volume as a whole is an unparalleled source of informationon all aspects of the physical sedimentary results of volcanism inlacustrine settings, and serves as a complement to other studiesconcerned primarily with thermal and geochemical characteristics oflakes within volcanic craters. If you are a member of the International Association ofSedimentologists, for purchasing details, please see:http://www.iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=SP30