Easter Sunday - 24th April - A Geological Traverse across North Wiltshire with Dave Green
This trip will start in the mid- Jurassic near Alderton, travel across the Oxford clay to the Corallian escarpment, then onto the mud springs in Kimmeridge Clay, and finishing in the Cretaceous with the Chalk near Hackpen Hill.
Registration and booking needed by deadline of Friday 15 April, via WEGA web site.
10th May - WEGA AGM - Wills Memorial Building, 7.30 p.m.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Ice Age in Ebbor Gorge, Mendip Hills
A fascinating opportunity to learn about the ongoing excavations in a previously-unexplored cave in Ebbor Gorge that have brought to light a remarkable series of fossil remains dating back to the closing phases of the last Ice Age.
Booking for this free event is essential. To book please call Natural England on 01458 860120 or email.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
April 7th - Caves and Cannibals: a Mendip perspective
The area of the Mendip Hills in Somerset contains some of the most important Pleistocene cave sites in western Europe in terms of their vertebrate assemblages, Palaeolithic archaeological finds and early human remains. These sites span the period from c. 500,000 years ago until the end of the Pleistocene, c.10,000 years ago and provide a unique insight into changing climates and patterns of animal and human movement and behaviour. This lecture reviews some of the classic localities, such as Westbury-sub-Mendip and Gough’s Cave, focussing on the inferred age and palaeoenvironmental signatures of the fossil faunas, the taphonomic origins of the deposits and the significance of the archaeological assemblages. In addition, new research from a previously unexplored cave containing a rich terminal Pleistocene fauna will also be presented.
The talk begins at 7.30 p.m. at the BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath. Everyone is welcome - visitors £4.00 - free refreshments.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Japan - earthquake and tsunami
The earthquake struck on 11th March, 2011 at 5.46 a.m. - 38.322N 142.369E. It occurred 129km off Sendai, Honshu at a depth of 32km. Its magnitude was 8.9 - 9.0. The tsunami height was 10m and, to date, the estimated death toll is 18,000 people.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Geological and Geotechnical Mapping using LiDAR - March 15th
The Western Regional Group of GS would like to invite you to a Geological Society evening lecture, ‘Geological and Geotechnical Mapping using LiDAR’, presented by Adrian Wilkinson of QuarryDesign Ltd. This event is taking place on Tuesday 15th March.
Detailed geological and geotechnical data can sometimes be hazardous to obtain, particularly in areas of instability such as quarry faces or landslips. Traditionally, a quarry survey would have been undertaken using differential GPS or by total-station surveying, with more detailed discontinuity data collection being undertaken at distance by direct-reflective techniques or at the rock face using compass clinometers. However, recent significant improvements in LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveying means it is now possible to use LiDAR to obtain data at faster speeds and over a greater distances, in the order of 3,000m from the rock face.
Adrian will demonstrate how long-range high definition LiDAR techniques can be used as part of an integrated approach to geological and geotechnical mapping, allowing more accurate data to be collected both quicker, and more safely. Furthermore, the enhanced survey detail obtained using LiDAR can be combined with advances in computer processing power and software engineering to allow more complex and realistic simulations and potential hazards, such as rockfalls, to be undertaken.
Adrian is Geotechnical Director at QuarryDesign and is an aggregates geologist with over 17 years experience within the quarrying industry undertaking site investigations and producing quarry development plans. He is a Chartered Geologist and Fellow of The Geological Society of London, a Member of the European Federation of Geologists, a Member of the Institute of Quarrying and a Member of the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society. QuarryDesign and its associated consultancy QuarryPlan Ltd provide geological, geotechnical, mineral planning and estates management advice to the quarrying industry.
The lecture will start at 6.30pm, but please feel free to come and have a few sandwiches and a chat with colleagues from 6.00pm. There is no charge for the event and non members are welcome. The lecture will be held in the S H Reynolds Lecture Theatre (Room G25), Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ.
Detailed geological and geotechnical data can sometimes be hazardous to obtain, particularly in areas of instability such as quarry faces or landslips. Traditionally, a quarry survey would have been undertaken using differential GPS or by total-station surveying, with more detailed discontinuity data collection being undertaken at distance by direct-reflective techniques or at the rock face using compass clinometers. However, recent significant improvements in LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveying means it is now possible to use LiDAR to obtain data at faster speeds and over a greater distances, in the order of 3,000m from the rock face.
Adrian will demonstrate how long-range high definition LiDAR techniques can be used as part of an integrated approach to geological and geotechnical mapping, allowing more accurate data to be collected both quicker, and more safely. Furthermore, the enhanced survey detail obtained using LiDAR can be combined with advances in computer processing power and software engineering to allow more complex and realistic simulations and potential hazards, such as rockfalls, to be undertaken.
Adrian is Geotechnical Director at QuarryDesign and is an aggregates geologist with over 17 years experience within the quarrying industry undertaking site investigations and producing quarry development plans. He is a Chartered Geologist and Fellow of The Geological Society of London, a Member of the European Federation of Geologists, a Member of the Institute of Quarrying and a Member of the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society. QuarryDesign and its associated consultancy QuarryPlan Ltd provide geological, geotechnical, mineral planning and estates management advice to the quarrying industry.
The lecture will start at 6.30pm, but please feel free to come and have a few sandwiches and a chat with colleagues from 6.00pm. There is no charge for the event and non members are welcome. The lecture will be held in the S H Reynolds Lecture Theatre (Room G25), Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
4-5th April - Geological Collectors and Collecting Conference
The Geological Society HOGG (History of Geology Group) Conference on Geological Collectors and Collecting will take place on 4-5 April 2011 at the Flett Theatre at the Natural History Museum in London.
Click here for further details.
Click here for further details.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
March 12th - Combe Down-Midford-Southstoke Geological Trail
Bath Geological Society has organised a replacement field trip for Saturday March 12th. This will be led by Dr. David Workman, former chairman of the Society and long-standing member.
The walk will begin by looking at old stone workings in Combe Down village and the Combe Down stone in buildings (eg the church). Next we shall see the Great Oolite in old quarries in Summer Lane (anyone wishing to get up close to quarry walls should bring a hard hat). We then walk down the footpath to Tucking Mill across Fuller's Earth, Inferior Oolite* and Bridport (Midford) Sands* (*exposures). Next we follow the railway path to Midford (cuttings in Inferior Oolite*) and then the Cam Valley bottom for 500m (features of the Somerset Coal Canal). Finally we take the footpath up to Southstoke where we visit the Southstoke Millenium viewpoint (scenic and geological panorama).
Meet at Holy Trinity Church in Church Road, Combe Down at 10.30. We end at Southstoke between 3 and 4. The total walking distance is about 5km, with 120m descent and ascent. Everyone is welcome - £2.00 for non-members.
The walk will begin by looking at old stone workings in Combe Down village and the Combe Down stone in buildings (eg the church). Next we shall see the Great Oolite in old quarries in Summer Lane (anyone wishing to get up close to quarry walls should bring a hard hat). We then walk down the footpath to Tucking Mill across Fuller's Earth, Inferior Oolite* and Bridport (Midford) Sands* (*exposures). Next we follow the railway path to Midford (cuttings in Inferior Oolite*) and then the Cam Valley bottom for 500m (features of the Somerset Coal Canal). Finally we take the footpath up to Southstoke where we visit the Southstoke Millenium viewpoint (scenic and geological panorama).
Meet at Holy Trinity Church in Church Road, Combe Down at 10.30. We end at Southstoke between 3 and 4. The total walking distance is about 5km, with 120m descent and ascent. Everyone is welcome - £2.00 for non-members.
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