Saturday, 28 September 2019

30th September to 6th October 2019


NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

30th September to 6th October 2019


THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM BRISTOL AND WEST COUNTRY GEOLOGY CALENDARS

MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE BRISTOL AND THE WEST COUNTRY CALENDARS AND ON THE WEB SITES OF THE RELEVANT SOCIETY OR ORGANISATION.


MONDAY 30th

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician
When
Mon, 30 September, 19:30 – 21:30
Where
Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester (map)
Description
Geology of the Ordovician Period. 

The last Phanerozoic geological period to be named, after a bitter struggle between Murchison and Sedgwick. Lasting from 
485 to 444Ma ago, this period saw the enormous radiation of new forms of life and the earliest colonisation of the land by primitive plants “The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event” . The two halves of Britain were separated by the Iapetus Ocean, but both were tectonically extremely active. The supercontinent of Gondwana drifted across the South Pole, possibly triggering a short and unusual (high CO2) glaciation and the second biggest mass extinction of life at the end of the period. As usual there is considerable debate about aspects of this period. 

Starts Mon 16th September  for 10 weeks (not 28th Oct nor 4th Nov nor 2nd Dec), until 9th December   Held at Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester from 7.30-9.30pm on Mondays. 

Cost £75 (including tea, coffee etc at break time!).  


tuesday 1st



wednesday 2nd

Mendip Rocks - Halecombe, Leigh on Mendip, Quarry Tour
When
Wed, 2 October, 10:00 – 12:00  also 14:00 - 16:00
Where
Moons Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU (map)
Description
• Halecombe, Leigh on Mendip – Wed 2nd Oct 10am & 2pm. Meet at SESC for minibus tour.

Mendip Quarry Tours: booking essential/pay on day £5pp.  (Wear or bring boots, and no shorts please, safety wear provided).

ALL EVENTS TO BE BOOKED via Eventbrite link: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk details 01749 840156.

thursday 3rd

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Miscellany
When
Thu, 3 October, 18:30 – 20:30
Where
John Kyrle High School, Ledbury Rd, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7ET, UK (map)
Description
Understanding the Earth – a Geological Miscellany

Thursday September 19th, 6.30-8.30pm, running for 10 weeks at the Adult Education Centre, John Kyrle High School until 12th December (missing out 24th, 31st October and 7th November) covering the following topics: Geological maps and structures, and their relationship to landscape development; Tectonics, mountain building and their effects on landforms; Geological resources – formation , occurrence and exploitation; Climate change in a geological context. 

Cost £75, including drinks at break time. 


friday 4th



saturday 5th



sunday 6th

OUGS Wessex - Excursion
When
Sunday, 6 Oct 2019
Description
 Raised Beaches of West Sussex
Leader: David Bone
Date: October 6th 2019 (Sunday)
Type: Field Trip (Day)
Summary: A trip to investigate the higher and older Pleistocene raised beaches around the Chichester area, their deposits and influence on the landscape of the coastal plain.
Contact: Jeremy Cranmer   [wessexdaytrips@ougs.org]
Booking
Form: Please contact the organiser of this event for booking information
------------------------------------

SWGA _ Excursion
When
Sun, 6 October, 10:00 – 16:00
Where
Meet at 10.00am at the New Fancy car park/ viewpoint on the road east from Speech House, close to where it meets the road from Parkend to Blakeney. (map)
Description
The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Leader: Dave Green
Meet at 10.00am at the New Fancy car park/ viewpoint on the road east from Speech House, close to
where it meets the road from Parkend to Blakeney. We will be looking at the Old Red Sandstone to
Carboniferous succession, including the intra-Carboniferous unconformity in the morning, and the
Forest extractive industries around Cannop in the afternoon. Lunch will be taken at The Rising Sun
pub in Moseley Green.



Posted by at 14:11 0 comments

Jurassic fossil unearthed - again

Ichthyosaurus Found, Buried, Dug Up Again

A correspondent has sent me THIS LINK. It tells of an Ichthyosaurus being found in a quarry near Langport in 1850, which was buried by the God-fearing quarry masters as they might be defying God if they displayed it.

The family knew all about it and recently had it dug up again and cleaned and are now using it to advertise their cider brandy! 


Posted by at 14:02 0 comments

Did all diamonds come from one huge rock?

Origin of Kimberlite

A recent paper in Nature suggests that kimberlites older than 200 million years have a single source. Younger kimberlites are a bit different - the break-up of Pangea may have disrupted the source. Much of the work involves neodymium and hafnium isotopic data. 

Kimberlites are the source of natural diamonds.

However a commentary on the paper is rather more cautious. You can listen to the original paper's author HERE.

A cross-section of kimberlite from West Greenland, photographed using polarized light, shows the wide range and complex structure of minerals (such as diamonds, garnets and zircons) within. (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland)

But the prominent mineral is olivine
Posted by at 13:48 0 comments

Saturday, 21 September 2019

23rd to 29th September 2019


NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

23rd to 29th September 2019


THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM BRISTOL AND WEST COUNTRY GEOLOGY CALENDARS

MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE BRISTOL AND THE WEST COUNTRY CALENDARS AND ON THE WEB SITES OF THE RELEVANT SOCIETY OR ORGANISATION.


MONDAY 23rd

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician
When
Mon, 23 September, 19:30 – 21:30
Where
Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester (map)
Description
Geology of the Ordovician Period. 

The last Phanerozoic geological period to be named, after a bitter struggle between Murchison and Sedgwick. Lasting from 
485 to 444Ma ago, this period saw the enormous radiation of new forms of life and the earliest colonisation of the land by primitive plants “The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event” . The two halves of Britain were separated by the Iapetus Ocean, but both were tectonically extremely active. The supercontinent of Gondwana drifted across the South Pole, possibly triggering a short and unusual (high CO2) glaciation and the second biggest mass extinction of life at the end of the period. As usual there is considerable debate about aspects of this period. 

Starts Mon 16th September  for 10 weeks (not 28th Oct nor 4th Nov nor 2nd Dec), until 9th December   Held at Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester from 7.30-9.30pm on Mondays. 

Cost £75 (including tea, coffee etc at break time!).  


Tuesday 24th


Wednesday 25th

Mendip Rocks! - “What Lies Beneath” Walk to explore Priddy caves above ground
When
Wed, 25 September, 14:00 – 16:00
Where
Meet Priddy village hall, parking on the Green. (map)
Description
“What Lies Beneath” Walk to explore Priddy caves above ground with Peter Glanvill – Weds 25th Sept, 2pm.  Walk approx. 3.5miles.  Meet village hall, parking on the Green.

ALL EVENTS TO BE BOOKED via Eventbrite link: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk details 01749 840156.

Thursday 26th

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Miscellany
When
Thu, 26 September, 18:30 – 20:30
Where
John Kyrle High School, Ledbury Rd, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7ET, UK (map)
Description
Understanding the Earth – a Geological Miscellany

Thursday September 19th, 6.30-8.30pm, running for 10 weeks at the Adult Education Centre, John Kyrle High School until 12th December (missing out 24th, 31st October and 7th November) covering the following topics: Geological maps and structures, and their relationship to landscape development; Tectonics, mountain building and their effects on landforms; Geological resources – formation , occurrence and exploitation; Climate change in a geological context. 

Cost £75, including drinks at break time. 


Friday 27th


Saturday 28th

Teme Valley G S gourmet trip to French Alps
When
28 Sep – 5 Oct 2019
Where
Campagne Gros Claude 4230 Cruis, France (map)
Description
A field trip to be led by Donny Hutton to the SW French Alps from Sept 28th to Oct 5th.  Bookings are now open and all details re to be found on the web site https://grosclaudegeology.wordpress.com/ 

This promises to be an indulgent  and well provisioned week, with top quality catering by a noted chef and led by Donny, in our experience among the very best for this type of trip.
--------------------------------

OUGS Severnside - Weekend Field trip
When
28 – 29 Sep 2019
Description
Mortimer Forest and Ludlow


Leader: Andrew Jenkinson

Location: Shropshire / Herefordshire border

Date: September 28th–29th, 2019

Type: Field Trip (Weekend)

Summary: Details to follow. This is a joint weekend trip with the West Midlands branch.

More info:
Andrew Jenkinson is Project Officer of the Shropshire Geological Society and has written numerous geological guides.

Contact: Michell Thomas   [michellef-t@hotmail.co.uk]
---------------------------------


OUGS South West - Excursion
When
Saturday, 28 Sep 2019
Where
Clatworthy Reservoir, Brendon Hills, West Somerset (Saturday) (map)
Description
 Local Geology Site (LGS) Conservation
Leader: Garry Dawson
Location: Clatworthy Reservoir, Brendon Hills, West Somerset (Saturday)
Date: September 28th 2019 (Saturday)
Type: Field Trip (Day)
Summary: This is a continuation of the clearance work we started at this Local Geology Site last Summer. We hope to reveal more of the geological structure of the site.
More info:
This is a Local Geology Site consisting of three locations by Clatworthy Reservoir.

Last year we cleared vegetation and soil from the outcrops to reveal a previously unknown fault within the Devonian Morte Slates.

The plan now is to continue the clearance and also remove the last year's overgrowth. In addition to the fault, the bedding and cleavage, with evidence of later phases of deformation can clearly be seen. We hope that by clearing more of the outcrop we can better understand the structure in area.

The only skill required is the ability to do a spot of gardening!The site clearance is being done with the kind permission and full support of the owners, Wessex Water, who plan to install several interpretation boards to explain the geology we have revealed.

The site is a beautiful location in the Brendon Hills with lots of wildlife and historic interest should you tire of the geology.

For Health and Safety reasons the number attending this event is limited, so please do not travel without first contacting the organiser.
Contact: Garry Dawson [south.west.somerset@ougs.org]
Booking
Form: Please contact the organiser of this event for booking information
-----------------------------------------

Mendip Rocks! - Banwell Bone Cave Tours
When
Sat, 28 September, 14:00 – 17:00
Where
Parking at The Caves, Bridewell Lane, Banwell. (map)
Description
Banwell Bone Cave Tours – 14th & 28th Sept, 2pm- 5pm.  Eventbrite tickets only, pay on day at caves £15 refreshments provided.  Parking at The Caves, Bridewell Lane, Banwell.

ALL EVENTS TO BE BOOKED via Eventbrite link: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk details 01749 840156.


Sunday 29th

TEME VALLEY G S GOURMET TRIP TO FRENCH ALPS - see Saturday
---------------------------------

OUGS SEVERNSIDE - WEEKEND FIELD TRIP - see Saturday
----------------------------------

OUGS Wessex - Day Field Trip
When
Sunday, 29 Sep 2019
Where
Lyme Regis (map)
Description
Geology and fossils


Leaders: Sam Scriven

Location: Lyme Regis

Date: September 29th 2019 (Sunday)

Type: Field Trip (Day)

Summary: A day studying the geology and fossils of the Lower Jurassic at Lyme Regis.

Contact: Jeremy Cranmer  [wessexdaytrips@ougs.org]
------------------------------------

Bristol Nats - Field Meeting
When
Sun, 29 September, 11:00 – 16:00
Where
Lilstock, West Somerset Coast,Meet at 11.00am in the Car Parking Area located at Grid Ref: ST171451 (map)
Description
Lilstock, West Somerset Coast, Leader: Richard Ashley 


Meet at 11.00am in the Car Parking Area located at Grid Ref: ST171451. This can be reached by turning off onto a track at Lilstock village. The beach is about 200 yards further down the track, and looks out towards the island of Steep Holm in the channel. Fossil hunting is a popular activity, with finds including ammonites and reptile vertebrae (Ichthyosaur and Plesiosaur). These can be found on the beach and also in the Blue Lias cliffs to the east, but walking across the pebbly shore is hard going. As this is an SSSI, extracting fossils from the living rock is not permitted. The principal object of the visit is to examine the rocks of the Lower Lias and if beach conditions are favourable the Rhaetic Lilstock formation to the west. If time permits it may also be possible to visit the coast at Kilve.

Bring a packed lunch and strong boots. It would be helpful if you would let Richard Ashley know if you wish to attend.




Posted by at 15:23 0 comments

More Titan Peculiarities

How to Form a Methane Lake - on Titan

THIS ARTICLE caught my attention. Not only are methane and ethane lakes very odd to start with but it is now suggested that they were formed by nitrogen blasting from below ground level!

Their shape - tall rims rising steeply from the surrounding terrain - is similar to the craters on Earth which form when water and magma interact underground and then explode through the surface.

Titan's lakes may form when rising temperatures cause buried nitrogen to vaporise and blow out through the crust.

Circular features on Titan resemble earthly lakes excavated by sub-surface explosions. Credit: NASA PDS

Posted by at 15:08 0 comments

Saturday, 14 September 2019

16th to 22nd September 2019


NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

16th to 22nd September 2019


THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM BRISTOL AND WEST COUNTRY GEOLOGY CALENDARS

MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE BRISTOL AND THE WEST COUNTRY CALENDARS AND ON THE WEB SITES OF THE RELEVANT SOCIETY OR ORGANISATION.


MONDAY 16TH


Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician
When
Mon, 16 September, 19:30 – 21:30
Where
Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester (map)
Description
Geology of the Ordovician Period. 

The last Phanerozoic geological period to be named, after a bitter struggle between Murchison and Sedgwick. Lasting from 
485 to 444Ma ago, this period saw the enormous radiation of new forms of life and the earliest colonisation of the land by primitive plants “The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event” . The two halves of Britain were separated by the Iapetus Ocean, but both were tectonically extremely active. The supercontinent of Gondwana drifted across the South Pole, possibly triggering a short and unusual (high CO2) glaciation and the second biggest mass extinction of life at the end of the period. As usual there is considerable debate about aspects of this period. 

Starts Mon 16th September  for 10 weeks (not 28th Oct nor 4th Nov nor 2nd Dec), until 9th December   Held at Wynstones School, Stroud Road, Whaddon, Gloucester from 7.30-9.30pm on Mondays. 

Cost £75 (including tea, coffee etc at break time!).  


TUESDAY 17TH


Geol Soc Western - Lecture
When
Tue, 17 September, 18:00 – 18:30
Where
The Hub, 500 Park Ave, Aztec W, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4RZ, UK (map)
Description
Applications of geophysics in industry  Dr George Tuckwell, 
RSK 

----------------------------------------

SMFS Evening Meeting
When
Tue, 17 September, 19:30 – 21:30
Where
The Friends' Meeting House, 1A, Ordnance Rd, Southampton. SO15 2AZ (map)
Description
“How does nature make good mineral specimens? Insights into mineral formation” – presentation by Dr Nic Holland, Taranis Mineral

Members’ Display Table: Crystallised minerals.



Wednesday 18th


Thursday 19th


Geostudies - Lecture Series - Miscellany
When
Thu, 19 September, 18:30 – 20:30
Where
John Kyrle High School, Ledbury Rd, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7ET, UK (map)
Description
Understanding the Earth – a Geological Miscellany

Thursday September 19th, 6.30-8.30pm, running for 10 weeks at the Adult Education Centre, John Kyrle High School until 12th December (missing out 24th, 31st October and 7th November) covering the following topics: Geological maps and structures, and their relationship to landscape development; Tectonics, mountain building and their effects on landforms; Geological resources – formation , occurrence and exploitation; Climate change in a geological context.

 Cost £75, including drinks at break time.
---------------------------------------------

Thornbury Geology Group, 7.30pm, The Chantry, Thornbury
When
Thu, 19 September, 19:00 – 21:30
Description
Thornbury Geology Group, 7.30pm at The Chantry, Thornbury, and every 3rd Thursday in the month.

Friday 20th


Bath - Geology Walk with Maurice Tucker
When
Fri, 20 September, 11:00 – 13:00
Where
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HN, UK (map)
Description
JOIN LEADING SEDIMENTOLOGIST – MAURICE TUCKER AT THE BRLSI FOR A GUIDED GEOLOGY TRAIL AROUND BATH. - Friday September 20th at 11am 

As a conclusion to their Heritage Open Days celebrations the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution in conjunction with Bath Geological Society will be holding a guided walking trail throughout the city at the end of the summer.  Professor Maurice Tucker will be leading the Bath 
Geology Trail on Friday 20th September and hoping for an extension of the sunshine while he does so.   

Book your place and come along to BRLSI reception for Maurice’s illuminating introduction to the trail which departs at 11am. Participants will then begin upon a trip around the city which will endeavour to help them to identify and explore the various stones from which Bath was constructed. 

The walk will take approximately one hour, and those taking part will need to be wearing sensible footwear and feel confident negotiating the hillsides and cobbled streets of the city. All you need to do is sign up on Eventbrite!   

Maurice Tucker is a leading British sedimentologist, specialising in limestones.  From 1993-2011 he was Professor of Geological Sciences at Durham University and from 1998 – 2011 Master of University College, Durham.  Currently, Maurice is working at the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol and you might recently have read his article ‘Bath Rocks’ in the July 2019 issue of Bath Magazine and wished you could get to ask him some questions about it. This is your chance to come and spend the morning with a leading geologist and allow him to transform your image of the city and its foundations.  

And what is it with Bath and geology? Considered the Cradle of English Geology due to its links to William Smith and his creation of the world’s first stratigraphical map, Bath was once surrounded on all sides by quarries exploiting stone and these were used for storage during the second world war, or for the growing of mushrooms! Many of them are now blocked to prevent access, but the evidence of the relationship to stone can still be seen from all around.    

But that still doesn’t quite explain why BRLSI is the natural departure point for such a walk. The BRLSI founded in 1824 became the natural home for many of the amazing geological finds that made their way to the city in the light of Bath’s geological reputation and to this day houses its own rich and extensive geological collection. It is the natural home for many local groups such as the Bath Geological Society and the Bath and Counties Archaeological Society and sells its own self-guided trail which celebrates the geological significance of Bath. 

The walk on the 20th September at once celebrates Bath’s heritage but at the same time its own. BRLSI hope you can join the celebrations. 
 The walk will be a circular one taking in many familiar streets but exploring them by way of their building stones and their ancient geological origins. 

All walkers will receive a free coffee. To book 

30 Places available. 
----------------------------------------------

Mendip Rocks! - “The Buried Treasure of Fairyland”
When
Fri, 20 September, 19:00 – 21:00
Where
Priddy Village Hall, Priddy, Wells BA5 3BE, UK (map)
Description
“The Buried Treasure of Fairyland” A film premiere presenting Fairy Cave Quarry  Fri 20th Sept, 7-9pm at Priddy Village Hall 7-9pm

ALL EVENTS TO BE BOOKED via Eventbrite link: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk details 01749 840156.


Saturday 21st

Mendip Rocks! - Fossil Fun at Writhlington, Radstock
When
Sat, 21 September, 14:00 – 16:00
Where
Parking on Waterloo Road,and town centre. Meet opposite Radstock Museum. (map)
Description
Fossil Fun at Writhlington, Radstock– Sat 21st Sept – SESC/Simon Carpenter –2-4pm. Parking on Waterloo Road,and town centre. Meet opposite Radstock Museum.
ALL EVENTS TO BE BOOKED via Eventbrite link: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk details 01749 840156.

Sunday 22nd



Posted by at 11:15 0 comments
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