Earth Cooling from Space?

Did a Comet Impact Cause the Younger Dryas?

A source has brought THIS ARTICLE to my attention. Using cores from a South Carolina lake the researchers speculate that the Younger Dryas cooling event (12,800 years ago) was caused by some sort of extra terrestrial impact.

In particular they were looking for (relatively) high levels of platinum. This they found; also an anomalously high platinum to palladium ratio, suggesting that some of the platinum came from an outside source. 

The article gives a lot of the background to the arguments about the Younger Dryas, including the non impact theory and is well worth reading. Click on the pictures and diagrams - you do not see there full extent in the article as downloaded.

28th October to 3rd November 2019

NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

28th October to 3rd November 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 28th

Tuesday 29th

Wednesday 30th

Thursday 31st

friday 1st

Bath Geol Soc - Excursion

When

Fri, 1 November, 10:00 – 16:00

Where

Meet at 10am at the Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moon's Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU. (map)

Description

Moon’s Hill Quarry, Tedbury Camp & De la Beche Unconformity

Leader: Somerset Earth Science Centre

An exploration of the Andesite and Carboniferous Limestone quarries at Moon’s Hill during the morning, followed by a visit in the afternoon to the Jurassic and Carboniferous limestone exposures in the Tedbury Camp and the De la Beche Unconformity.

Maximum number: 20 people. Meet at 10am at the Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moon's Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU.

Note: a minibus will take us to Moon’s Hill Quarry, but we have to use our own cars for Tedbury Camp

Saturday 2nd

G.A. Festival of Geology.

When

Sat, 2 November, 10:30 – 16:00

Where

University of London, Gower Street, London. (map)

Sunday 3rd

Earthquake Early Warning

Earthquake Early Warning

- If you are in California and it may be less than 5 seconds! THIS ARTICLE gives details of a new app called MyShake which will send earthquake alerts to your phone.

It works on the fact that P (push) waves travel faster than S (shake) waves. And it is the S waves that do the damage. Depending on where you are in relation to the epicentre, the warning may be as much as 20 seconds, or less than 5. If you know what to do, this might be useful.

For those of us not in California, Last Quake might be more informative. The web site is HERE. For the Android app, you can get it HERE, and for Apple devices, HERE. It will tell you of recent earthquakes, not the presently occurring ones. The map for earthquake location is good.

21st to 27th October 2019

NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

21st to 27th 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 21st

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician

When

Mon, 21 October, 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 22nd

Wednesday 23rd

Thursday 24th

Friday 25th

Saturday 26th

Sunday 27th

OUGS Wessex Newsletter

OUGS Wessex Newsletter - Footnotes

The October edition of the very well produced Newsletter of the OUGS Wessex Branch is available for download HERE.

Or you can read it on this page.

Listening to Etna

An Ear for Etna

THIS ARTICLE tells us about a promising method of quickly measuring the size of an eruption and forecasting how dangerous it might be. A more detailed version is available HERE

14th to 20th October 2019

NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

14th to 20th 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 14TH

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician

When

Mon, 14 October, 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 15th

Geol Soc Western - Lecture

When

Tue, 15 October, 18:00 – 19:30

Where

Arup offices, Bristol (map)

Description

Remediation of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) at Dundee Gasworks  

Felipe Couto, RemedX 

Contact JJTaylor@rsk.co.uk

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

SMFS Evening Meeting

When

Tue, 15 October, 19:30 – 21:30

Where

The Friends' Meeting House, 1A, Ordnance Rd, Southampton. SO15 2AZ (map)

Description

“The wonderful world of Pseudomorphs” – presentation by Gary Morse.

Members’ Display Table: Pseudomorphs.

Details at http://www.sotonminfoss.org.uk/smfsprog.htm

Wednesday 16th

Mendip Rocks! - From Rock to Tap – How Cheddar gets its water

When

Wed, 16 October, 10:30 – 12:30

Where

Meet at Upper Pond in Cheddar Gorge. (map)

Description

• From Rock to Tap – How Cheddar gets its water – Walk and tour of Cheddar Treatment Works with Mike Sumbler (Bristol Water).

 Wed 16 Oct – 10.30am-12.30pm. Meet at Upper Pond in Cheddar Gorge.

Part of Earth Science Week

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

Thursday 17th

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Miscellany

When

Thu, 17 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.

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

Thornbury Geology Group, 7.30pm, The Chantry, Thornbury

When

Thu, 17 October, 19:00 – 21:30

Description

Thornbury Geology Group, 7.30pm at The Chantry, Thornbury, and every 3rd Thursday in the month.  

Friday 18th

Saturday 19th

SGMRG - Outing

When

Saturday, 19 Oct 2019

Description

Outing 2-Walking the sites of Bristol’s Coal Mines

Events, Exhibitions & Publications: Roger Gosling 01454 883607

Sunday 20th

OUGS Wessex - Day Field Trip

When

Sunday, 20 Oct 2019

Where

Dorset (map)

Description

RIGS Site Conservation

Leader: Alan Holiday

Location: Dorset

Date: October 20th 2019 (Sunday)

Type: Field Trip (Day)

Summary: Geology meets gardening: clearing a RIGS site in Dorset.

Contact: Jeremy Cranmer [wessexdaytrips@ougs.org]

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

Mendip Rocks! - Explore Ebbor Gorge Open Day

When

Sun, 20 October, 10:00 – 16:00

Where

Parking at the reserve near Wookey Hole, Wells. ST520 484 (map)

Description

• Explore Ebbor Gorge Open Day – Sun 20 Oct – 10am-4pm. Fun event for families and for all to discover how the gorge was formed, guided walks by Prof Danielle Schreve – Gully Cave dig to learn about early mammals that lived in the last ice age & rare palaeontological finds.  Family activities provided by Mendip AONB, SESC, The Mendip Society, SW Heritage Trust and National Trust.   Refreshments.  Parking at the reserve near Wookey Hole, Wells. ST520 484.

Part of Earth Science Week.

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

7th to 13th October 2019

NEXT WEEKS EVENTS

7th to 13th 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 7TH

Geostudies - Lecture Series - Ordovician

When

Mon, 7 October, 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 8th

Cardiff University Lecture - Volcanoes—all you need to know!

When

Tue, 8 October, 18:30 – 20:00

Where

School of Earth and Ocean Sciences will be held in the Wallace Lecture Theatre (0.13), Main Building, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT (map)

Description

Campi Flegrei: Italy’s restless giant.    Wim Degruyter,  Cardiff

The 2019-2020 monthly Tuesday evening lecture series in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences will be held in the Wallace Lecture Theatre (0.13), Main Building, Cardiff University, Park Place,

 Cardiff CF10 3AT.  Lectures begin at 18.30.  Booking is not needed.  Should you require the Q&A sessions to be in Welsh, please email edwardsd2@cardiff.ac.uk at least two weeks before the event.

Did you know that the majority of volcanic eruptions – maybe even 90% – occur under water and of which we are largely unaware? There remains a very great deal we don't know about volcanoes, but many exciting new insights are emerging from ongoing research. This lecture series will encompass the diversity of volcanoes, their functioning and products, together with the nature of eruptions and their attendant problems of predictions plus their ensuing past and present environmental and biological impacts.

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

WEGA Lecture - High Pressure/Temperature Experiments

When

Tue, 8 October, 19:30 – 21:00

Where

Earth Sciences Lecture Theatre, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ (map)

Description

Oliver Lord, Royal Society University Research Fellow & Head of the Petrology Group, bristol University

Experimenting at high pressures and temperatures to recreate conditions deep in the Earth.

Wednesday 9th

Thursday 10th

GEOSTUDIES - LECTURE SERIES - MISCELLANY

WHEN

THU, 10 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 11th

Cheltenham Mineral and Geological Society - Lecture

When

Fri, 11 October, 19:00 – 21:00

Where

Shurdington at The Century Hall (map)

Description

' You are what you eat 'Geology and Soil@ 

Our guest speaker is Eddie Bailey, Touchstone Geological Services Ltd

Saturday 12th

The Rock Exchange – Mineral & Fossil Fair

When

Sat, 12 October, 10:00 – Sun, 13 October, 16:00

Where

Lady Manners School, Bakewell, Derbyshire (map)

Description

The Bakewell Rock Exchange

Dates: Sat, 12 Oct 2019 – Sun, 13 Oct 2019

Location: Lady Manners School, Bakewell, Derbyshire

Entrance £2.  Free parking.

I am informed that there will be Many mineral and fossil dealers from the north of England and Scotland who really don't come further south than this.

More info on the Peak Lapidary & Mineral Society website.

Unlikely to get accommodation at this late stage in Bakewell and Buxton (unless you are prepared to pay a lot of money!) but Sheffield is only 12 miles away.  Should be plenty there

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

Mendip Rocks! - Beacon Hill: Geology, scenery & archaeology walk

When

Sat, 12 October, 10:00 – 12:30

Where

Meet at SESC (Moons Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU) to car share 9.45am, or parking in gateway of Beacon Hill Woods. ST637461. (map)

Description

• Beacon Hill: Geology, scenery & archaeology walk –Dr Doug Robinson

Sat 12th Oct 10am-12.30pm.  Meet at SESC to car share 9.45am, or parking in gateway of Beacon Hill Woods. ST637461.

Part of Earth Science Week

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

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

Mendip Rocks! - 10th Anniversary Geo Lecture Day at SESC

When

Sat, 12 October, 12:45 – 17:00

Where

Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU. (map)

Description

• 10th Anniversary Geo Lecture Day at SESC – Prof Iain Stewart (Plymouth Uni), Dr Ania Losiak (Exeter Uni), Prof Tony Watts (Oxford Uni) & Prof Mike Benton, James Ronan (Bristol Uni) and others. 

 Sat 12th October - 12.45pm for 1pm-5pm Tickets to include tea and cake. £20pp (pay on the door).  Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Stoke St Michael, BA3 5JU.

Part of Earth Science Week

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

Sunday 13th

THE ROCK EXCHANGE – MINERAL & FOSSIL FAIR - see saturday

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

Mendip Rocks! - Blackdown to Shute Shelve geo walk

When

Sun, 13 October, 14:00 – 16:30

Where

meet in lower car park of Burrington Combe, by Burrington Inn. BS40 7AT. (map)

Description

• Blackdown to Shute Shelve geo walk – Tony Watts (Oxford Uni) 

Sun 13 Oct – 2.00-4.30pm, meet in lower car park of Burrington Combe, by Burrington Inn. BS40 7AT.

Part of Earth Science Week

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