Geology
GEOLOGY
Have you ever wondered:
· how all those layers and folds in the sea cliffs of your holiday resort came about
· why Cheshire is generally so flat, why there are red sandstone hills and why there are rock salt bands up to a thousand feet thick a few hundred feet below our feet?
· why in the Peak District there are Limestone hills in the 'White Peak' area and the contrasting coarse 'Millstone Grit' sandstone hills in the 'Dark Peak' area?
· why the rocks in Snowdonia form mountains with sharp ridges
· why rounded chalk hills occur in southern England but not elsewhere in the country
· why the country's oil and gas fields tend to be found offshore in locations such as the North Sea and Morecambe Bay
or more widely:
· why do major mountain ranges such as the Andes, Alps and Himalayas occur
· what's happening in southern Africa with the Rift Valley
· why is there a 'ring' of volcanos all around the Pacific Ocean
· what's happening in Iceland with all the volcanic activity and ash emissions
· what's happening on the San Andreas Fault and the threat of 'The Big One' earthquake to San Francisco and the Bay Area
If you are curious then dipping your toe into Geology could be rewarding.
Geology is the study of the structure, evolution and dynamics of the Earth. The main subjects covered are:
· the processes that have shaped the Earth through its ~4500 million year history
· the continuation of those processes today and their expression in volcanos, earthquakes, mountain building etc.
· how specific rocks and rock formations are generated
· natural mineral and energy resources
· the expression of the underlying Geology in the landscape we see today
The Geology Group currently numbers about 20, of which only two or three have any formal training in Geology. We are inclusive, relaxed and aim to cater for a wide range of abilities, so don't hesitate to give us a try.
The Group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Hartford Village Hall (no meeting in December!). In addition we try to organise around 3-4 'Field Trips' a year to study rocks/rock formations in the wild or as part of museum collections. The Trips are entirely optional, so if you don't fancy scrambling around on rocks in the wind and rain, you don't have to.
Typically a monthly meeting will discuss 'Geology in the News' (items which Members have spotted in the Press/Media during the month) followed by a 'main subject' which may cover items such as:
· a study of a geographical area and the underlying Geology
· reports from 'Field Trips' or Geological Observations from Members' holidays
· the contribution of the Great Pioneering Geologists to today's knowledge
· viewing and discussing short videos on Geological Topics from Academics and Commentators
· 'hands-on' study of rock samples to identify them and their mineral contents
If you are interested in trying us out, please click on the 'Pigeon Post' (top right) to contact the Group Leader who will be happy to give assistance in joining the Group.
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