Short Course Announcement

FEBRUARY 2 & 3, 2009; 6:00-9:30 pm (Two Evenings)
How to Recognize Continental Trace Fossils in Outcrop and Core:
Implications to Interpreting Environments of Depositional and Significant Surfaces

Leader:
Dr. Stephen T. Hasiotis
The University of Kansas–Lawrence
Associate Professor of Geology &
Coeditor of the journal PALAIOS

Dr. Hasiotis is a leading expert on continental trace fossils and on interpreting ancient organism–media interactions preserved in the geologic record. This popular short course has been presented to numerous academic and professional organizations.

Prerequisites
The short course is tailored to professional petroleum and academic geologists and students. People interested in this short course are those geologists who work with core and outcrop sections that are or may be of continental origin or that have been overprinted by processes associated with terrestrial and freshwater aquatic conditions; including both clastic and carbonate lithology. A previous course in geology is desired. There is no cost for the course, but participants are requested to obtain a copy of the course text: Continental Trace Fossils: SEPM Short Course Notes 51, 130 p. (ISBN 1-56576-092-1). The text can be purchased through SEPM (http://www.sepm.org) or onsite during the course for $40.

Objectives and Content
The type, distribution, and tiering of continental trace fossils are useful tools in outcrop and core for interpreting continental environments of deposition and their post depositional histories. This short course presents the latest ichnological concepts and provides a comprehensive photoglossary of nearly the entire suite of major terrestrial and freshwater trace fossils that geoscientists will encounter. The short course presentation and notes are divided into two sections: 1)concepts and fundamental principles that explain how terrestrial and freshwater-aquatic trace fossil behavior is interpreted and used to define environments of deposition and to recognize paleosols; and 2) a hands on study of outcrop and core examples of continental trace fossils using the photoglossary of continental tracefossils with explanations and idealized line drawings.

Part 1: we discuss fundamental concepts of continental ichnology by examining the life cycle of organisms in modern depositional systems. We discuss short comings in the new directions in ichnology, and we elaborate on the differences between continental and marine organisms and resultant differences in their traces. Photos and illustrations of modern and ancient trace making organisms and their traces will be used to illustrate how the controls on behavior and distribution of continental organisms can be applied to interpreting continental environments in the rock record. An ichnological framework for continental systems is presented that is based on analogy to specific environmental controls operating in modern terrestrial and freshwater environments. Alluvial, lacustrine, eolian, and transitional depositional settings form potential ichnofacies, which are defined in detail by their ichnologic composition. The framework uses examples of modern and ancient trace fossils to define specific environments that will be presented as hand samples and rock sectioned specimens.

Part 2: we use section two of the short course notes, which is a photoglossary of outcrop and core examples of continental trace fossils. At the end of this section is a reference sheet that contains representative color photographs and line drawings of each type of trace fossil in the photoglossary. This sheet also includes a list of abbreviations of continental trace fossils to be used when measuring sections in the field or describing core at an offsite location. We work with continental trace fossils in hand specimens, rock section, and few core samples to learn to how to recognize and identify these types of ichnofossils. We will also use examples of ichnofossils as major constituents of paleosols. Many of the continental trace fossils occur in paleosols where the color differences between the trace fossils and surrounding matrix accentuate the morphology of the trace fossil. The combination of text, line drawings, photographs, and figure explanations allows the user to identify the trace fossil as well as to determine the paleoenvironmental, paleohydrologic, and paleoclimatic settings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE, PLEASE CONTACT:
Dr. Jared Morrow, SDSU Department of Geological Sciences
jmorrow@geology.sdsu.edu, 619-594-1395
The course will be held at SDSU Dept. of Geological Sciences
(http://www.geology.sdsu.edu); room CSL 422

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS FEBURARY 1, 2009

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The Independent Planetologist / Favored Lecture Topics

Looking for a Science Lecture for your local group....
ask the Independent Planetologist - Dr. Gary Peterson

The Independent Planetologist / Favored Lecture Topics:

"FAVORED TOPICS

Some lectures are one of a kind. Others are given over and over again, sometimes under different titles (in this list, only the latest title is indicated). The content of a talk can vary quite considerably, depending on the audience. Some talks tend to 'evolve' as they are repeatedly given. Listed below are some favored topics. The 'Planet Earth Series' of talks deal with earthly topics only. Click on the title and a list of venues will appear. (* indicates that the talk has been given 5 or more times, ** 10 or more times and *** 20 or more times.)

'PLANET EARTH SERIES'
'DOOMSDAY ASTEROIDS AND COMETS' **
'GEOLOGY: THE EARTH AS A PLANET'
'COLLISIONS OF COMETS AND PLANETS' **
'A FIELD TRIP THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM'
'METEORITES AND OTHER SPACE DEBRIS'**
'SALT WEATHERING ON EARTH AND MARS'
'IMPACT STRUCTURES ON THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS'
'BASALTIC FLOODING OF PLANETARY LANDSCAPES' **
'EVOLUTION OF THE GALILEAN SATELLITES OF JUPITER'
'THE SULFUR VOLCANISM OF IO'*
'EXPLORING THE MARTIAN DESERT' **
'THE GEOLOGICAL CASE FOR LIFE ON MARS' ***
'LOSS OF VOLATILE CONSTITUENTS FROM THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS' **
'MARS: WHERE DID ALL THE WATER GO?' **
'EXPLORING THE LUNAR LANDSCAPE'*
'WHY IS MARS RED?' ***
'EUROPA: THE OTHER OCEAN'*
'IS THERE LIFE ELSEWHERE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM?'*
'VENUS: EXPLORING THE INFERNO' **
'ATMOSPHERES AND OCEANS OF THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS' **
'MERCURY: THE FORGOTTEN PLANET'**
'THE GREAT MARTIAN CLIMATE CHANGE'*
'THE PROBLEM WITH PLUTO'*
'THE CAPTURE OF THE MOON'*
'THE CRYOGEN"

New Member of the Family

Nikolai Waldemar Peterson

Gary and Daria Peterson proudly announce the birth of their firstr child, Nikolai Waldermar Peterson.

Born: Thursday, October 6, 2008 at 4:22am,
9 lbs and 8 oz, 22 inches (15in head circumference).

2007 Science Sampler

Science Sampler

Sunday, November 18, 2007

A Science Experience on for San Diego Area High School Students Given by SDSU School of Sciences Departments

The Menu:
Oriented toward San Diego County High School Students. A series of short presentations, experiments and labs Hands on, interactive activities demonstrating scientific principles. A sampler of the best of selected science fields. Visitor participation includes a write-up and proof of attendance certificate.

Purpose for High School Students:
Expose High School students to neat science stuff. Experience science in action and take part in experimental science.

Purpose for High School Science Teachers who are welcome:
Support local High School Science Teachers: Provide a local field trip and meet Selected State of California Science Standards

Science Areas:
SDSU School of Sciences Departments Instructions: Students can come by themselves or with others. Suggested arrival at SDSU before 1 :30 PM. for pre-show tour. Go to Geology, Mathematics, Computer Science (GMCS) building Room 333 at SDSU

Campus Directions and Parking Information GMCS Map

San Diego Fire Watch - Google Earth

MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program

WMS and KML Access
The data links below provide access to MODIS MOD14 fire and thermal anomaly data in both a Web Mapping Service (WMS) and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format for each specified geographic area. Both the WMSes and KMLs are updated hourly.

GOOGLE EARTH (KMZ): Download
2007 WMS: Information
2001-2006 WMS: Information

These fire information products were compiled at the USDA Forest Service (USFS) Remote Sensing Applications Center in cooperation with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Maryland, the National Interagency Fire Center, and the USFS Missoula Fire Sciences Lab.

GOES Western US SECTOR Visible Image
October 21st - 24th