Go2NZ Report
The 2009 Go2NZ students have successfully completed field camp and are now enjoying semester life. The field camp this year began in the South Island in the foothills of the Southern Alps with an introduction to field mapping and New Zealand geology.
Field Module 1: Introduction to Geologic Field Mapping
The first field module is an introduction to geological mapping in an uplifted and deformed succession of Oligocene marine strata (Castle Hill Basin) that was used as the backdrop for the movie adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This module not only hones the students’ field mapping skills but it sets the stage for the ensuing string of modules designed to give the students a firm understanding of the geologic evolution of New Zealand.
Field Module 2: Gondwanaland to New Zealand
This field module took place in the lush and rugged West Coast of the South Island and incorporated a series of field mapping exercises in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary geologic environments. The module has 2 main objectives: 1) decipher the Cretaceous history of the Gondwana continent breakup and extension by examining a metamorphic core complex, its less deformed cover and contemporaneous basin deposits; and 2) examine the tectonic controls on the formation and evolution of the Cretaceous to Tertiary sedimentary basins of the region.
Field Module 3: Volcanoes- giveth life and taketh away: cone construction, hazards, ancient life and natural resources:
In this module, we jump to the North Island and into the geologic future to the Quaternary. This module is designed to provide the student and opportunity to examine how quickly geologic processes can occur in an active and dynamic environment. Specifically, students map lava flows on the flanks of Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings, examine the deposits left behind by the 2007 lahars on Mt. Ruapehu, map sinters and hot springs in an active geothermal system, and discuss the balance between geohazards and natural resources in a rapidly evolving geologic system.
Field Module 4: Surf and Turf: A study of a Holocene prograding dune system using ground penetrating radar, vibra-core, and total station surveying techniques
This module gave the students an opportunity to use field equipment to collect data in an effort to better understand the role that Holocene sea-level, tectonics, and sediment flux play in another rapidly evolving geologic system. The present really is the key to the past in deciphering the interplay between these processes, as students also spend time examining a thick succession of 300 to 600 thousand year old alternating marine and terrestrial strata that demonstrate an almost identical geologic environment as the Holocene.