1. GEOSCIENCES
AT
WEBER
STATE
UNIVERSITY

2. Geoscientists
work
in
the
field,
lab,
and
with
computers
…
• In the field to collect samples of rocks, fossils,
and water for study …
• In the lab where detailed information can be
obtained about composition, structure, and
classification of material…
• With computers to analyze data, to prepare
illustrations, and to create maps.

3. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Describing and measuring sedimentary rock layers.
Jeff Eaton
WSU students doing fieldwork in southern Utah.

4. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Advising on the drilling of wells
and studying water movement.
Students gathering data at the WSU well field.
Marek Matyjasik

5. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Studying the interaction between
surface water and ground water.
(above) Students map rocks at point where a
stream sinks underground. (right) Dye tracing a
sinking stream to determine its path to a spring. Jim Wilson

6. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Monitoring the flow of streams
and ground water.
WSU faculty and students doing fieldwork in the Uinta Mountains.
Marek Matyjasik

7. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Studying structure (deformation) of the rocks.
EOS
Jim Wilson

8. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Making maps of rocks and
structures to guide future
development.
UGS

9. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Mapping faults along which
future earthquakes may
occur.
Geologists inspect the Wasatch Fault as
revealed in a trench.
Jim Wilson

10. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Locating and studying mineral deposits.
Bingham Canyon copper mine, Utah. Jim Wilson

11. Geoscientists
work
in
the
Field
…
Searching for new energy resources.
Newly discovered Covenant
oil field in central Utah.
UGS and DOE

12. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Rutile, from Diamantia, Brazil
John Betts

13. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Red Beryl from Millard Co., Utah - a rare Utah gemstone
Wikipedia Commons
USGS

14. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Topaz from Topaz Mountain, Utah.
Utah’s state gemstone.
USGS
Topaz with a cube of bixbyite.
Jim Wilson

15. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Adamite, a mineral found at Gold Hill, Utah.
Wikipedia Commons

16. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Rock Crystal Quartz
USDA

17. Geoscientists
Study
Minerals
…
Students learn mineral
properties and develop
skills so that as
professionals they can
identify minerals and
use them to map and
locate new resources.
Jim Wilson

18. Geoscientists
Study
Rocks
…
Basalt (volcanic) boulders in a Utah canyon
Jim Wilson

19. Geoscientists
Study
Rocks
…
Goblins (hoodoos) at Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
Jim Wilson

20. Geoscientists
Study
Rocks
…
Igneous intrusions into other rocks.
Jim Wilson
Dikes, Wisconsin (left) and Alta, Utah (above).

21. Geoscientists
Study
Rocks
…
Cross-bedded sandstone layers in southern Utah.
Jeff Eaton

22. Geoscientists
Study
Fossils
…
Fossil material is collected in the field, then brought
back to the lab for detailed study.
Jenny Schaeffer Jeff Eaton

23. Geoscientists
Study
Fossils
…
Two common trilobite fossils found in Millard Co., UT.
Asaphiscus wheeleri
Elrathia kingi
Andrew McRae

24. Geoscientists
Study
Fossils
…
Utah is home to many dinosaur and mammal fossils
Students examine fossils in lab (right).
Recent discovery Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument (below).
UMNH Jim Wilson

25. Geoscientists
Study
Fossils
…
Ammonites are common fossils found in Utah.
Jim Wilson
UMNH

26. Geoscientists
Study
Sediments
…
Mud cracks and salt at
Death Valley,California (right)
and in southern Utah (below).
Jim Wilson

27. Geoscientists
Study
Sediments
…
Wind blown sand dune at Little Sahara, Utah
Jim Wilson

28. Geoscientists
Study
Sediments
…
USGS scientists camp on a sand bar in the Grand Canyon.
USGS

29. Geoscientists
Study
Sediments
…
Sand ripples (left) and animal/insect tracks in sand (right).
Jim Wilson
Heavy minerals are sorted out to make dark bands. Tracks can become fossilized.

30. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the flow of water
in rivers and streams.
Jim Wilson

31. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the flow of ice in glaciers.
Jim Wilson

32. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the failure of slopes.
South Weber home damaged by mudflow.
Thistle Landslide, Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah.
UGS

33. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the action of waves
and currents.
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Jim Wilson

34. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the growth
of coral reefs.
Satellite image of Bora Bora, south Pacific.
NASA

35. Geoscientists
Study
Processes
that
Shape
the
Earth
…
Such as the impact of major storms.
NASA
Hurricane Katrina comes ashore, 2005.

36. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Lava flow in Hawaii
USGS

37. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Lava flow in Hawaii
USGS

38. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Sampling sulfurous gases at Mt. Baker, Washington
USGS

39. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Matthias Prinke, Wikipedia Commons

40. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Okmok Caldera, Alaska
AVO - USGS Christina Neal

41. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Kasatoschi Volcano, Alaska
AVO - USGS
Jerry Morris

42. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Measuring the temperature
of rocks inside the crater
of a volcano.
AVO - USGS
Jessica Larsen

43. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Skylight of a lava tube in Hawaii.
HVO - USGS

44. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Sunset Crater, Arizona
USGS

45. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Eruption of Stromboli, Italy,
showing paths of projectiles.
Wolfgang Beyer, Wikipedia Commons

46. Geoscientists
Study
Volcanoes
…
Aniakchak Caldera, Alaska - a large explosion-collapse feature
M. Williams,
National Park
Service"

47. Geoscientists
Study
Earthquakes
…
Identifying faults and
preparing maps of
areas with high risk
of earthquakes.
The Wasatch Fault at the
mouth of American Fork
Canyon.
USGS

48. Geoscientists
Study
Earthquakes
…
And create maps of
areas with high risk
of earthquakes.
Earthquake occurrences in Utah.
USGS

49. Geoscientists
Study
Earthquakes
…
And attempt to prevent property
damage and loss of lives.
USGS

50. Geoscientists
Study
Earthquakes
…
To determine the type of ground motion.
Offset rows in lettuce field Deformed fence, Hebgen Lake earthquake
El Centro, California, earthquake, 1979. Montana, 1959.
Univ. of Colorado
USGS

51. Geoscientists
Study
Climate
Change
…
Desert sand dunes move into an African village.
USGS

52. Geoscientists
Study
Climate
Change
…
Melting of the Shepard Glacier
over a 92 year period as
shown by photographs at
Glacier National Park.
USGS

53. Geoscientists
Study
Other
Planetary
Bodies
…
Mars
Earth’s Moon
NASA

54. Geoscientists
Study
Other
Planetary
Bodies
…
The 1st civilian on the moon was a geologist, Harrison Schmitt.
USGS

55. Geoscientists
Study
Other
Planetary
Bodies
…
Harrison Schmitt collecting rocks on the Moon, Apollo 17.
NASA

56. Geoscientists
Study
Other
Planetary
Bodies
…
Rock “berries” on Mars
(Circle is sampling spot by the Mars rover.)
NASA
Rock “berries” on Earth
Zion National Park, Utah
Jim Wilson

57. Geoscientists
Study
Other
Planetary
Bodies
…
Volcano erupting on Io, a moon of Jupiter.
NASA

58. Geoscientists
use
Computer
Techniques
…
Creating maps that the public can understand and use.
UGS

59. Geoscientists
use
Computer
Techniques
…
Creating images of areas that cannot be directly observed.
Seamount and volcano on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. USGS

60. Geoscientists
use
Computer
Techniques
…
To bring out subtle differences in images of rocks.
USGS
Modified color satellite image of the Atlas Mountains, Morocco.

61. Geoscientists
use
Computer
Techniques
…
To make 3-D images of the Earth.
USGS

62. Geoscientists
use
Computer
Techniques
…
Such as remote sensing data to study the Earth.
Satellite image of
mountains and folded
rocks at Coahuilla,
Mexico.
USGS

63. Weber
State
Faculty
and
Students
…
Use equipment such as the scanning electron microscope
(SEM) to image and analyze tiny grains and details of rock.
Volcanic ash particle.
USGS
Jim Wilson

64. Weber
State
Faculty
and
Students
…
Use equipment such as the x-ray diffractometer to identify
specific minerals and measure their atomic spacings.
Jim Wilson

65. Weber
State
Faculty
and
Students
…
Use equipment such as
the atomic force
microscope to study the
surfaces of materials.
Microorganism on surface of a
calcite grain. Width of the image
Is less than 2 microns.
Marek Matyjasik

66. Weber
State
Geosciences
Graduates
find
employment
with
…
U. S. Geological Survey Utah Geological Survey
National Forest Service National Park Service
Utah Dept. of Environmental Quality
Oil exploration and production
Mineral extraction industries
City and county government, planning & zoning
Environmental and engineering consulting
Public school system

67. Geosciences
General
Education
and
Science
Inquiry
at
Weber
State
University.
GEO PS 1020 Dinosaurs and the Fossil Record
GEO PS/SI 1030 Earthquakes and Volcanoes
GEO PS 1060 Environmental Geosciences
GEO PS/SI 1110/1115 Dynamic Earth: Physical Geology & Lab
GEO PS/SI 1130 Introduction to Meteorology
GEO PS/SI 1350 Principles of Earth Science (for Elementary Ed. majors)
GEO SI 3010 Oceanography and Earth Systems
Only one GEO course is allowed for Physical Science Gen. Ed.,
but a second course can be counted for Science Inquiry.

68. Thanks
for
Viewing
Geosciences
at
Weber
State
University
Mt. Redoubt Volcano, Alaska
AVO - USGS
Dennis Josefcyzk