Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology 4e

GEOTOURS EXERCISE 10
Name:
Course:
Understanding Geologic Structures Using Maps
Section:
Date:
Exploring Geology Using Google Earth
1. Visit digital.wwnorton.com/geolabmanual4
2. Go to the Geotours tile to download Google Earth Pro and the accompanying
Geotours exercises file.
Expand the Geotour10 folder in Google
Earth by clicking the triangle to the left of
the folder icon. First, check and double-click
on the USGS Map Credit placemark to fly to
Split Mountain east of Vernal, UT. Then, take
turns turning on the SplitMtn_TopoMap
and SplitMtn_GeoMap folders to answer
questions about the geologic structure of
this portion of Dinosaur National Monument
(note that you can select a folder/overlay and
use the transparency slider at the bottom of the
Places panel to make items semi-transparent).
(a) Check the SplitMtn_GeoMap folder.
Then check and double-click the North
Fold placemark to fly to a nose-like
protrusion of Split Mountain. Given
that the blue/purple rocks are older
than the green rocks, what type of fold
is Split Mountain and is it plunging or
nonplunging (if plunging, then provide the general direction)? fold type
plunging/nonplunging (and direction if applicable)
(b) Check and double-click the South Fold placemark to fly to a nearby location south of Split Mountain. Given that
the blue/purple rocks are older than the green rocks, what type of fold is this and is it plunging or nonplunging
(if plunging, then provide the general direction)?
(and direction if applicable)
fold type
plunging/nonplunging
(c) Check the SplitMtn_TopoMap folder. Then check and double-click the Flatiron placemark to fly to an example
of a flatiron, a laundry iron-shaped landform commonly associated with dipping sedimentary bedding surfaces.
Ignoring the valleys carved by the branching tributary that flows into the Green River (i.e., use the straight segment
of the 5800 contour line pointed to by the placemark) and using the Heading information from the Line tab
on the Ruler tool, draw lines to estimate both the strike direction (approximately parallel to the topographic
contour) and the dip direction (approximately perpendicular to the topographic contour, away from the flatiron
“point”). Hint: check out Sections 07, 12, 13, or 18 to the SE to see topographic contours on a dip slope that is less
eroded and/or turn on the SplitMtn_GeoMap and look for a strike/dip symbol with the amount of dip included.
strike direction (0-360°)
dip
direction (0-360°)
10.6 READING REAL GEOLOGIC MAPS
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