Notebook

Mystery fossil unveiled at Dayton, Ohio GSA meeting

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:42:58 +0000

Amateur paleontologist Ron Fine of Dayton, Ohio recently unveiled a 450 million-year-old fossil which he dubbed as “Godzillus.” He discovered the fossil last year in Northern Kentucky a year ago and presented it during a Geological Society of America meeting at the Dayton Convention Center.

The elliptical-shaped specimen measures 3.5-foot wide by 6.5-foot long and is believed to be the largest fossil recovered from the Cincinnati area. The question at the GSA meeting was whether it was animal, vegetable or mineral. “We are looking for people who might have an idea of what it is,” said Ben Dattilo, an assistant professor of geology at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, who is researching the discovery.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/dayton-mans-record-fossil-find-remains-unidentified-1365237.html

Some good geology fun

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:16:01 +0000

Even TV cameras can't excite geologists

http://i.imgur.com/p6te5.jpg

Incredible Landscapes Carved Into Books

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:22:37 +0000

This website shows some truely amazing artwork that should capture the hearts of earth scientists and artists alike.

http://twistedsifter.com/2012/01/landscapes-carved-into-books-guy-laramee/

IDEM Remediation Closure Guide [DRAFT]

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:31:36 +0000

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued their draft of the Remediation Closure Guide (available here http://www.in.gov/idem/6683.htm). This guide is intended as a replacement of the RISC Technical Guide, and to serve as the de facto guidance document for all environmental investigations to be performed under IDEM's regulatory programs.

Of note, the guidance document explicitly requires the development of a Conceptual Site Model of its investigated sites. The CSM is to integrate hydrogeologic settings, land use, identification of contaminants and their phases, plume characterization, and possible off-site and natural sources. We applaud this approach and believe that its implementation will result in more thoughtful and efficient investigations that will be a benefit to the citizens of Indiana.

Gamma Ray Logs

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:01:15 +0000

Gamma ray logging is a borehole tool that can provide useful information for environmental and engineering investigations and water resource exploration. In practice, the tool is sensitive to clay content, and functions as a sand/clay log for unconsolidated sediments, or a shale log in rock sequences. The method measures natural gamma irradiation from radioactive isotopes in the sediment/rock minerals. Potassium is the most common radioisotope in surficial geologic materials in the Midwest.

It is particulary helpful for wells with poor or absent boring logs, and can be useful in lithologic correlations. The method ties well with observed lithologic profiles and can be used to help constrain earth resistivity surveys. Ned Bleuer has applied gamma logging to the analysis of glacigenic facies (Indiana Geological Survey Special Report 65).

Gamma ray logs can be obtained from in situ wells and cased boreholes. Because it detects natural gamma radiation, there is no radioactive source within the tooling, and no NRC permitting is required.

GPR imaging of ground water seepage within an earthen dam

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:38:33 +0000

This is one slice of a 3-D radar survey performed at an earthen dam in northeastern Indiana (click the image to enlarge). The bright areas near the center of the image indicate ground water saturation. A geotextile layer is imaged as an inclined planar surface, and breaching of ground water from the geotextile into the fill lifts is observed. This indicates failure of the textile to route seepage to the toe drain.

Geosciences: The Road to a Sustainable Future

Xenon Geosciences, Inc. — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:22:42 +0000

AIPG National Meeting, September 11-13, Chicago, IL

This year’s conference theme is “Geosciences: The Road to a Sustainable Future”. The four day conference includes technical presentations, nationally recognized keynote speakers, workshops, field trips, poster sessions and an exhibit hall.