Today Travis, Dr. Pollock and I started our field work in Undirhlíðar Quarry. It was cold, windy and rainy- perfect for our new rain gear!
Geochemists at work
We started mapping the quarry walls in detail where Becky Alcorn ’11 left off, and made it along the East wall in about six hours. We observed some gorgeous pillow lavas, the most abundant formation in the quarry.
Pillow from the East wall
Undirhlíðar is much larger than I had originally imagined it (certainly a grander scale than Estonian quarries). Here’s a great picture taken by Travis:
Undirhlíðar quarry wall under consideration by Dr. Pollock and Lindsey Bowman
To brighten up this post, I’d like to nod to the colorful and abundant flora of Iceland. Barren? I think not.
Nootka Lupin outside Undirhlithar
Wood crane's bill
The only fauna that we’ve seen besides seagulls are these unfortunate fish- species unknown.
Dried fish- yummy!
Finally, below is a video taken by Travis today to give you an idea of Undirhlíðar in 3D-
Tomorrow we head to Vatnsskarth to continue our field work!
KÄINA, ESTONIA–Rachel, Nick and I worked today in our lonely quarry on Hiiumaa measuring and describing this section of Lower Silurian (Llandovery, Rhuddanian) rocks and fossils. This is the fieldwork for Rachel’s Senior Independent Study.
One of the dilemmas is the nature of the lower interbedded limestones and shales. In places they show gently sloping beds and curved tops as here. Does this indicate some sort of mud mound or bioherm? Or is it a function of slumping in the quarry itself? (I'm leaning toward the latter.)
The fossils here are excellent, including corals and bryozoans. (Just because I could I expanded the image of the mite!)
