Happy Geoscience for Everyone Day – Earth Science Week 2023

It’s Geoscience for Everyone Day! Today, we focus on encouraging everyone, including minorities, people of all gender orientations, and those with a range of abilities to study geosciences!

Over the past few years, multiple publications and scientific websites have examined the issue of physical accessibility in the geoscience profession. Multiple disciplines under the geoscience umbrella require people to conduct field work in rough terrain, which is not always easy for those with limited mobility. Additionally, many undergraduate courses in geology have a field trip component that requires students to travel to remote exposures and hike over rough terrain.

Although much work still needs to be done, paved trails and technology have allowed students and geoscientists with limited physical mobility to participate in data collection and field observation. For those interested in designing accessible field experiences in Arkansas, the Office of the State Geologist has three State Park Series publications available: Crater of Diamonds State Park, Hobbs State Park, and Petit Jean State Park. All three parks offer accessible facilities and/or trails. This includes the Little Missouri River trail in Crater of Diamonds, the Cedar Falls Overlook trail in Petit Jean, and the Ozark Plateau and Historic Van Winkle Trails in Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area. The Hobbs State Park publication even has geologic trail maps available. These publications can be accessed on our website: https://www.geology.arkansas.gov/publication/state-park-series.html

For additional information, please see the following resources regarding physical accessibility in geoscience:

Creating Spaces for Geoscientists with Disabilities to Thrive

https://theiagd.org/ – The International Association for Geoscience Diversity

Field Tested: A groundbreaking field camp opens Earth sciences to students with disabilities

https://sites.google.com/ufl.edu/geospace-field-program – An accessible field course for students at the University of Florida

https://rock.geosociety.org/net/gsatoday/science/G462A/GSATG462A.pdf – Using Mobile Technologies to Enhance Accessibility and Inclusion in Field-Based Learning

https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article/15/6/1809/574966/Making-geoscience-fieldwork-inclusive-and – Making geoscience fieldwork inclusive and accessible for students with disabilities

Geo-pic of the week: Rock Beds

Why do rocks have beds?  Are rock beds where geologists sleep?  Sometimes, but that’s not the point of this article.  The picture above, taken on the Goat Trail at Big Bluff, overlooking the Buffalo National River, is a great example of a sedimentary rock composed of many individual beds (layers).  The reason that rocks are bedded is due to either gaps in deposition or abrupt changes in the grain size of sediment being deposited in an environment.

Here’s an example;  when a storm causes a river to flood its valley, the water deposits sediment as the flood recedes.  Typically, there’s a period of non-deposition before the next flood event deposits a new layer of sediment over that one. This time between floods allows weathering to alter the character of the first flood deposit.  That weathered surface will eventually differentiate the flood deposits into distinct beds of rock. 

Bedding can also form as a result of flowing water gaining or losing velocity.  The size of sediment that water carries (and eventually deposits) is directly related to flow rate.   A sudden change in flow rate creates bedding distinguished by differences in grain size.

Everyone in the photo above was eventually air-lifted to safety… Just kidding!  They’re still up there