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Department Seminars

Thursday 4:00, room 103, Geology (bldg 12)

Sep 4: Meet and greet. Grads, undgrads, affiliates, please attend

Sep 11: Abe Springer, NAU Department of Geology

Title: Fulbright, Springs, Trains, and Dinosaurs: A Sabbatical Summary

Sep 25: Bob Krantz, ConocoPhillips. For anyone interested in the oil industry. Special time: 8:15 AM room 109 (pastries provided)

Oct 16: Karl Karlstrom, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of New Mexico

Title: Debate about the age of the Grand Canyon: Hypothesis for tectonic influences on carving of the <6 Ma Grand Canyon

Oct 23: Carol Ann Hill, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of New Mexico

Title: Evolution of Grand Canyon from the Laramide to the present: Some new ideas

Abstract: The purpose of this talk is to present some new ideas on the evolution of Grand Canyon from the Laramide to the present. Topics to be covered are: (1) How karst works in Grand Canyon, (2) A proposed Laramide (40-50 Ma) “proto-Grand Canyon,” (3) A proposed 16-6 Ma western “precursor canyon,” (4) A proposed 6 Ma karst connection model for the eastern and western Grand Canyon, and (5) the present-day Colorado River/Grand Canyon as the integrated result of all of the above factors.

Oct 30: Paul Geissler, Astrogeology Program, US Geological Survey, Flagstaff

Title: Climate change on Mars

Abstract: Changes in the surface albedo patterns of Mars have been documented for centuries, from telescopic observations dating from the 17th century to more recent spacecraft explorations beginning in the 1970s. Most of these changes are now known to be produced by aeolian processes, through the redistribution of dust and sand by the winds. More recently, spacecraft observations have shown that the Martian residual South Polar Ice Cap is rapidly retreating. While scientists have struggled to explain the recession of the polar ice cap, terrestrial climate change skeptics have seized upon the example of Mars to argue that global warming on Earth has an external cause. In this talk I will show that Martian global warming is an expected consequence of surface albedo changes over the last decades, producing an increase in downwelling atmospheric radiation sufficient to account for the recession of the polar ice cap

Nov 6: Mark Manone: Northern Arizona University, GRAIL

Nov 20: Peter Fawcett, U New Mexico

 

Nov 25: Walter Dragoni, Director, Earth Sciences, University Perugia, Italy

Title: Water supplies and fountains of Rome

Abstract: During the last 2300 years no other city has probably been endowed with as many fountains and as much water as Rome: there are currently about 3000 fountains in the city, several hundred of which are of high artistic and aesthetic value. The first aqueduct in Rome was built in 312 BC: before that date Romans had to make do with water from the river Tiber and with wells. At its height in the 1st century AD, Rome had 11 aqueducts, which provided about 9 m3/s: assuming a population between five hundred thousand and one million, that means a surprising 750-1500 litres/day per person, much more than is available in most modern cities. The supply of such a huge quantity of water was and still is possible because the area where Rome was founded is quite rich in water. In the north-west and south-east lie volcanic hills with a high rainfall rate, with several lakes, abundant groundwater, and numerous springs. East of Rome, a few dozen kilometres away, the Central Apennines, limestone mountains, more than two thousands metres high in places, receive an annual precipitation easily exceeding 1000 mm/year, including snowfalls. This situation leads to the presence of exceptionally rich groundwater resources. Groundwater surges to the surface through numerous springs, often karstic, some of which have an average discharge higher than ten cubic metres per second. At present Rome has a water supply of 18.3 m3/s, corresponding to about 225 litres/day for person. Most of this water comes from a few large springs. This talk describes the evolution of the water supply of Rome since its foundation, providing a few technical, historical and aesthetic annotations regarding fountains and aqueducts, as well as information about the hydrogeological layout of the area.

Dec 4: John Geissman, U New Mexico