Things Every Geologist Should Do

As an experienced geologist, there are many things one could teach a new geologist. There are some basics recommended that every geologist be aware of. There are a variety of general geologic websites that a person could go to for information.

One of them is called “Geysers and the Earth’s Plumbing Systems.” This website explains everything about geysers. Geysers are not often found on the surface of the earth and are considered very unstable hot springs. In order for a geyser to erupt there must be a water supply, a heat source, and a reservoir and associated plumbing system. There are only about fifty locations where geysers occur. In order for a geyser to erupt, boiling hot water and cool water must mix in the underground reservoir. When this happens the hot water rises and the cool water stays at the bottom. The water continues to rise until it comes out the top hole of the geyser. Sometimes the eruption is catastrophic while other times it is minor. Some characteristics that have an effect on geysers are the amount of rainfall, temperature of the water, and the barometric pressure. Even the smallest change in one of those can cause an eruption.

Another interesting geological structure is slot canyons. This is something I have never heard about before, and I am assuming that not many other people have either. Slot canyons are hundreds of feet deep but only a couple of feet wide. They are mostly located in the southwest parts of the United States. They are very colorful due to the reflection of the sun off the walls of the canyon. It is said that they are hard to find but once located they are very beautiful.

Lake Baikal is located in parts of Russia and southern Siberia. It is the deepest lake in the world, with an average depth of 730 meters, and the deepest part at 1620 meters. The lake covers over 31.5 square kilometers. That is one fifth of the world’s water in reserve.

The Great Barrier Reef is a place that every geologist should visit at some point. It is located off the coast of Australia and extremely educational and beautiful. It is home to more than four hundred different types of coral, 1500 kinds of fish, and 4000 mollusks. The whole reef is over thirty-five hectares. After research in 1997 the reef was said to be in good condition and being well maintained.