Not every day can be a field trip. I have spent most of November researching the technicalities of the events that led to the formation of the Onondaga limestone in the Catskill/Hudson River Valley area (I also spent a large part of November applying to colleges, which leaves less time for Signature). After clocking many hours on the USGS website (among other sources) this is what I know so far:
1. The Onondaga limestone was formed during the Middle Devonian period (between 419.3 MYA and 358.9 MYA). The Devonian period was characterized by large seas that covered vast amounts of land, which is why it is often called the "age of fishes" and why many fossils are found in the Onondaga formation.
2. The Onondaga formation is part of the Canadian Shield. The Canadian shield is a huge mass (3 millon+ square miles) that extends from Northern Canada to New York and from the Great Lakes in the West to Newfoundland in the East. It is one of the largest exposed masses of Precambrian rock and has been shaped mainly by orogenies (mountain building events) and glacial movement.
3. Onondaga limestone is a fine grained sedimentary rock with high concentrations of calcium which is what makes it a higher density rock. The second "ingredient" in Onondaga limestone is Magnesium which gives it its distinct grey to black color. Oxidation of the Magnesium is why older exposed onondaga is lighter in color (and why the addition onto Kellas is darker than the rest of the building).
I will be back with more, but I don't want to spoil all of the interesting tidbits in one post! Coming soon: testing rock composition, exploring QR code mounting methods, and writing the narrative.
Jess
1. The Onondaga limestone was formed during the Middle Devonian period (between 419.3 MYA and 358.9 MYA). The Devonian period was characterized by large seas that covered vast amounts of land, which is why it is often called the "age of fishes" and why many fossils are found in the Onondaga formation.
2. The Onondaga formation is part of the Canadian Shield. The Canadian shield is a huge mass (3 millon+ square miles) that extends from Northern Canada to New York and from the Great Lakes in the West to Newfoundland in the East. It is one of the largest exposed masses of Precambrian rock and has been shaped mainly by orogenies (mountain building events) and glacial movement.
3. Onondaga limestone is a fine grained sedimentary rock with high concentrations of calcium which is what makes it a higher density rock. The second "ingredient" in Onondaga limestone is Magnesium which gives it its distinct grey to black color. Oxidation of the Magnesium is why older exposed onondaga is lighter in color (and why the addition onto Kellas is darker than the rest of the building).
I will be back with more, but I don't want to spoil all of the interesting tidbits in one post! Coming soon: testing rock composition, exploring QR code mounting methods, and writing the narrative.
Jess