Geological Field Techniques

Preface x
 
Acknowledgements xi
 
1 INTRODUCTION 1
 
1.1 A selection of general books and reference material on geology 2
 
1.2 Books on geological fi eld techniques 3
 
2 FIELD EQUIPMENT AND SAFETY 4
 
2.1 Introduction 4
 
2.2 The hand lens and binoculars 5
 
2.3 The compass-clinometer 6
 
2.3.1 Orientation of a dipping plane 11
 
2.3.2 Orientation of a linear feature 16
 
2.3.3 Triangulation: Determining location using a compass 20
 
2.4 Global positioning systems and altimeters 25
 
2.5 Measuring distance and thickness 26
 
2.5.1 Standard thickness and distance measurements 26
 
2.5.2 Use of the Jacob staff to measure the thickness of inclined strata 27
 
2.6 Classifi cation and colour charts 28
 
2.7 Hammer, chisels and other hardware 31
 
2.8 The hardcopy fi eld notebook 33
 
2.9 The laptop, netbook or PDA as a notebook 34
 
2.10 Writing equipment, maps and relevant literature 35
 
2.10.1 Writing equipment 35
 
2.10.2 Maps and relevant literature 35
 
2.11 Comfort, fi eld safety and fi eld safety equipment 36
 
2.11.1 Clothes, backpack/rucksack and personal provisions 36
 
2.11.2 Field safety 36
 
2.11.3 Field safety equipment 39
 
2.12 Conservation, respect and obtaining permission 40
 
2.13 Further reading 41
 
3 INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OBSERVATIONS AT DIFFERENT SCALES 42
 
3.1 Introduction: What, where and how? 42
 
3.1.1 Defining the fi eldwork objectives 42
 
3.1.2 Deciding where to do the fi eldwork 43
 
3.1.3 Locating your position 45
 
3.2 Scale of observation, where to start and basic measurements 45
 
3.2.1 Regional context 45
 
3.2.2 Whole exposure 46
 
3.2.3 Hand specimens 49
 
3.3 Overview of possible data formats 51
 
4 THE FIELD NOTEBOOK 53
 
4.1 Introduction: The purpose

Dr Angela L. Coe specializes in sedimentology and stratigraphy and has over 20 years of experience of collecting geological field data in Europe, Asia, North and South America. Over this time, she has also designed and taught field geology courses for several UK universities and has led many field trips for international conferences and petroleum companies.
 
Dr Tom W. Argles is a geologist who has conducted structural and metamorphic fieldwork in several mountain belts (Alps, Himalaya, Betic Cordillera, Caledonides, Basin and Range) for 20 years. He has set up and taught field courses in a range of locations across the UK and Europe
 
Dr David A. Rothery is a volcanologist and planetary scientist. He has taught geology in the field for 30 years and has research experience of igneous rocks (including active volcanoes) in the Oman, Cyprus, Italy, the Andes, central America, NW USA, Hawaii and Western Australia.
 
Professor Robert A. Spicer is a palaeobotanist and sedimentologist with over 30 years field experience working in remote regions of Northern Alaska and northeastern Russia, China and Tibet, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico.

"It is highly informative, attractively designed and illustrated, reasonably priced and has its corners already rounded to survive in the rucksack. It deserves to be widely used." ( Geological Magazine , February 2011)

"It is highly informative, attractively designed and illustrated, reasonably priced and has its corners already rounded to survive in the rucksack. It deserves to be widely used." ( Geological Magazine , February 2011)