Reworked Middle Pleistocene deposits preserved in the core region of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The AuthorsDuring successive Pleistocene ice ages, Finnish Lapland lay under the cold-based centre of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet (FIS). This area largely escaped deep glacial erosion by the fast-flowing wet-based ice streams that developed toward the periphery of successive ice sheets. Low erosion is evident from the preservation of Neogene weathered bedrock and a significant record of tills of the pre-Weichselian sediments. To date, some 250 locations are known where sediments occur beneath and within last glaciation deposits (Weichselian). An ongoing challenge is to determine absolute ages for old sediments and to establish regional stratigraphic correlations from one site to another. At Äältövittikot, lacustrine silts and rippled sands are found as rafts and inter-till layers within the Weichelian tills. The results indicate an age range of 190–235 ka identifying a likely MIS 7 age i.e., an early or mid Saalian Stage for the older sediments and a couple of younger OSL ages representing Weichselian interstadials as an indication for the multiphase deposition of the Äältövittikot sediment complex. Overlying Weichselian tills contain large amounts of glaciotectonically-deformed and reworked Saalian material. The reworking of Saalian sediment in an up-ice position from the headward erosion zone of the Salla ice stream is important for understanding the polycyclic origins of tills found in similar locations and for interpretation of tracer minerals found in mineral exploration surveys in similar glaciated terrains.Peer reviewe

Enhancing geological skills through tactile learning with interactive multi-layered three-dimensional printed geological models of southern Ontario.

In the digital age we often forget about the immense value of tactile learning. In other words, learning by touching and moving (i.e., assembling and disassembling) physical objects. Here we introduce the newly developed three dimensional (3D) printed models created by the Oil, Gas, Salt Resource Library that provide an unprecedented regional 3D perspective of the subsurface geology of southern Ontario. These innovative models simplify data from thousands of borehole records that are part of a 3D digital model focusing on the Paleozoic bedrock in southern Ontario (Carter et al. 2021). The 4-layer multi-coloured 3D print models are highly simplified versions of the 52-layer digital models. Nevertheless, the physical model encapsulates numerous aspects of the basin stratigraphy, geometry, and topography. Piloting the use of 3D printed geological models in undergraduate university courses (future Geoscientists and Geologic Engineers) in the form of laboratory exercises has shown to successfully bridge learning gaps in regard to conceptualizing spatial features (i.e., lateral extent, vertical thickness, and aspect of geologic layers), temporal context (i.e., relative age and preserved or missing layers) and economic resource formations (i.e., salt, water, oil, gas). The 3D print models also help students connect field observations with geologic interpretations (i.e., surficial mapping, subsurface borehole data to 3D surfaces, geometric shapes) as well as relating subsurface geology to surface features (i.e., landforms like escarpments and location of resources). In this workshop we will demonstrate the use of 3D printed models needed to bridge vital gaps in knowledge between real digital data and everyday life, applicable to the Geosciences. And then ask for help reflecting upon the use and impact of 3D printed models in other disciplines. Please bring your own device (smartphone, laptop, tablet) so you can experiment with resources and explore potential avenues to improve teaching and learning

The geology of Southern Ontario: Geographic information software for sharing map-based narratives as a tool for open-source education and science communication

The geology and geological history of Southern Ontario is a fundamental part of university undergraduate courses in Earth Science and Geoscience programs. The broader public, however, is usually only able to learn about parts of the expansive geology and long geological history of Southern Ontario in jargon-laden geological resources or through interpretive panels at specific tourist destinations. Here we present the “The Geology of Southern Ontario” ArcGIS StoryMap (https://arcg.is/0fP1WH), a digital open access resource that enables everyone, from the general public, to amateur geologists, and elementary, secondary or post-secondary school teachers to learn about how Southern Ontario’s geologic record evolved. This resource aims to focus on selected learning objectives so the reader can understand, engage, and remember knowledge about the geology of Southern Ontario such as the three basic rock units, basic rock formation processes, and where such rocks can be found. Additionally, it includes information about how Southern Ontario’s geology influences our daily lives. It does this by presenting examples of which resources we extract (e.g. for smartphones, computers, cars), how it influences agriculture, or how the present geography and landforms seen along the many hiking trails of Southern Ontario, are related to long and short-term geologic processes. Readers will encounter short “Pause to think” questions and summaries at the end of each section, were we encourage the reader to think critically about and internalize the knowledge. The learning objectives, pause to think, and summaries all hope to spark a feeling of belonging and being part of our fascinating and constantly evolving Earth. This resource is being developed in collaboration with the University of Waterloo, University of Toronto-Scarborough, the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) and the Ontario Oil, Gas and Salt Resource Library (OGSRL) to increase access to geoscientific information usually only discussed in universities, specific governmental branches, and industry. The StoryMap forms the foundation for other open educational resources and educational teaching tools that are currently in development, which include physical and digital 3D models of the surface to subsurface geology of Southern Ontario