The fourth issue of the Earth Science Association\u27s newsletter, The Geologic Times.
Contents:
Formation And Collapse Of The Adirondack Mountains by Erkan Toraman
Living Sustainably With Active Volcanoes: Hazards And Resources by Sara Mana
Node Country For Old Men by Cora Van Hazinga
The Field Camp Experience... by Emily Doyle
What is new in the ESA community?!https://digitalcommons.salemstate.edu/esa/1003/thumbnail.jp

Mana, Sara

English

Salem State University: Digital Commons

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The Geologic Times
Oct 2019ESA Newsletter
By Erkan Toraman
The Adirondacks Mountains form the southern extension of the Grenville 
Province and is often used as an analogous model to the root zone of modern 
mountain belts, such as the Himalayas and Andes. The Adirondacks formed 
during the amalgamation of the supercontinent Rodinia in Mesoproterozoic 
times (ca. 1500 to 1000 million years ago) and represent a prime example of 
mid-crustal levels of an ancient orogen. Traditionally it is divided into two mor-
phological and geological domains: the Lowlands and Highlands (Figure 1). 
The Highlands are predominantly made up of granulite-grade orthogneiss (a 
type of very high-temperature metamorphic rocks) and anorthosite. The Low-
lands, on the other hand, mostly exposes upper-amphibolite facies metasedi-
mentary rocks (a type of medium-temperature metamorphic rocks). The two 
domains are separated by mylonites called Carthage-Colton Mylonite Zone 
(CCMZ). This fault zone is believed to exhume mid-crustal rocks towards the 
surface at the end of Grenville Orogeny. Although the timing and the condi-
tions of metamorphism and magmatism in the Adirondacks have been stud-
ied extensively during the last twenty years, the origin and significance of the 
CCMZ is still highly controversial. For instance, some early studies suggest-
ed the CCMZ first acted as a thrust fault and then as a normal fault (Metzger 
et al., 1992). Later investigations proposed that the CCMZ acted as a 
strike-slip fault in a transpressional environment. More recently, Bonamici et 
al. (2015) suggested that the CCMZ had an earlier oblique slip sense of 
motion followed by a purely extensional setting (normal fault). Uncertainties 
are not only restricted to the nature of deformation but also the timing of fault-
ing in the CCMZ. The recent consensus is that the CCMZ is a long-lived geo-
logic feature and has been reactivated multiple times between ca. 1200-1000 
Ma. Details of the timing of events, however, are not clear.
My work in the Adirondacks started 3 years ago with colleagues and students 
from St. Lawrence University and quickly centered on the CCMZ rocks. In 
order to better answer questions like “how and when did the Adirondack Low-
lands and Highlands behave as one geological unit?” or “what tectonic events 
led to the amalgamation of these two domains?”, we started a project that 
combines extensive fieldwork and laboratory analysis. We did detailed map-
ping and sampling of the CCMZ at the Stone Valley along the Raquette River 
near Colton, NY. In this transect the mylonite zone is very well exposed and 
both Highland and Lowland lithologies are present. Mylonites display a 
north-dipping (20-30°) penetrative foliation that is characterized by aligned 
mica and/or quartz and feldspar-rich domains. In most places a well-devel-
oped stretching/mineral lineation with moderate to shallow (40-3°) plunge to 
the north is defined by aggregates of quartz, feldspar and amphibole. Meso 
and microstructural observations of kinematic indicators, such as core-man-
tle structures, S-C surfaces, and asymmetric K-feldspars, suggest top-to-N 
sense of shear. Further analysis on quartz and K-feldspar microstructures are 
providing temperature constraints during the deformation of these mylonites. 
Welcome to Dr. Erkan Toraman the newest 
member of the GLS Department!!
Edited by Sara Mana
Formation and Collapse of the Adirondack 
Mountains
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For example, quartz and K-feldspar deformation textures, such as undulatory 
extinction, ribbon structures, subgrains, suggest temperature ranges of 
400-600 °C.
In order to better constrain the temporal evolution of the CCMZ, we used 
multiple geochronometric techniques (U-Pb zircon, apatite, titanite dating) 
that allow us to increase the temperature range of thermal histories observed 
in the CCMZ. Our preliminary results show that the CCMZ is a poly-deformed 
shear zone. Zircon U-Pb ages reveal multiple populations over 300 Myr. The 
oldest ages are ca. 1330 Ma that represent pre-Grenville basement and give 
information on the construction of the Adirondacks. The most common ages 
are ca. 1150 Ma that correspond the Shawinigan magmatism and metamor-
phism that affected both the Lowlands and Highlands. The third group of ages 
are ca. 1050 Ma representing the Ottawan phase of magmatism and meta-
morphism. Titanite U-Pb analysis also yield ages of ca. 1050 Ma that are 
nearly identical to the zircon U-Pb age, which suggests a very high cooling 
rate during the Ottawan phase. We interpret these ages as a reflection of 
rapid tectonic exhumation during the collapse of the Grenville orogen. Apatite 
U-Pb ages, which tracks crustal temperatures of 450-550 °C, range between 
ca. 972 to 924 Ma suggesting either slow regional cooling or late hydrother-
mal alteration of the CCMZ.
Our efforts of evaluating the timing, conditions, and the rate of events that 
created these mylonitic rocks is ongoing. We are currently working on the 
zircon geochemistry, which can help us understanding zircon crystallization 
history, and quartz electron backscatter diffraction and Ti-in-quartz thermoba-
rometry that can provide precise constraints on quartz deformation.
Figure 1. Simplified map of the Grenville Province and the Adirondack Mountains.
 
Sources: (1) Bonamici, C.E., Fanning, C.M., Kozdon, R., Fournelle, J.H., and Valley, J.W., 
2015, Combined oxygen-isotope and U-Pb zoning studies of titanite: New criteria for age 
preservation: Chemical Geology, v. 398, p. 70-84.
 (2) Mezger, K., van der Pluijm, B.A.., Essene, E.J., and Halliday, A.N., 1992, The 
Carthage-Colton Mylonite Zone (Adirondack Mountains, New York): The Site of a Cryptic 
Suture in the Grenville Orogen? The Journal of Geology, v. 100, p. 630-638.
 (3) Streepey, M., Johnson, E., Mezger, K., and Van Der Pluijm, B., 2001, Early History 
of the Carthage‐Colton Shear Zone, Grenville Province, Northwest Adirondacks, New York 
(USA): The Journal of Geology, v. 109, p. 479-492.
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By Sara Mana
I think that one of the best parts of being a geologist is field work. Seen 
firsthand phenomenon that we have learned in class has an invaluable role in 
the formation of a well rounded geologist. It helps us better understand those 
processes and enables us to question them more critically. This coming Spring 
semester I will lead a trip to Costa Rica looking at volcanic features as well as 
natural resources. The trip is open to both geology majors (GLS 328) and 
non-majors (GLS 199). This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you 
and I encourage anybody that has the means to participate. 
Costa Rica is located along an active convergent boundary making it a location 
prone to both seismic and volcanic hazards. It contains over 60 volcanoes, 
which are considered extinct or dormant plus five that are still active (Arenal 
(Figure 2a), Poás, Rincon de la Vieja, Irazú, Turrialba). The heat from magma 
that has risen close to the surface has resulted in hot springs and opportunities 
for geothermal energy production. Costa Rica currently generates 97-100 
percent of its electricity using five different renewable sources; hydropower 
(78±2%), wind (10%, Figure 2b), geothermal energy (10%), biomass and solar 
(1%) and is aiming to become one of the first carbon-neutral country in the 
world by 2050 following a staggered plan as announced in their “Plan Nacional 
de Descarbonización”(https://presidencia.go.cr/comunicados/2019/02/sintesis
-plan-nacional-de-descarbonizacion-2018-2050/). In 2018, Costa Rica broke 
its own record by using only clean energy for 300 consecutive days for the 
fourth year in a row. 
This class will expose students to the risks and opportunities connected to 
living close to active volcanoes and modern advancements in renewable 
energy. We will visit Poás National park, Arenal National park, Irazú National 
park, Miravalles geothermal plant, Rincon de la Veja volcano, wind farms, 
hydroelectric plants, primordial forest, waterfalls and hot springs. Students will 
have an opportunity to experience a diverse cultural environment and practice 
speaking Spanish if they wish to do so. Please email me if you have any 
questions smana@salemstate.edu.
Living sustainably with active volcanoes: 
hazards and resources
Figure 2. (a) To the left, Arenal volcano; (b) to the right, wind mills in Costa Rica. Photo Credit: 
Pablo Ruiz Cubillo.
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By Cora Van Hazinga
The Kodiak Archipelago of Alaska is one of the most geologically fascinating 
regions of the world. I was lucky enough to travel there in June 2019 with the 
Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment (AACSE, Figure 3). In 
this week long experiment, I took a crash course in seismology, geophysics, 
and the tectonic history of Alaska. I was introduced to tools like IRIS, MATLAB, 
and JWEED. We also conducted long days of fieldwork under the midnight 
sun, retrieving seismic nodes from the wilderness of Kodiak Island. 
Poised over the Aleutian subduction zone forearc, Kodiak is a remarkably 
complex tectonic environment. Kodiak Island is an accretionary prism, formed 
in the Cretaceous and Eocene periods. Turbidites, oceanic basalts, and 
pelagic sediments were accreted, or scraped from the downgoing oceanic 
plate onto the overriding continental plate (Figure 4). This resulted in graded 
beds of akrosic wacke, shale, and pebbly conglomerate. Beautiful thin 
turbidites are visible all over the island, especially along road cuts. The island 
was subsequently carved by glaciers, making a dramatic landscape. Most 
plates are made of small blocks or micro-plates. Along the Aleutian subduction 
zone, some blocks are subducted steadily over time (i.e. creep). This results 
in long period tremors, called slow slip events, often undetectable by 
seismometers. These slow slip events can last almost a decade. Other blocks 
are locked by friction and do not move. Here, stress and strain accumulates, 
and is released through violent seismic activity like the 1964 Good Friday 
Earthquake.
NODE COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
In 2018, the AACSE began a community seismic experiment, focusing on this 
subduction zone. The AACSE collected seismic data remotely using aquatic 
and land based seismic nodes. This project is unique compared to other 
studies because data is made immediately available to the public. Scientists 
and universities all over the world can study this dynamic area using AACSE 
data. Nearly 400 compact seismic instruments, or nodes, were deployed 
along the road system in Kodiak Island. This dense nodal array provides a 
high resolution look into the plate interface of the eastern side of Kodiak 
Island. The nodes were buried about a foot deep and the location was marked 
by a small zip tie. 
Figure 3. Cora on Pillar Mountain. Photo Credit: Elize Chavez 
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by the deployment team were mysterious and enigmatic: “Under log, near 
spruce tree” (in a field filled with logs and spruce trees), “Directly across bay 
from blue house” (all the houses were blue), “east south southeast ??? of stop 
sign” (at a four-way stop). By the fourth day, about 20 nodes still needed to be 
recovered. In desperation, we rented a metal detector. After searching an area 
for an hour, we dug up a piece of metal that may have sat rusting in the turf 
since World War II. It was a triumphant moment when we finally found the 
node, three meters away from where it should have been. After all nodes were 
accounted for, they had to be cleaned. The Alaska Fish and Game office 
allowed us to use their labs as a cleaning station. Dirt and mud had to be 
removed from all nooks and crannies. Once the nodes were clean and dry, 
they were packed in their bags and readied for shipping. Playing hide and 
seek with nodes would be challenging anywhere, but what a privilege it was to 
do it in a unique, geologically rich, and beautiful setting at the top of the world.
By Emily Doyle
Field camp is an integral part of becoming a geologist. It has been a part of the 
Geological Sciences curriculum at SSU for several decades now and its 
effects on the undergraduate experience are enormous. It is the first taste of 
real life a college student gets. At SSU, there are two field camps: Field Camp 
1 takes place in Salem and Saugus, Massachusetts, focusing on mapping and 
environmental projects; while Field Camp 2 takes place in Montana, where 
students learn how to generate geologic maps of deformed structures . Both 
of these field camps give undergraduates a taste of what a professional geolo-
gist could work on (Figure 5 a, b). That’s not the only benefit. Perhaps the 
most impactful effect is the friendships it creates. Field camp throws you into 
the belly of the beast. You’re working on real-life projects with hard deadlines 
and long hours, either out in the field, the lab, or the classroom. Therefore, the 
people in your field camp group become your coworkers, your confidants, 
your friends. The bonds forged in the fires of field camp last long after the 
experience is over, and while some people do not love field camp, there is one 
thing we can all agree on: friendship. 
“Field camp was rough, but I definitely got closer to everyone here” someone 
said. This sentiment is common. The camaraderie gets you through the long 
nights and the moments where you think your work isn’t good enough. Look-
ing back, I enjoyed both of my field camp experiences. When I was there, 
there were definitely ups and downs. During Field Camp 1, I had the opportu-
nity to bond with students whom I only knew in passing. Now, I can’t imagine 
not having them as friends. Field Camp 1 required a lot of time in the computer 
lab, while the field work requirements were not as rigorous. On the contrary in 
Montana, we were required to hike tall ridges for roughly seven hours a day. 
There, you  are  mostly  working on your own, whereas in Field Camp 1 most 
The Field Camp experience...
Our team was given the task to recover those nodes. Using GPS coordinates 
and sometimes cryptic notes, we navigated to each node site. If we were 
lucky, nodes were easy to find. We would remove the cap of vegetation over 
the node, check to see if the node was still recording and deactivate it. When 
nodes were deployed in May 2019, Kodiak received about 16 hours of sunlight 
a day. In June, days were nearly 19 hours long. Vegetation grows fast during 
the long days and would often cover the sun-bleached zip tie. Some notes left 
Figure 4. Accretionary Wedge. 
By Connor Drooff, USGS
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•  A ESA Google calendar has been created where ALL field trips and fun activ-
ities will be announced. This calendar is designed so that you can create your 
event - know what is going on - be part of the ESA community - engage others 
and participate! 
Make sure you link it to your own personal calendar using the link below: 
h t t p s : / / c a l e n d a r . g o o g l e . c o m / c a l e n d a r ? c i d = d G p l b m Vo Y T Z 1 b m Q z Z -
jRqMWNlYW03bmJ0ZDhAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ
•  To keep track of what is going on you might also want to check out the GLS 
Facebook webpage “Viking Geology” and the ESA Facebook webpage “Earth 
Science Association at Salem State University” 
•  Are you interested in having a more active role? Apply for the new ESA 
position for social-media liaison by emailing a statement of interest to 
esa.salemstate@gmail.com
•  ESA is looking for volunteers to write short summary article for future 
newsletters. If you want to participate please contact us at 
esa.salemstate@gmail.com
What is new in the ESA community?!
work  is  produced  in  teams. Hence,  Field  Camp  2 pushes you further and 
shows you what you can do on your own. In this learn-as-you-go experience, I 
learned a lot about myself. I learned to trust my instincts and to have confi-
dence in my inferences. Most of all, I learned that I could be a geologist. Before 
going, I had doubts about the physical aspects of Field Camp 2. I was terrified 
that I would fail the class and the major itself. But once I got there, I forced that 
fear away and focused on doing my best. I hiked ridges much slower than my 
comrades,  but  I  still  hiked  them. I did  the work myself.  There were times I 
Figure 5. (a) Group photo of the Field Camp 1 crew 2019 in Marblehead, MA; (b) Group photo 
of the Field Camp 2 crew 2019 in front of Block Mountain (Glen, MT). Photo Credit: Lindley 
Hanson and Sara Mana.
wanted to quit, but I didn’t. I finished the three weeks and all of us succeeded. 
I left Montana with much more than a passing grade. I left with a new sense of 
self confidence. Given the chance, I would go back again.I asked one of my 
field camp cohorts if she had fun in Montana. “If you asked me on June 9th, I 
wouldn’t have the same answer,” she joked “but would I go back? In a heart-
beat.” I think that is the common theme regarding both field camps. When you 
look back on it you see the immense value of these experiences. You appreci-
ate the friendships you made in Field Camp 1, as well as the independence 
you gained in Field Camp 2. If I could give one piece of advice to incoming 
geology majors, it would be: believe in yourself because you never know what 
you can accomplish without your fears and insecurities in the way.


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