Greetings from Sudbury!

Hello Everyone!

Yesterday I worked with the Geiger counter measuring radiation from the rock surfaces. I got to learn how to use a Geiger counter and collected data on the average number of particles released from a certain area of rock over a minute.

Today, I worked determining the magnetic susceptibility of the tock in different outcroppings outside of the Sudbury Impact Crater. We found that the magnetic susceptibility greatly varied within just one rock due to the heterogeneous nature of the rock itself. Different types of rock had different magnetic susceptibilities. There is Breccia, which is a combination of a lot of different rock types in one rock. There’s the Diabase Basalt which seemed to be fairly magnetically susceptible. The most magnetically susceptible rock seemed to be the granite. This is due to the high levels of potassium in the rock.

I really enjoyed finding the Breccia. There doesn’t seem to be as much of it, and it is the rock type that is indicative of high velocity impact. So it is really exciting when you find good samples of the Breccia. Yesterday I found a good sample of a shatter cone. Essentially the high pressure of the high velocity impact causes the rock to form into cone like structures which point towards the site of the impact. This is similar to any glass like material shattering. We found similar shatter cones later yesterday where dynamite was once used to blow away the mountain side for mining. The cones all pointed towards the hole where the dynamite was originally placed.

Other than that, I have really had fun climbing all of the outcrops!

~Leva

Hello from Canada!

Hey yall! We have spent two days in Canada so far and they have been GGRREAAATT! We have wasted no time in learning about the geology of the Sudbury impact site. We have visited many outcroppings and have taken many different measurements of the Sudbury basin, such as its radioactivity level, magnetic susceptibility, and other various geological notes. Our measurements currently support Dr. Paul Lowman's theory that the impact crater is not nearly as large as popular belief. Not only have we been having a blast taking data, but we have also visited rapids and have been enjoying the wonderful Canadian country side! The only real problem we have had on our adventures is mosquitoes. :( All and all, we are looking forward to another day of discovery and geology!!!!! (We have also included a video of Dr. Paul Lowman instructing us on proper geological techniques for collecting data) Hope you enjoy!

-Aaron & Lai

Hi From Canada - Maggie

Hi from Canada,

It is the end of our second day here in Canada. I’m really enjoying the beautiful country side and fulfilling a childhood dream of climbing all over road cuttings along the highway. It’s pretty marvelous. I feel like my knowledge of geology is increasing by the minute. Andrea and Dr. Lowman are indispensable resources who are forever patient with my many questions. I feel especially lucky that we have both of them on this trip.

The thing that has been most insightful for me about this trip thus far is figuring out exactly how Dr. Lowman’s hypothesis differs from the common one. He explained it as we were walking up the rim of the crater. I knew that impactors, regardless of shape, create circular craters. This is because, as Dr. Lowman explained, the impactor’s shock wave propagates circularly. So I asked if we see craters of different shapes. Here in lies the answer—Dr. Lowman explained to me that we see craters, on the moon for example, that leave elliptical craters because they come into the surface at very low angles. Dr. Lowman is of the opinion that this impactor has done just that—hit the earth at a low angle. I can see his point. If the north range of the crater has not been deformed like the southern part, then the original radius would have been huge. So perhaps the southern range has only been perturbed slightly. Looking at the maps of the area, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr. Lowman is correct. Of course, I am no expert, but it is really fun to be out in the field with someone who really knows their stuff.

I’m enjoying every aspect of the trip so far. I love being outside. We get to have some fun as well as learning about science. Counting the bug bites back in the hotel isn’t so fun, but I suppose we’re getting the real, unapologetic version of field geology. Cynthia has also been really awesome. She keeps us well stocked with food, water and most importantly bug spray. Yesterday we were standing on a ledge and I felt something being squirted on the back on my hood; I turned around and it was Cynthia spraying four mosquitoes that had landed on my head. She said, “I was just trying to get them for you.” It made me laugh.

All in all, I’m really enjoying this trip. It has been effective scientifically and fun socially. I feel really lucky that I’ve been able to be apart of this.

Maggie

Two Days Done

Two days have flown by here in Canada and only one remains. Its been a blast thus far and can't wait for tomorrow, its CANADA DAY! Each of the past days we have split up into teams for collecting data on various outcrops or exposures of rocks. Our team, Team 3, aka Team Precise, was the field geology team on day one and compiled information at each outcrop. Day two we switched to the Radioactive team and used a Geiger Counter to determine the radioactivity of the outcrops. We are gathering great amounts of data and enjoying it too. We're also getting great response from the public here, many people give us friendly honks as they appreciate geologists doing work on the sides of the roads. Wish us luck for tomorrow!

Happy Canada Day!

-Ken

Sudbury Expedition-!!

Today was a great day! Upon arising early this morning we set out on another fantastic adventure in Sudbury. We went to various locations and gathered information on many of the rock formations in the area. We were able to see many breccia outcrops which are very interesting and revealed much information. We also broke off the beaten path and found several intriguing rocks that were out of site from the road. Thus far I have learned numerous facts about geology and impact craters and am looking forward to tomorrows adventure.

-Grant Moore

Let the Sudbury Expedition Begin!

Hello from Canada,

I am Lisha Roubert from the NASA Lunar and Planetary Sciences Academy. Today was the first day of our Sudbury expedition in Canada. With Dr. Paul Lowman and Cynthia Cheung as our guides we embarked on our journey to study the geology of the Sudbury Basin. We stopped in six locations today. Some of our stops involved making observations and listening to the information given to us by Dr. Lowman while other stops involved collecting rock samples and taking measurements. We divided into groups in order to carry out our assigned tasks. Today I was part of the radioactivity team and our job consisted of taking measurements of radiated particles with the use of a Geiger counter.
Of all the stops we made today my favorite was Onaping Falls. We stopped there for a while before heading out to lunch and got a chance to walk around to observe the scenery, the rock formations and the breathtaking waterfalls. The beautiful location was an excellent place to take pictures, which ended up consuming what was left of the batteries on my camera. However, of all the stops we made today the one that I will never forget was near the end of the day. It was late in the afternoon and all of a sudden we found ourselves invaded by a swarm of huge mosquitoes. This made the task of taking measurements very hard, but our team managed to pull together and get the work done. Nice job team!
The first day of our expedition was very exciting as well as exhausting. It reminded me of an Earth Sciences course I took a while ago back at my school, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. During this course we had a trip that involved going through the whole south region of Puerto Rico to observe faults and take samples/measurements of different rock formations typical of each region. I remember that in certain regions we got to see rocks of volcanic origin such as basalt. In another region we observed rocks with rounded corners and composed of gravel, which suggest that the region used to be part of a river delta. We even got to see rock formations found in oceans, such as lava pillows and a wall of fossilized coral reef. Our expedition at Sudbury today brought back memories of that trip that I enjoyed so much. It was interesting to observe the difference between the rock formations back at home in Puerto Rico and the ones in the Sudbury, Canada. It is fascinating to see how much you can infer of the origin of a place/region just by observing and studying the geologic formations. I hope that we get to see other rock formations during the remaining days of our expedition so I can learn more about the origin of this region. Can’t wait to see all the new things that we will learn tomorrow. I will keep you posted!

Lisha

We are at Sudbury!

We just finished an enjoyable first day at Sudbury. We made five geological stops around the Sudbury Impact Basin: Murray Mine (South Range), Onaping Falls (North Range), outcrops along Hwy 144, and the footwall of the north crater rim.

We took many pictures and will upload them soon.

Cynthia

GEOLOGY ROCKS!

Okay, no one else said it yet, so I had to be the first one! With that out of the way I’ll never post a poor geology joke again! Our trip to Sudbury is fast approaching. I thought it would be wise to refresh myself on some geology. I am a mechanical engineering student, which means rocks are not at the center of my curriculum. I have taken a couple of geology classes, but it has been a couple of years, so I thought a good place to start would be with the fundamental geology concepts.

A good basic geology website, very reminiscent to me of my Geology 101 class at Rutgers University:

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect2/Sect2_1a.html

Sudbury is an impact crater. Impact craters are more specific and warrant their own topic of geology. As a mechanical engineering student, one thing I can relate to with craters is that they take A LOT of energy to form. So what are the consequences to the unfortunate surface that had the bulls eye on it?

Some basic information with pretty pictures:

http://www.psi.edu/explorecraters/background.htm#d

More in depth information:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/CB-954/chapter3.pdf

Then something else I though was fun in my internet searches were geological maps. I managed to find a couple that show in detail the geology of regions.

The first one is a geological map of Canada:

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/geology/majorrockcategories

Of course I am bias, so I found a map with the geology of New Jersey!

http://njgin.state.nj.us/dep/DEP_iMapNJGeology/viewer.htm

Gneiss, now I feel better with my geology skills!

Stephen

Sudbury, LRO, and Hubble

Hey everyone! My name is Misha currently I am pursuing the B.S. degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland College Park, I enjoy learning about different machines especially their design and operation.
I am thrilled about our trip to Canada. This trip will broaden my knowledge on geology, comets, and space. Not only will I touch a real crater on earth for the first time in my life but I will experience the feel for how big the impact was, what potential damages it made to the surrounding area, and what changes it brought with it. Alongside my exiting experience, I will conduct studies of the crater with my team, which will have serious relation to the project we are working on “Detection of water ice and Helium-3 in the craters of the moon”.
Recently launched Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will provide us with the most up to date information and discoveries on the moon. Besides, high resolution imagery from LRO's camera will help identify landing sites for future explorers and characterize the moon's topography and composition. The hydrogen concentrations at the moon's poles will be mapped in detail, pinpointing the locations of possible water ice. A miniaturized radar system will image the poles and test communication capabilities.
If you missed the launch yesterday you can view it by following this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13OxQWUVM1g

Moreover, if you recall there was last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission last month. It was very important to put new instruments and repair old ones. And you can find fascinating pictures of the shuttle launch, Hubble repair, and pictures of earth and different tools that were used to repair the Telescope.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/05/hubbles_final_servicing_missio.html

~Misha

"Destination: Moon" - Four-part series by Dr. Paul Lowman

Why Go Back to the Moon?

Our First Lunar Program: What did we get from Apollo?

Apollo: A Look Back

NASA's 76-Year-Old Maverick

Sudbury and the Moon

Sudbury Geology on YouTube

Apollo Lunar Surface Journal

We had an excellent after dinner talk this evening by Dr. Paul Lowman on Apollo 11, the first lunar launding mission. Our field trip to Sudbury has a lot of similarities to the Apollo mission. We will go to a lunar analogue site and spend three days there to collect geological data and samples, then return home. Many details about the Apollo missions are recorded in the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal.

Master and the Grasshopper

My name is Andrea Balbas.  I am a geology student at Queens College.  During my summer here at Goddard Space Flight Center, I am a team lead working on the Lunar Water and Helium-3 detection project.

As a geologist, there are many reasons why I am excited about our upcoming trip to Sudbury.  However, I am by far most excited about experiencing the Sudbury Basin while under the guidance of Paul Lowman.  I could certainly rattle off a list of Paul Lowman’ s unbelievable experiences and accomplishments.  The list might begin with teaching the Apollo astronauts about geology or being good friends with my geologic hero Gene Shoemaker, or even helping to pioneer geodesy science.  These are things that would certainly impress the world.  However, as a struggling geologist and scientist I am more moved by his scientific virtue.  Paul Lowman could have easily hung his hat on the accomplishments and research stemming from the Apollo program.  Instead, he has maintained his hunt for geologic truth.  He does not defy others hypotheses for the simple pleasure of defying or perhaps garnering attention.  He does it because he is a keen observer and believes that every anomaly deserves further investigation.  In short, he is a good scientist.  Throughout his years full of proposal writing, budget juggling, and administration changes, he has maintained a tight grip on his scientific and personal integrity.  His unyielding scientific integrity is ever present in his book, “Exploring Space Exploring Earth.”  In his book he challenges the “all-encompassing theory” of plate tectonics and he does so with data, observation, and valid questions.  Lowman has the courage to ask bold scientific questions and the tenacity to seek out the answers through meticulous data gathering.  His work is evidence that the power of science lies more in asking powerful questions than nailing down declarative nicely packaged answers.  Paul Lowman is the acme of examples illustrating that great scientists are not followers and keepers of fact but explorers cutting a new path with carefully crafted questions.  I intend on sitting next to him on the bus, with a few questions of my own.

Astronauts Charlie Duke (left) and John Young (right) during a geology field trip at Sudbury, Canada. 7-9 July 1971.  (From historical photos of Apollo 16 Image Library.)

Read about the MPP - an instrument we'll use to measure magnetic field at Sudbury.

Hi from DC,

My name is Maggie. I am going into my senior year at Mount Holyoke College. I study Astronomy and Physics.

This summer I was accepted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Academy. I’m working on a project with three other super awesome people. We’re looking at water and helium-3 in the permanently dark craters on the moon. It’s a really interesting project that is proving challenging for all the members. My task is to design mirrors that will vaporize the water, forming a cloud, then, using a special mirror I want to try and detect the Extreme Ultra Violet light emitted from Helium-4. If there is Helium-4 in these shadowed areas, there may also be Helium-3. Helium-3 is like a normal helium atom, but missing a neutron. If we find Helium-3 we could bring it back to Earth to use in controlled fusion reactions as well as fusion propulsion. I like this project because I get to learn about Quantum Mechanics, Optics and Atomic Physics. I also get a chance to work with and learn from some experts in fields including Solar Physics, Solar wind and robotics. In addition, there is a real, pertinent goal if this mission were successful. I look forward to continuing my research over this summer.

When I was a senior in high school I took a class from Doc Gordon—he was my Honors Physics teacher and my astronomy teacher. I took astronomy as an elective during the chilly New Hampshire winter. This astronomy class was the first class that I was genuinely excited about. I enjoyed every section we did from the moon’s effect on earth to dark matter. I especially loved the section on the sun. A few times a week we would go out with two little four-inch telescopes and look stars and interesting objects that were visible. We’d stand on top of the hill in the snow shivering and looking at the stars. My favorite was the Horse-head nebula and Orion’s nebula. Doc Gordon really inspired me to study astronomy. He was a dorm parent in the dorm I lived in my senior year so I would come down to the common room and he would sit and talk to me and talk me through issues facing me—like what I want to do with my life, what I wanted to study and where I wanted to go to school. He was the first person to tell me about planetary science which helped me choose Mount Holyoke College. Since my senior year, I’ve been all over the place learning about everything I can get my hands but I’ve always come back to Astronomy and Planetary science.

I am really thrilled about our trip to Canada. When I heard that we were taking a trip to the place where the astronauts learned how identify rocks and take samples, I got really excited. Beyond that, the place we’re going is an impact crater—which in my opinion is really cool. We’re going to learn from the geologist, Dr. Lowman, who taught the astronauts about geology. I feel pretty lucky to get this opportunity to take this trip.

My goals for the trip include: getting some field experience in geology; some star gazing (if we’re sufficiently far away from major cities); getting heaps of pictures of the crater and also to commemorate our trip.

I’ll be posting more in the following weeks and while we’re in Canada.

Sincerely,

Maggie