Geological foundations on Mount Desert Island, Maine

O'Connor, James; White, Wallace

'From the Acadian granites to the Pleistocene ice sheets, Mount Desert Island (MDI) is a dynamic introductory geology textbook. Mineral analysis, rock classification, and crosscutting relationships are easily applied to the many igneous rocks and features in and around Acadia National Park. Shoreline and glacial sedimentation foster sampling methods and recognition of cycles. Three types of metamorphism highlight the mineralogy of boundary zones and T-P facies. The geology of MDI allows for an ideal series of mapping exercises: plotting joints as related to landform evolution (sea caves), constructing a stratigraphic column (Bar Harbor series), preparing an initial geology map to scale (Dorr Pt.), sketching environments and cycles in a sedimentary outcrop (SW Harbor dump), determining the age and boundaries of rock types within an outcrop (Seawall, Seal Harbor, and NE Harbor), coding and plotting land uses for a drainage basin (Cromwell Brook), and coloring or profiling from slope, topographic, geologic, soil, and bathymetric maps of the island. The massive abandoned granite quarries highlight the past economic geology. Exploration of the building stones and cemeteries of Bar Harbor or the Abbe Museum, reflect local urban geology. Landform sketches are translated to standard vocabulary. Teachers match their collected data to the ESCP text or the new Maine Survey bedrock and surficial geology maps of the island. Inexpensive boat and plane tours augment the land observations. Learning the geologic laws and principles in the field, gives the teachers a strong foundation in observation.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND

Geological foundations on Mount Desert Island, Maine

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