Posted by Doug Koepsel on June 15, 2010 at 3:58 PM
While wandering aound SCB, sometimes aimlessly, I stopped to capture these patterns and shapes in the sandstone. Both were taken under sunny conditions.
The first is looking straight down on the thin layers. Interesting how each layer of only about 1/16" thick has its own color. The overall pattern reminded me of the hazy layers of distant ridges and peaks seen at daawn or dusk.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on June 15, 2010 at 4:00 PM
This second caught my eye with the curves leading to the windblown sand collecting between the sandstone fins.
Nice Doug
FYI, These thin layers are individual cross-bed laminations ( layers) that form in migrating sand dunes. The Navajo Sandstone( the formation that makes up the Coyote Buttes) is a classic eolian sandstone formation composed of large lithified sand dunes. ( FYI I am a geologist, so I know the intimate details about these rocks)
I really like these. As presented, I like #1 better, but if you could bring out the sand in #2 more, I think my preference would change. I think #2 would also benefit from a small crop from the left. Good eye, Doug.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on June 16, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Josh and Paul- to hopefully get a grainier appearance, some more midrange contrast, and a little darkening of highlights was added (both of which served to saturate the color more, so I did not adjust that), and a little off the left was cropped.
Steve- thanks for the geology info. I had done a google search for the formation of White Pocket before, but came up pretty empty. That area after deposition and layering must have been rather fluid for the formation of the brain rock and the twisted, swirled formations.
Hey Doug
The "brain rock" of White pocket is due to jointing probably due to de-watering. Also one major hypothesis of the deformation "swirls" is that they are evidence of a paleo-earthquake that effected water-saturated sediments( sort of like shaking partially liquid jello! At any rate there was a lot of movement and transportation of oxidized Fe with both deposition and dissolution of Fe+3(red) and Fe+2 ( green/blue green) at redox boundaries( most likely the water table)!!!
Posted by Doug Koepsel on June 16, 2010 at 1:18 PM
Thanks Steve for the concise explanation. It gives me a better understanding on how these were formed. Maybe similar to the deformation of the entrada near Waterpocket Fold in UT?
Discussion
15 repliesThe first is looking straight down on the thin layers. Interesting how each layer of only about 1/16" thick has its own color. The overall pattern reminded me of the hazy layers of distant ridges and peaks seen at daawn or dusk.
FYI, These thin layers are individual cross-bed laminations ( layers) that form in migrating sand dunes. The Navajo Sandstone( the formation that makes up the Coyote Buttes) is a classic eolian sandstone formation composed of large lithified sand dunes. ( FYI I am a geologist, so I know the intimate details about these rocks)
Steve- thanks for the geology info. I had done a google search for the formation of White Pocket before, but came up pretty empty. That area after deposition and layering must have been rather fluid for the formation of the brain rock and the twisted, swirled formations.
The "brain rock" of White pocket is due to jointing probably due to de-watering. Also one major hypothesis of the deformation "swirls" is that they are evidence of a paleo-earthquake that effected water-saturated sediments( sort of like shaking partially liquid jello! At any rate there was a lot of movement and transportation of oxidized Fe with both deposition and dissolution of Fe+3(red) and Fe+2 ( green/blue green) at redox boundaries( most likely the water table)!!!