GEOL 02: Historical Geology Lab 14: Topographic Maps Name: Date: A topographic map is a two dimensional (flat) representation (model) of a three dimensional land surface (landscape). It shows landforms (hills, valleys, slopes, coastlines, gullies) and their relief (difference in elevation) by using contour lines to represent elevations of hills and valleys. The contour lines are the distinguishing features of a topographic map. They are what make a topographic map different from the more familiar planimetric map, such as a highway map, which has no contour lines and does not show relief of the land. Yet topographic maps still have many of the features of the planimetric maps (roads, buildings, streams, etc.). Busch, (2011) AGI
Part 1: Understanding Topographic Maps (5 pts) 1. Label the elevation of the contours on the map below. Watch out for depressions with repeated contours! 2. Use interpolation and extrapolation to estimate and label elevations of all points below that are not labeled (see Figure 9.10 for help). Then add contour lines using a contour interval of 100 meters. Notice how the 0 meter and 100 meter contour lines have already been drawn. Sea level elevation = 0 m. Remember the rule of the V's! Contour Interval = 20 m Estimate the elevation of location X by interpolating between the contour lines. X = m X Page 5
3. Using the topographic map below, construct a topographic profile from A to A. Grey shaded areas are rivers. Refer to the Rules for Contour Lines and the rule of Vs. On the profile you just created a. What is the horizontal scale in meters/inch? m/inch b. What is the vertical scale in meters/inch (round to the nearest 100)? m/inch c. What is the vertical exaggeration? Page 6
Part 2: Topography of Mt. Saint Helens (5 pts) This contains material adapted from Richard Abbot (Appalachian State University, Department of Geology) and from the USGS Volcanoes! 1997 Teacher packet. In the illustration at the right is a vertical crosssection (from A to A ) of Earth s crust and mantle from west of the Cascadia subduction zone to east of Mt. St. Helens and a map showing this region and the location of the vertical cross section. 1. What is the distance between the Volcano and the Cascadia subduction zone fault? 2. What is the depth of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath Mt. St. Helens? The cross section (above the map) show the relations between the convergent plate boundary and volcanism. In the case of Mount St. Helens, like the other stratovolcanoes of the Cascades, the production of the andesitic/rhyolitic magma is ultimately related to the subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath the western edge of the North America plate. Oceanic crust of the Juan de Fuca plate and sedimentary material are being shoved downward, toward the east, underneath North America. This down going material undergoes metamorphism as it becomes exposed to progressively higher pressures and temperatures in the interior of the earth beneath North America. Temperatures at depths of the top of the Juan de Fuca plate directly below Mt. St. Helens can be as high as 1,200 C, hot enough to cause some partial melting of the metamorphosed basalt of the subducting oceanic crust. The metamorphism also releases volatile (gas) components such as H 2 O, CO 2, and SO 2. The relatively small amounts of basaltic magma and rather large amounts of volatile gasses migrate upward, ultimately encountering the base of the overlying continental crust. Here, the basaltic magma and volatile gasses contribute to partial melting of the base of the continental crust. The magma thus formed is andesitic and rhyolitic, reflecting the composition of the lower part of the continental crust. Generally, only very small amounts of the basaltic magma ever reach the surface. The greater part of the basaltic magma becomes mixed, sort of homogenized, with the andesitic/rhyolitic magma. This andesitic/rhyolitic magma readily dissolves, quite literally soaks up, the volatile components. Under the very high pressures at such depths near the base of the continental crust these dissolved gasses are effectively trapped in the magma. However, the buoyant, gas charged magma tends to work its way upward toward the surface (intrusion). Most of the andesitic/rhyolitic magma cools and crystallizes before it ever reaches the surface, forming sometimes vast plutonic (intrusive) bodies of granodiorite/granite. Only comparatively small amounts of the gas charged andesitic/rhyolitic magma Page 7
ever reach the surface, but when this happens LOOK OUT! The rapid formation of gas bubbles in the magma and their explosive expansion can have catastrophic effects. 3. Stratovolcanoes are typically circular in map view. The radius of Mount St. Helens is about 6 km at the base, and the elevation of the base is about 1 km above sea level. Before the eruption of May, 1980, the elevation at the top of Mount St. Helens was about 3 km. Using this information, and modeling the stratovolcano as a simple cone shape, estimate the volume of volcanic material in Mount St. Helens, in cubic kilometers (km 3 ). To remind you, the volume of a cone is given by the following formula, Volume = (1/3)*pi*r 2 *h, where pi = ~ 3.14, r = radius of the cone, and h = height of the cone. Volume = For this section, examine the topographic map of Mt. Saint Helens! All of the information in this section is written somewhere on the map so it should be relatively easy to find. The next questions refer to these maps of Mt. St. Helens from before and from after the eruption. This map is adapted by the USGS from Brugman and Post, 1981 http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir850d 4. What is the slope and angle of the slope of the surface of Mount St. Helens along the thick black line in the "before" map above? The length of the thick black line is 2,000 m. Recall that slope = rise/run. Convert this from a fraction to a percent: Page 8
5. Shield Volcanoes have slopes that range from 9 % along their lower slopes to 18 % along their higher slopes. How does the slope you calculated in step 3 compare with shield volcanoes? 6. Why are these slopes different? 7. One way to examine the effects of the eruption is to construct "before" and "after" topographic profiles of the volcano. a. Construct before and after topographic profiles on the grids that are placed along the A A profile lines. The elevation contours are in meters. b. On your copy of the post eruption profile use colored pencils to denote the following regions, (1) where there has been no change, (2) where material has been removed, and (3) where material has been added (deposited). Create a legend here that lists what color you used for each of the three regions: 8. The amount of material (6.5 km 3 ) that was removed from Mount St. Helens represents what percentage of the original volcano? 9. What is the vertical exaggeration of your profiles? Page 9
We will use some basic geologic mapping principles to complete this geologic mapping lab. Generally, geologists can see how bodies of rock or sediment are positioned three dimensionally where they crop out (stick out of the ground as an outcrop) at Earth s surface. They record this outcrop data on flat (two dimensional) geologic maps using different colors and symbols to represent the locations of different layers or formations of rock and their directions and angles of tilting or other deformation. This map data are used to infer the geometry of geologic structures. Structural geology symbols and abbreviations used on geologic maps. Page 10
RULES FOR INTERPRETING GEOLOGIC MAPS 1. Anticlines have their oldest beds in the center, and their limbs (sides) dip away from the fold axis. 2. Synclines have their youngest beds in the center, and their limbs (sides) dip toward the fold axis. 3. Plunging anticlines plunge toward the nose (closed end) of the V shaped outcrop belt. 4. Plunging synclines plunge toward the open end of the V shaped outcrop belt. 5. Streams cut V shapes into tilted beds and formation contacts that point in the direction of dip (except in rare cases when the slope of the stream is greater than the dip of the beds and formation contacts). 6. Streams cut V shapes into horizontal beds and formation contacts that point upstream. The formation contacts are parallel to topographic contour lines, and the stream drainage system developed on horizontal and/or unstratified formations has a dendritic pattern that resembles the branching of a tree. 7. Vertical beds do not V where streams cut across them. 8. The upthrown blocks of faults tend to be eroded more (down to older beds) than downthrown blocks. 9. Contacts migrate downdip upon erosion. 10. True dip angles can only be seen in cross section if the cross section is perpendicular to the fault or to the strike of the beds. The strike and dip symbol is used on maps to indicate the attitude (position relative to horizontal) of rock layers. The long line segment in the symbol indicates strike (a compass direction), and the short line segment points in the compass direction of dip (always perpendicular to strike). A number beside the symbol (if given) indicates the angle of dip (tilting). Compass directions can be expressed as bearings in quadrant or azimuth form. Azimuth bearings should be expressed as three digits in order to distinguish them from two digit dip angles. Strike can be expressed as a bearing in either direction. Page 11
Part 3. Geologic Mapping I (2 pts). This is a copy of the geologic map from the ppt presentation. (1) Add symbols to show the attitude (strike and dip) of the formations. (2) Notice the abrupt change in dip at the contact between the Blue Fm and Yellow Fm Figure 10.1. This contact could be at least two different kinds of geologic structures. What are they? II (3 pts). For each map below, record the strike of the formations and their contacts. Then use the Rule of Vs to determine the dip direction and sketch formation contacts on the geologic cross section. Cut a V shaped notch in a 3 X 5 card. Hold the card vertically and look on the edge. See Vs at different dips of the card. Page 12
III (5 pts). Three Paper Models; Cut and fold them as noted on each model. Model 1: This model shows Ordovician (O), Silurian (S), Devonian (D), Mississippian (M), Pennsylvanian (IP), and Permian (P) formations striking due north and dipping 24 to the west. Provided are a complete geologic map (the top of the diagram) and three of the four vertical cross sections (south, east, and west sides of the block diagram). Finalize the vertical cross section on the north side of the block so it shows the formations and their dips. On the map, draw a strike and dip symbol on the Mississippian sandstone that dips 24 degrees to the west. Model 2: The geologic map is complete, but only two of the cross sections are available. Letters A G are ages from oldest (A) to youngest (G). Complete the north and east sides of the block. Notice that the rock units define a fold. This fold is an anticline, because the strata are convex upward and the oldest formation (A) is in the center of the fold. It is symmetric (non plunging), because its axis is horizontal. On the geologic map, draw strike and dip symbols to indicate the attitudes of formation E at points I, II, III, and IV. Also draw the proper symbol on the map (top of model) along the axis of the fold. How do the strikes at all four locations compare with each other? How does the dip direction at points I and II compare with the dip direction at points III and IV? In your answer, include the dip direction at all four points. Model 3: Complete the remaining two and a half sides of this model, using as guides the geologic map on top of the block and the one and a half completed sides. On the map, draw strike and dip symbols showing the orientation of formation C at points I, II, III, and IV. Also draw the proper symbol along the axis of the fold. How do the strikes of all four locations compare with each other? How does the dip direction (of formation C) at points I and II compare with the dip direction at points III and IV? Include the dip direction at all four points in your answer. Is this fold plunging or non plunging? Page 13