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Show M ' ' " , ; I ' '"'V:v ' . 'i - - - s " V . . ? ! . 's --vl" -; ' ' y '.x : : ' 1 -' :' ! . - . i yi V 'w- i; ' ' i.U v . . ... -' w , yr s - r . r Vv ? . . ' " ' 5 . 4 ' . - -; " ' " . ' . v . - - T " - 4 ' V, - ! : - " : . . - . ! I - - - v : " - ' ' ' ,J I -;"-- ' . . Erik Lundin working on his master's degree from the Univesity of Arizona at Tucson, watches as his instructor instruc-tor Dr. George Davis takes photograph of recent finds Bryce Canyon Deformation Unique, Says Geologist BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK "The east-west extension or deformation in the Bryce Valley area is most remarkable and the one that was recognized by early explorers," ex-plorers," said Erik Lundin, graduate student from the University of Arizona in Tucson. The young geologist has been studying the thrust-faulting that took place prior to the extension. "Bryce Valley has the most spectacular spec-tacular geological movement I have ever seen," said Lundin. "The early extension," he said, "which was the movement of masses sliding away from each in the Bryce Canyon National Park. Lundin has been "exploring" Bryce area because of its unique and unusual formations. other and causing the deformation or destruction of rock formations by land sliding horizontally, reached outward, the masses in between falling and tumbling into craters left from the movement." Lundin said that his studies are with the north-south deformation that occurs with compression or masses grinding together. Asked that changes there were from an earthquake in this region, he said, "the area has had very little activity in recent years. That is 'recent' in the geological sense." He said that a wild guess as to the time that the deformations took place here would be, "and this really is a wild guess, maybe 46 to 50 million years ago, certainly prior to 32 million years ago." Lundin said that he last worked in Alaska for the United States Geological Survey where he investigated the phenomena of magnetic declination which is the . degree to which the magnetic field is altered at the poles because of fluid masses that exist in layers beneath the earth's crust. The declination may vary as much as 13 degrees east or west and must be compensated com-pensated for on ships and aircraft when navigating. Asked if this declination fluid mass movement affected his findings here, he said, "very minimally, if at all." He stated that magnetic fluctuations fluc-tuations do cause some problems (See BRYCE Page 6) Bryce with electronic equipment that use magnetically - oriented instrumentation. in-strumentation. He stated that the oil companies have done extensive exploration in the area, but have not published their findings. Lundin said that his work will be a contribution to science but mainly in the scientific community. Working on a masters degee, he said he will be in the area until mid-August. "However," he said, "if my studies warrant and if they expand into a doctoral dissertation, I will be back." Dr. George Davis, Lundin's instructor in-structor at the university recently made a week's tour of the area, and working with an unpublished map made by Dr. William Bowers, gave Lundin the basic structural concepts of the area. He also hopes that the study will be a contribution to the knowledge of the park. Lundin a nativp nf Sweden 1 '3inn;7 N arrived in the UnitelZ He speaks English ear " and has no trouble vrith 1 language either in reading, or writing, He received his B s i from Ft. Lewis colieg e'ir Colo, where he lived fa f JS He has worked in ft fc carpenter, painter, and tuj has also worked at the resort. He said that ideally he . to teach geology here in and travel to the Scan countries during the wma$ He said that the Brvc r National Park personnel $ very helpful and kind to h singled out Bryce Canyon' Park Natural History Advisor Margaret uS'l being especially helpful J formed and generous with advise. |
