Geoscientist The Fellowship magazine of The Geological Society of London | www.geolsoc.org.uk | Volume 21 No 5 | June 2011

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Could school and college geology be on the rise? LUSI LIKELY TO LIVE ON Indonesia faces another quarter century of mud eruption

on twitter follow us g /geoscientistma] FIRST DATE [www.twitter.com 100 years of knowing the age of the Earth Dynamic topography a key surface record of deep Earth processes

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Burlington House, London, United Kingdom

KeynoteKeynote speakers:speakers: Michael Gurnis, Seiissmolloogiccaal Laborraatorryyy,, CCaalliiffoorrnniiaa IInnsttiitute of TTeecchhnologgyyy,, UUSSSAA Alessandro Forte, UUnniverrssité dduu Québec à Monttrréall,, CCaanaddaa InvitedInvited sspeakers:peakers: Carolina Lithogow-Bertelloni, UUnniverrssittyy of Collllege Londdoonn,, UUKK Jean Braun, UUnniverrssite Joosseepph Fourriierr,, FFrrraance Hans-Peter Bunge, Ludwwiiigg-MMaaaxxiimmiilllllliiiaannss UUnnivveerrssittaat Muunnicchhh,, Gerrmmannyy Evgene Burovv,, IInnstitut ddees Sciieences ddee llaa TTeerrrre ddee PPaariisss,, FFrrraance Reiner Rummel, TTeecchhniisscchhe UUnniverrssittaat Muniiccchhh,, Gerrmmannyy Tony Watts, UUnniverrssittyy of OOxxffoordd,, UK Nicky White, UUnnivveerrssittyy of CCaambrriiddggee,, UK Conveners:Conveners: Roderick Brown, UUnniverrssittyy of Gllaassggoww,, UUKK Patience Cowie, UUnnivveerrssittyy of Berrggenn,, Norwwaaayy Stewart Fishwick, UUnnivveerrssittyy of Leicesterr,, UK Gregory Houseman, UUnniverrssittyy of Leeddsss,, UUKK Michael Kendall, UUnnivveerrssittyy of Brriiisstoll,, UUKK Nicky White, UUnnivveerrssittyy of CCaambrriiddggee,, UK

Further information

For further information about the conference, please contact: Georgina Worrall The Geological Societyy,, Burlington House, Piccadillyy,, London W1J 0BG T: 020 434 9944 F: 020 7494 0579 E: [email protected] W: www.geolsoc.org.uk/dynamictop CONTENTS GEOSCIENTIST

IN THIS ISSUE JUNE 2011

FEATURES 19 GOOD NEWS! Chris King and Ben Jones on a surprising upswing in geoscience examination entries REGULARS

05 WELCOME Is the Society really in democratic deficit? asks Ted Nield 06 GEONEWS What’s new in the world of geoscientific research 08 SOCIETY NEWS What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 12 COVER FEATURE: THE AGE OF THE EARTH 11 SOAPBOX Robin Bailey is fed up with cyclic Cherry Lewis on Arthur Holmes’s first paper on sedimentation the age of the Earth, published 100 years ago 22 LETTERS We welcome your thoughts 23 BOOK & ARTS Two new book reviews by Ted Nield 24 PEOPLE Geoscientists in the news and on the move 27 CALENDAR Society activities this month 29 CROSSWORD Win a special publication of your choice ONLINE SPECIALS NUCLEAR WAVE Former President Peter Styles delivers his verdict on the nuclear accident at Fukushima, Japan

CHRISTCHURCH QUAKE BGS geologist Dave 07 19 Boon on New Zealand's devastating earthquake www.geolsoc.org.uk/geoscientist JUNE 2011 03 CENTURY ONE PUBLISHING IS THE UK’S BRIGHTEST AWARD-WINNING CONTRACT PUBLISHING AND ADVERTISING SALES AGENCY. WE WORK EXCLUSIVELY WITH MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATIONS GENERATING ADVERTISING REVENUES AND MANAGING ALL OR PART OF THE PUBLISHING FUNCTION To plan your ad campaign in Geoscienst magazine contact: Jonathan Knight t: 01727 739 182 e: [email protected] w: www.centuryonepublishing.ltd.uk

04 JUNE 2011 EDITOR’S COMMENT GEOSCIENTIST THE AGE OF THE PLANET: VIEW OF EASTERN EARTH & CLOCK FACE Cover image: Shutterstock Image courtesy, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT?

n the recent consultative ballot, Fellows Geoscientist is the E enquiries@centuryone Fellowship magazine of publishing.ltd.uk elected a geotechnical engineer as President the Geological Society W www.centuryone Designate. We offer our congratulations to of London publishing.ltd.uk David Shilston, the first President to be Contact CHIEF EXECUTIVE drawn from the Geological Society’s most The Geological Society, Nick Simpson Burlington House, Piccadilly, T 01727 893 894 Inumerous specialism. But after this, and London W1J 0BG E nick@centuryone recently electing only its second female T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 publishing.ltd.uk President in 200 years, has the Society reason to feel F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 E [email protected] ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE content with its election process? W www.geolsoc.org.uk Jonathan Knight However gratifying these recent outcomes, we T 01727 739 193 Publishing House E jonathan@centuryone should recall that only about 10% of Fellows voted The Geological Society publishing.ltd.uk – low, even by European Parliamentary Election Publishing House, Unit 7, Brassmill Enterprise Centre, ART EDITOR standards. But is the comparison appropriate? Brassmill Lane, Bath Heena Gudka Perhaps we should look instead at Building BA1 3JN T 01225 445046 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Societies. In the property-owning democracy, we F 01225 442836 Sarah Astington will almost all receive their election papers, for at Tanya Kant least some portion of our lives. Yet how many of Library T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 PRINTED BY us read, let alone return them? Shareholder F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 Century One Publishing Ltd. meetings, rather notoriously, only excite large turn- E [email protected] Copyright outs when fear and loathing stalk the land. Some EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Geological Society of might therefore argue that low turnouts indicate Professor Tony Harris FGS London is a Registered Charity, number 210161. that members are happy. Perhaps it’s less apathy, EDITOR ISSN (print) 0961-5628 more complacency. Dr Ted Nield NUJ FGS ISSN (online) 2045-1784 The Society has reformed its election process, EDITORIAL BOARD The Geological Society of London with some success. Participation has in fact risen to Dr Sue Bowler FGS accepts no responsibility for the (and stuck at) 10% from even lower levels. Dr Robin Cocks FGS views expressed in any article in this Dr Martin Degg FGS publication. All views expressed, Following the Byelaws Review in 2000, the entire except where explicitly stated Dr Joe McCall FGS otherwise, represent those of the voting system was overhauled. The Society now Dr Jonathan Turner FGS author, and not The Geological Dr Jan Zalasiewicz FGS Society of London. All rights reserved. publishes much more information. Routinely, for No paragraph of this publication may President Designate and Council elections, the Trustees of the Geological be reproduced, copied or transmitted Society of London save with written permission. Users number of candidates now exceeds the places registered with Copyright Clearance Dr J P B Lovell OBE Center: the Journal is registered with available. It publishes, through this magazine and (President); Professor P A CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA the website, information on candidates’ academic Allen (Secretary, Science); 01970, USA. 0961- Miss S Brough; Mr M 5628/02/$15.00. Every effort has backgrounds, areas of specialism, regional Brown; Professor R Butler; been made to trace copyright holders provenance, and sectors of employment. Dr M Daly; Professor A J of material in this publication. If any Fleet (Treasurer); Dr S A rights have been omitted, the This is a conscious attempt to introduce publishers offer their apologies. Gibson; Dr R Herrington; candidates to voters, allowing the electorate to Dr R A Hughes; Dr A Law; No responsibility is assumed by the Professor A R Lord Publisher for any injury and/or feel that there is enough information on which to (Secretary, Foreign & damage to persons or property as a base a choice – recognising that the Society is now matter of products liability, External Affairs); Professor so large and diverse that voters will probably not J Ludden; Mr P Maliphant; negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, Professor D A C Manning products, instructions or ideas know candidates personally, or even by repute. (Secretary, Professional contained in the material herein. Furthermore, the Society now makes it possible Matters); Professor S Although all advertising material is Marriott (Vice President); expected to conform to ethical for Fellows to vote online in a process that Professor S Monro OBE; Dr (medical) standards, inclusion in this takes minutes and even removes the need to C P Summerhayes (Vice publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the buy a stamp. President); Professor J H quality or value of such product or of Tellam; Dr G W Tuckwell the claims made by its manufacturer. So – as we prepare for the gala day that is (Vice President); Dr J P Turner (Secretary, Subscriptions: All correspondence President’s Day (and please don’t forget that it’s Publications); Professor D relating to non-member subscriptions not all boring AGM – there are fascinating talks J Vaughan; Mr N R G should be addresses to the Journals Subscription Department, Geological too, and they’re all free!) now is your chance to Walton. Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill say something about it. Remember, this magazine Published on behalf of the Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 belongs to you, not to “the Society”. If you think Geological Society of 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: London by [email protected]. The that the heroic efforts that the Society believes it Century One Publishing subscription price for Volume 21, has made to redress its democratic deficit have Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam 2011 (11 issues) to institutions and non-members is £108 (UK) or £124 / been inadequate and footling, please say so - Road, St Albans, Herts, US$247 (Rest of World). AL3 4DG and we shall publish, regardless. T 01727 893 894 © 2011 The Geological Society of F 01727 893 895 London DR TED NIELD EDITOR JUNE 2011 05 GEOSCIENTIST GEONEWS LUSI to flow for decades The hotly disputed mud volcano disaster in Indonesia to erupt for another 26 years, according to a new study published in the Society’s Journal. Sarah Day reports

GEOHAZARDS 10% of its initial flow rate, although it does not factor in the further A detailed study published in the complications of the effects of gas in Journal of the Geological Society has the mud, which could ignite and keep estimated how long the LUSI mud the eruption going even longer. volcano will continue to be hazardous, The eruption began on 29 May suggesting it will be 26 years before the 2006, just 200m from the head of a inhabitants of Sidoarjo, Eastern Java, hydrocarbon exploration well. Those Indonesia, can expect LUSI to calm who blame the well argue that it down into ‘a slow, bubbling volcano’. penetrated overpressured limestones LUSI swiftly became the world’s and, with no casing protecting the biggest mud volcano, at its height lower 1743metres, allowed free producing enough mud daily to fill 50 communication between the borehole’s Olympic-sized swimming pools. When fluids and the limestone, as well as the it first erupted in 2006, 13 people were sand and mud above. Davies has to form next, since they believe they Above: Homes killed and thirteen thousand families argued that this caused a ‘kick’, and a engulfed by the may cause further damage to homes were displaced. Scientists from the subsequent blowout at the surface. mud pouring and transport infrastructure. University of Durham have predicted Lapindo Brantas, the drilling from LUSI “The world demand for oil and gas that another 56,000 Olympic-sized company responsible for the well, has has inherent risk” says Davies, “and swimming pools worth of mud have disputed this claim, arguing that the while exploration may reap dividends, yet to be emitted, which could cause Magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which took it can also cause problems. Drilling the area to subside by as much as place 280km away two days before the disasters are more common than half a kilometre. LUSI eruption began, was the trigger. people generally appreciate”. “Our estimate is that it will take 26 At the Geological Society meeting, the Professor Davies plans to visit years for the eruption to drop to a majority of attendees concluded that the volcano in May to carry out manageable level and for LUSI to the drilling was responsible. further research. turn into a slow bubbling volcano” Whatever the cause, efforts to stem says Professor Richard Davies the flow of mud (which have included FURTHER READING of the Department of Earth Sciences plugging the crater with concrete balls at Durham. on chains) have failed, and most of the The estimate was made by using mud flow is currently being contained 1 Davies, R J et al., Probabilistic longevity estimate for the LUSI mud pressure estimations from a nearby by giant dams. As the land subsides, volcano, East Java, Journal of the borehole, as well as knowledge of the more vents are opening up. These, Geological Society, Vol. 168, Issue 2, inner workings of the volcano itself and which number 166 so far, are likely to pp. 517-524. observations of the eruption so far. The be caused Davies says by the rupturing 2 Nield, T How to make a volcano 26 year estimate is the time expected of shallow aquifers. The team are now Geoscientist 18.05, May 2008 pp24-27 for the volcano’s mud flow to fall to looking at where these vents are likely

06 JUNE 2011 GEONEWS GEOSCIENTIST

Raising Arizona and Co. The Colorado Plateau – 130,000 square miles of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico - is rising, and yet parts of the lithosphere below it are falling, reports Adler deWind

TECTONICS Read GeoNews first in The apparent thickening of the Geoscientist Online Colorado Plateau has puzzled [www.geolsoc.org.uk/] geologists for some time, but is now geoscientist explained in a paper published in Nature1. The research indicates that magmatic material is slowly rising, invading the lithosphere, and causing delamination, a process whereby lowermost layers peel away and sink, according to Prof. Alan Levander, (Rice University, Houston, Texas). “The invading asthenosphere is two- faced. Deep in the upper mantle, between about 60 and 185 miles down, it's usually slightly less dense and much less viscous than the overlying mantle lithosphere of the tectonic plates; the plates there can move over its malleable surface” says Levander. “But when the Levander and co-authors have seen downwellings have happened within Above: The asthenosphere finds a means to, it can evidence for this process from data impressive erosion the past 10Ma. "Under the Colorado invade the lithosphere and erode it gathered by the massive USArray of the Colorado Plateau, we have caught it in the act" from the bottom up. The partially seismic observatory (hundreds of Plateau may be he told Geoscientist. explained by deep molten material expands and cools as observatory-quality seismographs crustal movements "We had to find a trigger to cause it flows upward. It infiltrates the deployed 45 miles apart in a mobile the lithosphere to become dense Left: A convective stronger lithosphere, where it solidifies array that covers a north/south strip of "drip" of lithosphere enough to fall off" Levander says. The and makes the brittle crust and the United States). The seismic images (blue) below the partially molten asthenosphere is hot uppermost mantle heavy enough to (picture) revealed a pronounced Colorado Plateau is and somewhat buoyant, and if it finds due to delamination break away and sink. The buoyant anomaly extending from the crust well caused by rising, a topographic gradient above it will asthenosphere then fills the space into the mantle. partially molten flow - and undergo a small amount of left above, where it expands and lifts Levander says the combined material from the decompression melting in the asthenosphere the plateau.” Colorado Plateau images show the (gold), as plotted by process. At this point it melts enough convective "drip" of the lithosphere Rice University to infiltrate the base of the lithosphere researchers and just north of the Grand Canyon. their colleagues. and solidify. Here the lithosphere is slowly (Credit Levander Says Levander: “It is at such a sinking several hundred Lab/Rice University) depth that it freezes as a dense kilometres into the Earth. phase. The heat from the invading That process may have melts also reduces the viscosity of the helped create the mantle lithosphere, making it flow canyon itself, as lifting more readily. At some point, the base of the plateau over the of the lithosphere exceeds the density last six million years of the asthenosphere underneath and has defined the route starts to drip." of the Colorado River. Levander said REFERENCE USArray has found similar downwellings in two other locations in 1 A Levander, B Schmandt, M S Miller, K Liu, K E Karlstrom, R S the American West, Crow, C-T A Lee & E D suggesting that the Humphreys. Continuing forces deforming the Colorado plateau uplift by lower crust and delamination-style convective lithospheric downwelling. Nature uppermost mantle are 472, pp461–465 (28 April 2011) widespread. In both DOI: 10.1038/nature10001 other locations,

JUNE 2011 07 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS SOCIETYNEWS ELECTION – FELLOWS

The following names are put forward for election to President’s Day - 8th June Fellowship at the OGM on 22 June 2011. President’s Day at Burlington House will begin with the Annual General Meeting at ABDUL, Abdull Halim; ABDULLAYEV, Nazim; ADEMOLU, Richard; AL 1100 followed by a buffet lunch with the award winners (members with tickets only – JASSAR, Sinan; AL-BALUSHI, Abdulaziz; ARMITAGE, John Joseph; £27.50 each). The Awards Ceremony will be followed by presentations by Lyell, AXFORD, Shelagh; BAKER, Linden Andrew; BAKER, Philip; BALDWIN, Zoe Laura; BARNWELL, Benjamin James; BARRETT, Kris; BAUR, Murchison, William Smith and Wollaston medallists. To obtain luncheon tickets Friedemann Ulrich Maximilian; BELDERSON, Martin; BETTS, Bryan please send cheques (made payable to “The Geological Society”) to Stephanie Charles; BLACKBURN, Edward Joseph; BLAIR, Matthew Philip; BLAKE, Ross Elliot; BRADY, Christopher; BROWN, Craig; BROWN, Graham Jones at Burlington House or E: [email protected]. Please also Maxwell; BROWN, Louise Elizabeth; BUNCE, Andrew Robert; BURROWS, contact Stephanie if you wish to attend the medallist talks (which are free). Adrian; CARTER, Andrew; CHAN, Hin Wai; CHAN, Kwok Keung; CHAN, Shun Heng; CLAGUE, Stuart William; CLARKE, Richard John; CLEMENTS, Ben; CLERC, Sylvain; COHEN, Jonathan Martin; MEDALLIST TALKS COOMBER, Stephen John; COLE, Andrew Brian; CORLETT, Michael Christopher Paola (Lyell Medal), Professor, Department of Geology and Peter; CRAIG, David John; CRISP, Jenna Irene Elizabeth; CULLEN, Laurence; CURRAN, Jean Frances; DACEY, Andrew William; Geophysics and St Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota: Small DAVENPORT, Jack Edward; DAVIES, Richard Charles; DEAN, Richard; worlds: what laboratory-scale experiments can tell us about sedimentary DIXON, Andrew James; DRANSFIELD, Emma Nicole; DRIVER, Sean; basins and the stratigraphic record DUNNING, Stuart Alistair; DYSON, Anthony John; EDGAR, Andrew; EDWARDS, Nadine Elizabeth; EGAN, Alex; ELLIOTT, Peter Vincent; EVANS, David; EVANS, Paul John; EVINS, Paul; FARFAN, Philip; FAZAL, Bruce Watson (Murchison Medal), Institute Professor, Experimental Mohammad Abul; FERNADEZ, Oscar; FERNANDES, Maria Isabel; FLEMING, Marie; FLOWERS, Matthew James; FOSTER, Thomas William; Geochemistry,Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, The Pros and Cons of Equilibrium FRANCE, Marcus James; FRASER, Jeffrey George; GIBSON, Oliver Duncan; GIBSON, Stewart Glen; GODDARD, Robert Giles; GOMEZ Stuart Haszeldine (William Smith Medal), Professor of Carbon Capture and PEREZ, Marcela; GOODWIN, Catherine Jane; GRAY, Alan John; GREEN, Matthew James; GREENWAY, Graham Michael; HAMMOND, Lee Morgan; Storage, University of Edinburgh: Geological storage of CO2 and radioactive HART, Elizabeth; HASSAN, Ruslan B; HENDRIE, Martin Brian; HILL, waste: liability or giant green-business? Jessica Leanne; HOJNOWSKI, Michal; HOLDER, David Stephen; HOLGATE, Nicholas Edward; HOLLINGHURST, Paul James; HOUGHTON, James Edward MacKenzie; HUGHES, Philip James; Stephen Sparks CBE (Wollaston Medal), Director of the School of Earth HUSMO, Tore; IRELAND, Paul Stewart; JAMES, Kathryn Mary; JARVIS, Sciences, University of Bristol: Global volcanic risk Laura Fern; JONATHAN, Atunima Emmanuel; KARNAWATI, Dwikorita; KEEBLE, James; KELLY, Thomas; KEMP, Christopher Steven; KENT, Claire; KIM, Sangseok; KNIGHT, Peter David; KNOX, Charlene Ann; Abstracts for talks are available online. KOFOED, Jesper Alling Coverdale; KOUMARE, Siaka; LAKER, Richard Charles; LAPTHORN, Tracy Ann; LATIN, David Michael; LE FEUVRE, Naomi; LEAVER, Kirsty Deborah; LINES, Timothy David Gray Hillesden; LYALL, Robert James Watt; MACLEOD, Brian Alistair; MADDOCKS, Simon William; MARKS, Simon; MARSHALL, Christopher John; MARSHALL, Sally Ann Louise; MARWOOD, Stephen Christopher; Library Review MCDONNELL, Vincent; MENZIES, John Charles; MEUNIER, Steven; MOORCROFT, Thomas Hamel; MUNIZ, Moises; MUIRSON, James Stuart; NEWBOULD, Robert Bernard; NEWSOME, Jemma Lucy; Nic Bilham NEWTON, Christopher John; NORTHAM, Gareth Anthony; NUNNS, writes: During Michael Andrew; NWOSU, Oluchukwu; O'DRISCOLL, Donal; O'NEILL, 2010, Council Shane John; OKPERI, Akpuzo Victor; OLADEJI, Amidu Jimoh; OLATUNJI, Oluwatimilehin; OMERU, Tuviere; OWEN, Lindsay Claire; PARASKEVA, asked a group led Antonios; PARRY, Tristan John; PEMBROKE, Christopher George; PIERI, by former David Christopher; POWELL JACKSON, Eleanor Margaret; PRIOR, President Peter Donald Garret; PRITCHARD, Oliver George; PROUDLOCK, Stuart John; PURNELL, Colin; QUAS-COHEN, Alexandra Catherine; RADLEY, David; Styles to conduct RAUCH-DAVIES, Marianne; REESINK, Arnold; REIMANN, Kristan Karl; a thorough review of the Society’s Library Advisory Committee to identify RUDD, Michael; SALMON, Anne Christine; SANSOM, Pamela Jane; candidate journals for cancellation in SAUNDERS, Kathryn Ann; SELLERS, Stephen James; SHAW library collections and services. The CHAMPION, Max Ellis; SIERSZULSKI, Tadeusz; SMITHARD, Mark Ian; group reported to Council in line with that policy and to report back SMITHSON, Jonathan Tweedy; SOUTH, David Robert; SPELLMAN, Roger November. Since then, plans have to Council at its June meeting. It has Leigh; SPOONER, Andrew John; STALEY, Suzanne Emma; STEVENSON, Naomi Marie; STOKER, Simon Andrew; STONE, Vaughan Charles been developed to implement its also agreed a policy for the disposal of Anthony; STREET, Sarah Elizabeth; SUNDERLAND, Katie; TAYLOR, recommendations. You can read the library holdings (mostly duplicate Richard Jack; TEANBY, Joseph Peter; THOMAS, Keir James; full report at www.geolsoc.org.uk/ stock, and some material clearly THROSSEL, William; TIMMINS, Matthew James; TONGE, Richard; TOWNDROW, Albert George; TROUNSON, Richard Noy; TWEED, Cherry libraryreview. outside the scope of the library), and a Jane; URMSTON, Ben Charles; VALTCHEV, Simeon; VINCENT, Oliver plan to make better use of the William; WALKER, Richard Thomas; WALLWORK, Paul Anthony; Society’s archives. Work is underway WALTON, Ian; WANSTALL, James Ashley; WARNER, James; WHEELER, CANCELLATIONS John; WHITE, John Alexander; WILD, Christopher Eric; WILKINSON, Working with library staff and the to develop plans for a pilot project to Albert Francis; WILKINSON, Camilla Maya; WILLIAMS, Niel Hamilton; Information Management Committee, scan all maps of the African Rift Valley WILLIAMS, Rhiannon; WILSON, Victoria Clare; WILTSHIRE, James George; WONG, Kin San; WOOLDRIDGE, Samantha Rose; ZAMLER, Council has now agreed a policy for in the collection. Other Arie; ZEFFERTT, Jennifer; ZHAO, Qi. journal cancellations, and the Chief recommendations will be taken Librarian will be working with the forward in the following months. 8 JUNE 2011 SOCIETY NEWS GEOSCIENTIST

FROM THE LIBRARY [lectures The library is open to visitors ] Monday-Friday 0930-1730. Shell London For a list of new acquisitions click the appropriate link from Lecture Series http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/info

Coal, Climate Change, and Rare book of the month! Carbon Capture Fugitive poems connected with preserve for the world their witty and and Storage natural history and physical science instructive thoughts’3. 15 June 2011 Collected by the late C. G. B. Daubeny, 1869. GEOLOGY & POETRY EVENT Much of the coal burning Daubeny hoped that through publication today in power stations He who with pocket-hammer of his anthology, ‘Literature and Science was made in the coal smites the edge may be made to join hands in furnishing forests of Europe and Of luckless rock or prominent some amusement and some North America in the stone, disguised instruction’4. It is with similar pursuits in Carboniferous Period, In weather-stains or crusted mind that the Society’s current President, and the CO2 released is o'er by Nature. Bryan Lovell, proposed in last July’s altering our atmosphere The substance classes by some Geoscientist an event at which ‘the best dangerously quickly. The idea of carbon capture and barbarous name, geological poetry, original or otherwise… storage (CCS) is to re-bury the CO2 that has been And thinks himself enriched, be judged by literary celebrities at an released. In countries that rely heavily on coal to Wealthier, and doubtless evening of high culture at Burlington generate electricity, CCS could be a vital technology wiser than before. House – with appropriate refreshment.’ allowing growth to continue while also permitting Lovell now takes particular pleasure in emissions to be cut. The British Government predicts These lines, from William Wordsworth’s inviting Fellows, Friends and other that CCS could be an industry the size of present day The Excursion (1814), caused some interested parties to a free one day North Sea oil, and be worth £2-4 billion a year by offence among geologists of the time. celebration of poetry and geology at the 2030, sustaining 50,000 jobs. Adam Sedgwick, who had been Geological Society on Monday 10 acquainted with the poet during various October 2011. Mike Stephenson is Head of Science (Energy) at the rambles in the Lake District, wrote in a For more information and to register a place, British Geological Survey (BGS). letter to Wordsworth that the lines were visit or ‘a poetic ban against my brethren of the www.geolsoc.org/geopoetry contact in the Programme – Afternoon talk: 1430pm Tea & hammer’1 Wordsworth tried to wriggle Georgina Worrall Conference Department. See advert, p04. Coffee: 1500 Lecture begins: 1600 Event ends. out of the charge by claiming it was the Programme – Evening talk: 1730 Tea & Coffee: character in the poem that possessed 1800 Lecture begins: 1900 Reception. such opinions (and, perhaps digging a REFERENCES FURTHER INFORMATION deeper hole for himself, insisted his attack was not on geologists, but 1 Wordsworth, William et al. www.geolsoc.org.uk/ Please visit mineralogists!2) A complete guide to the Lakes, shelllondonlectures11. Entry to each lecture is by comprising minute directions for the This was a period when debates of a tourist, with mr. Wordsworth's ticket only. To obtain a ticket please contact Leila varying nature between artists and Description of the scenery of the Taleb around four weeks before the talk. Due to the scientists were commonplace, and the country, &c. and Three letters upon the popularity of this lecture series, tickets are allocated in distinction between scientific and artistic geology of the Lake district, by prof. Sedgwick London: Longman & Co., a monthly ballot and cannot be guaranteed. pursuits less pronounced than today. In 1842 the Library’s Rare Books collection, self- Contact: , Event Manager, The Geological 2 Davies, Hunter A walk around the Leila Taleb penned poems are abundant: as Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG, lakes. A visit to Britain’s Lake District prefaces, as musings from the field, as +44 (0) 20 7432 0981 [email protected] London: Frances Lincoln Ltd., 2009 T: E: dedications, or, in the case of John (4th Edition) Bakewell’s A geological primer in verse 3 Daubeny, C.G.B. Fugitive poems (1820) and J.S. Watson’s Geology. A connected with natural history and Poem in Seven Books (1844), as epic physical science London: James Parker & Co., 1869 geological histories of the world laid out 4 Ibid. in rhyming couplets. One book that fights the ‘poetic ban’ FUTURE MEETINGS with great fervour is Charles Daubeny’s The Library operates a sponsorship scheme Fugitive poems…. In the latter years of to help preserve and restore its rare books. COUNCIL & OGMs: 22 June; 28 September; his life Daubeny began to collect ‘some For more information, contact Michael 30 November; Council 1, 2 February (residential): of the many effusions which from time to McKimm in the library, or see the Sponsor OGM 1 February 2012 (6pm); 11 April. time had emanated from the prolific A Book page on the Society’s website: pens of his friends, hoping thus to www.geolsoc.org.uk/sponsorabook JUNE 2011 9 GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

Society News SOCIETYNEWS... Stories In Brief ROGEP GOES LIVE Hong Kong degree accredited Paul Maliphant (Vice President) writes: The eagerly awaited Register of Ground Engineering Professionals (RoGEP) sponsored jointly by the Geological Society of Dr Bill Gaskarth and Prof. Peter Styles (Keele University) during an earlier visit to the King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia) on Accreditation Panel business London (GSL), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3) will open for registration from 8 June 2011, with the formal announcement being made at the Ninth Annual Conference of the British Geotechnical Association (BGA), which led the development of RoGEP on behalf of Ground Forum. The Register will provide external stakeholders, including clients and other professionals, with a means to identify individuals who are suitably qualified and competent in ground engineering - be they from consultants, contractors, public bodies or academia. Further details will soon be available from the RoGEP website. See July issue for further information. NUCLEAR VISION On 17 February the Geological Society held a meeting with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, to discuss NDA’s progress to date and to stimulate debate and discussion about the ongoing Bill Gaskarth (Accreditation Officer) (Petroleum Geochemistry, task of disposing of the UK’s radioactive waste, writes: Hong Kong University has Environmental Biogeochemistry and writes Sarah Day. been successful in its application to Engineering Geology) and has The meeting was an important opportunity for the have its undergraduate degree recently received an application from geoscientific community to keep up to date about programme in Earth Science Portsmouth University for their plans and opportunities in what is likely to be one of accredited by the Society. It is the third Engineering Geology MSc. A first the largest and longest running Earth science and civil overseas university programme to be overseas application for the engineering projects in the UK. accredited, following the University of accreditation of an MSc programme Geological disposal has already been selected as the West Indies and King Abdulaziz is expected later this year. the most suitable, and communities are being asked University (Saudi Arabia). An Graduates holding accredited to volunteer to host a repository. Representatives from application from The King Fahd degrees are eligible to apply early for NDA and the British Geological Survey explained how University of Petroleum and Minerals Chartership. Holders of accredited sites are then screened for suitability, outlining the (Saudi Arabia) is currently being first degrees may apply after five criteria and next steps. The timescale for the project is assessed by the Accreditation Panel. years’ relevant postgraduate long; it is unlikely that any repository will be fully The Society has accredited MSc experience, while graduates from operational for another two to three decades. As many degrees from Manchester (Petroleum accredited MSc programmes may of the participants pointed out, a long-term solution, Geoscience) and Newcastle apply after four. while taking more time to implement, is preferable in the long run, to reduce the burden on future RESEARCH FUNDS AWARDED generations.

The Society’s research funds paid The total payout in 2011 however Presentations from out £19,000 in 2011, reports was £19,000, an increase of £2500 the meeting have Dawne Riddle. on 2010. The Jeremy Willson since been made Following recommendations from the Charitable Trust agreed to fund Michael available on our Research Grants Committee, Council Pittman with a grant of £1980, while website, and can be agreed at its April meeting to make 15 Novas Consulting agreed to provide viewed at research awards in 2011 – one fewer three grants totalling £800. A full www.geolsoc. than last year – from 36 applications list of research grants awarded is org.uk/nda_feb11 (down two on last year). available online. 10 JUNE 2011 SOAPBOX GEOSCIENTIST

Spare me the cycles!

BY ROBIN BAILEY Robin Bailey thinks that cycles are being peddled too often in the sedimentological literature, in a desperate and statistically dubious attempt to prove orbitally-related forcing

SOAPBOX What is stratigraphic cyclicity? Systems that combine to produce an output that we call the stratigraphic record are Soapbox is open to continuously and irreversibly changing in contributions from all Fellows. their effects, and never truly cyclic. So, does You can always write a letter to the term just mean: “In this section I keep the Editor, of course: but encountering the same rock types”? Or perhaps you feel you need are there really stratigraphic sections in more space? which some lithological character varies in a predictable, strictly cyclic fashion? If you can write it entertainingly in MILANKOVITCH CYCLES 500 words, the Editor would like to hear from you. Stratigraphic cycles of both kinds have been NOISY DATA attributed to periodic variations in the Sander’s Rule proposes that strict Email your piece, and a self- Earth’s orbit known as Milankovitch [M-] stratigraphic cyclicity most likely involves portrait, to ted.nield@geolsoc. cycles. Each ‘cycle’ thus denotes some periodicity in sedimentary processes, org.uk. Copy can only be orbitally-related interval, opening up the suggesting M-forcing. Spectral analysis of accepted electronically. No possibility that a cyclic section could be sample series should detect such cycles; but diagrams, tables or other chronologically calibrated, with a resolution encounters the problem of random data illustrations please. up to 10 times finer than radiometric dating. noise, which can give spectral peaks rather But how realistic is this? similar to those generated by ‘real’ cycles. Pictures should be of print Where ‘cycle’ refers to repeated facies, the When the chances that a spectral peak quality – as a rule of thumb, intervals between similar beds and the represents noise are thought to be lower anything over a few hundred thicknesses of those beds usually vary than 10%, it is commonly assumed that it kilobytes should do. unpredictably. Clearly, then, the only way records a “real” cycle. But this requires an that repetitions can achieve ‘cycle’ status, is accurate statistical model of the noise. Precedence will always be given by showing that they are all the outcome of If that model is incorrect, it may lead to the

to more topical contributions. M-forcing. Counting and ‘tuning’ aim to recording of false cyclicities. Any one contributor may not

show that the number of cycles in a section Hence, more apparent cycles may be appear more often than once per of known time-span is consistent with this detected than can be explained by orbital volume (once every 12 months). theory. For this to work the section must be forcing; so only those that are consistent d free of significant hiatuses - something that with the expected orbital model are taken to can only be verified by a detailed time be “real”. Calibration then proceeds on the calibration. But in practice, the theory assumption that the “real” cyclic signal, MORE chases its own tail, concluding that there extracted from the noisy background, are no gaps, and M-forcing therefore characterises the entire interval, with no APPARENT CYCLES proved, if the expected number of irregular hiatuses. In practice, the possibility of MAY BE DETECTED cycles is counted! undetected hiatuses means that it is unsafe Neogene deep-sea cores are presented to assume that the number of spatial cycles THAN CAN BE as evidence that irregular, climate-related that will fit into an interval of known time- EXPLAINED BY variations in sediment properties can be span is a measure of their time value. ORBITAL FORCING; matched with M-cycles, leading to high So - if cycles are mostly suspect, and resolution time-calibrations. But here the otherwise provide unreliable time SO ONLY THOSE THAT matching process relies on a robust, calibrations, what exactly is their use? ARE CONSISTENT independent chronostratigraphic WITH THE EXPECTED framework, and emphasises that orbital FURTHER READING regularities need not translate into MODEL ARE TAKEN regularly cyclical deep-sea deposits. Bailey, R J 2009: Cyclostratigraphic reasoning TO BE ‘REAL’ Such being the case, why search for regular and time calibration. Terra Nova 21, 340-351 Robin Bailey cycles in older strata? d

JUNE 2011 11 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

was recently asked what I thought single morning - on March 9. A few was the most important 20th days later, on the eve of his departure Century development in geology. for Mozambique to prospect for I replied, without hesitation, that it minerals on behalf of the Memba I was the discovery of isotopes in Minerals Company, he went to say 1913 by Frederick Soddy (1877- goodbye to his supervisor, physicist 1956). Without them, we might still be Robert Strutt (1875-1947), who “was in the dark ages, geologically speaking. pleased with my paper and offered a Today some 40 different isotopic few suggestions which I adopted”. techniques help us not only to Strutt submitted it to the Royal Society determine the age of rocks, but also to on March 20 and, in Holmes’s absence, understand the geological and read it there on April 6. Published in environmental processes of our planet the Proceedings on June 9 and on and beyond. They help us reconstruct August 3, Holmes received a dozen past climate so that we can predict the copies from Strutt while still in climate of the future; they explain the deepest Mozambique. formation of the chemical elements and In the introduction to his paper are now widely used in many other Holmes explained why he was sciences such as archaeology and in analysing minerals that contained medicine. Geochronology, however, is uranium and lead: “Such minerals where they first came into their own. may be regarded as storehouses of the Today we take isotopic dating very various series of genetically connected much for granted, so it is all the more radioactive elements. In them the remarkable to realise that Arthur parent element slowly disintegrates, Holmes (1890-1965) dated his first while the ultimate products of the rock two years before the discovery of transformation gradually accumulate. isotopes. It is the publication of this first The analysis of these minerals ought, date and geological timescale, exactly then, in the first place, to disclose the 100 years ago this month, that we are nature of the ultimate product of each celebrating in this issue of Geoscientist series; secondly a knowledge of the and which the GSA will commemorate rate of formation of this product, and by holding the Pardee Symposium in of the total quantity accumulated, Holmes’s honour this October. gives the requisite data for calculation In March 1911, after three months’ of the age of the mineral.” laboratory research at Imperial College (where he was studying for a BSc in RADIOACTIVE DECAY geology) Holmes wrote up the results in Not only did he want to date the rock, his first-ever paper, The Association of he also wanted further support for the Lead with Uranium in Rock-Minerals, and theory that lead was the ultimate decay its Application to the Measurement of product of uranium. We should not Geological Time. His diary records that forget that only 15 years had passed

he wrote this seminal work in just a since the discovery of radioactivity, M HOLMES’S FIRST DATE This month sees the 100th birthday of the science that put an end to uncertainty over the age of the Earth. Cherry Lewis* celebrates the achievements of a great pioneer Arthur Holmes in 1930 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

M and it was a mere nine years since Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) had recognised the phenomenon of radioactive decay. Thus, the mechanism by which decay happened, and the products that resulted, were still poorly understood. Strutt claimed that as soon as he read of Rutherford’s discovery that helium was a product of radioactive decay he realised at once that it could be used to measure geological time, but Rutherford beat him into print by publishing the very first radiometric age in 1904. Strutt, however, quickly recognised that helium, being a gas, was escaping from the minerals that contained uranium and that the dates obtained could therefore only be minimum ages. Holmes was set the task of finding a better method with Holmes’s which to date rock minerals, and apparatus for estimating suggested he try to improve on the 1907 radium by its work of Bertram Boltwood (1870-1927), emanation which indicated that lead was uranium’s (radon gas) ultimate decay product. APPARATUS SHORTAGE So, back in January of that year, Holmes had cut short his Christmas holiday in Gateshead to return to Imperial College and start his research. Although the physics laboratory was new at the time of Professor Strutt’s appointment –1907, the same year that Holmes joined Imperial – there was still a serious shortage of apparatus. By 1908 this had become acute. Strutt wrote to the college authorities: “[We] are at present largely subsisting on loaned apparatus, some of which belongs to other public bodies, such as the Royal Observatory, the Royal Society, etc., while some has been borrowed of private friends. I need hardly say that it seems rather below the dignity of an institution like the Imperial College that its teachers should have to beg apparatus of their personal friends for the purpose of teaching the students.” This appeal to their dignity had the desired effect and elicited a grant of £700 for special equipment, plus £800 for annually recurring expenditure. By 1911 Holmes had access to some of the best equipment available at the time, carefully wrapping it up again each time he used it. Ennius et Holmes set out to determine the age sapines et fortis Anet somniaextract of a thorite-bearing nepheline-syenite frompythagorea. Holmes’s from Norway, believed to be Lower 1911Meliora diary, dies, ut Devonian in age, in which he considered documentingvina, poemata thereddit, days scire before there were no less than 17 different hevelim, left forchartis minerals bearing uranium and lead. Mozambiqueabhinc qui

14 JUNE 2011 FEATURE GEOSCIENTIST

From Strutt’s work on helium, and assuming that the rate of decay was constant over time (which was still not accepted by some), Holmes calculated that “a gramme-molecule of lead would take the place of a gramme-molecule of uranium in 8200 million years”, and that the age of a mineral could be given as: “Pb/U.8200 x 106 years, where Pb and U represent the respective percentages of these elements at the present day”. Another assumption he had to make was that all lead originated from the decay of uranium – which of course we now know is not so. Holmes spent many hours painstakingly separating these minerals from the crushed rock before performing exquisitely delicate chemical preparations to isolate the elements required for measurement. First, the amount of uranium present was measured - not directly, but by gauging the amount of radium emanation (radon) being emitted (the known constancy of its ratio to uranium being used to give the amount of uranium present). Having crushed up the mineral extracted from the rock, first in an iron mortar and then more finely in an agate one, the resulting powder was “fused with borax in a platinum crucible, and the resultant glass dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid. After boiling and standing for several days in a corked flask, the radium emanation was boiled out, collected in a gas-holder, and ultimately transferred to an electroscope” to measure the amount of radon present. Holmes's tent in Mozambique FIRST DATE While waiting for the radon to accumulate, the amount of lead was measured using either the gravimetric or colorimetric method. These chemical techniques required extraordinary dexterity and were incredibly time- consuming. Not only that, but in order to verify the results, analysis of each mineral was repeated between two and five times, depending on how much material was available. At one point Strutt made Holmes discard all the data and start again, because radon was found to have been leaking into the room, contaminating everything and giving spurious results. Holmes had to go cap in hand to Dr Prior at the Natural History Museum and ask for more sample. Eventually, however, he Holmes at calculated the average U/Pb ratio Sawa base camp in from these minerals to be 0.045; the first Mozambique rock Holmes ever dated was determined M

JUNE 2011 15 GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

M to be 370 million years old. 1640 million years, the oldest rock in the In his 1907 paper, Boltwood had dataset demonstrated that the Earth collated all the published analysis of must be at least that old - pushing time uranium-bearing minerals which also further back than most people could included a determination of lead – all possibly comprehend. eight of them – and this had allowed him to calculate the uranium-lead ratios SHOCKING and ages of eight rocks but, as Holmes His results were truly shocking and not pointed out in his 1911 paper, accepted by the majority of geologists, “Unfortunately, he omitted to give who still preferred to believe that the [their] geological ages”. Boltwood was a Earth was only about 100 million years chemist and not really interested in the old. For Holmes, however, an idea of geological significance of his work; the vast aeons represented by the Holmes, on the other hand, realised that Precambrian began to emerge. He wrote each radiometric date became a control excitedly how, with this new dating point in the geological time scale that he technique, it should be possible to envisioned creating, making it essential impose order on the hitherto “almost to also know the geological age of each hopeless task” of sorting out the Letter to Bob rock. He therefore went to great lengths Precambrian. “Indeed”, he enthused, “it Lawson dated 14 September to assign a geological age to each of may confidently be hoped that this very 1911, Boltwood’s rocks and then recalculated method may in turn be applied to help documenting Holmes’s vision their radiometric ages using more recent the geologist in his most difficult task, of a geological techniques. The results from his own that of unravelling the mystery of the timescale analyses fitted well with Boltwood’s oldest rocks of the Earth's crust; and, data, enabling him to conclude that lead further, it is to be hoped that by the was indeed the final decay product of careful study of igneous complexes, data uranium and thus that the technique will be collected from which it will be could be used for dating rocks: possible to graduate the geological “Evidence has been given to prove column with an ever increasing accurate that the ratio Pb/U is nearly constant for time scale”. Through this paper, young minerals of the same age, the slight Arthur Holmes – aged only 21 – variability being what theoretically one demonstrated his vision for revealing would anticipate. For minerals of the Earth’s geological history and was increasing geological age the value of starting to build order out of chaos. Pb/U also increases as the following On the 14 September 1911, after six table clearly shows: months in Mozambique fruitlessly Ennius et sapines et fortis This table represents the very first prospecting for minerals, Holmes wrote et somnia attempt to produce a geological to his best friend, Bob Lawson: “I’m pythagorea. timescale from radiometric dates and at really excited tonight and you will be Meliora dies, ut vina, poemata reddit, scire Holmes’s first geological time scale velim, chartis abhinc qui GEOLOGICAL PERIOD PB/U MILLIONS OF YEARS

Carboniferous 0.041 340

Devonian 0.045 370

Pre- Carboniferous 0.050 410

Silurian or Ordovician 0.053 430

Pre-Cambrian –

0.125 1025 a. Sweden 0.155 1270 0.160 1310 b. United States Ennius et 0.175 1435 sapines et fortis et19 somnia Primrose c. Ceylon 0.200 1640 pythagorea.Hill, Holmes’s MelioraGateshead dies, ut vina,home poemata

16 JUNE 2011 FEATURE GEOSCIENTIST

too when I startle you by the unexpected But it was to be at least another 10 news that as you read this I should be years before attitudes began to change. on the ocean blue sailing homewards”. At a meeting of the British Association He anticipated arriving back in for the Advancement of Science in 1921, Gateshead in early November and an impressive array of geologists, then, following a week “glorifying at physicists and astronomers participated home”, returning to Imperial College so in a discussion that attempted to he could continue his research. His bring into harmony the wide variance letter goes on: in time readings between the old “I'm awfully keen to be back to work methods of dating the Earth and the as I have heaps to do. … I intend radiometric methods. writing all over the world to surveys Strutt, in place of Holmes who was and societies for material of known then working in Burma, once again put geological age to analyse for U and Pb. forward the arguments in favour of I am in hopes of gradually building up a radiometric dating, but the response of geological time scale and hope it might William Sollas, Professor of Geology at do for a DSc!!! There’s conceit if you Oxford, was typical. He was like! Still, I may as well confess to you overwhelmed at the amount of time that a DSc is my present aim and object, now available after the paucity and with other published work I think previously on offer: “the geologist who it ought not now to be far away – if had before been bankrupt in time now only I can avoid having to pass the found himself suddenly transformed honours BSc.” into a capitalist with more millions in While he already had a BSc in the bank than he knew how to dispose physics, he never did get one in of”. Sollas urged caution, and urged geology, and it was another six years geologists to substantiate the new before he got his DSc. techniques advocated by physicists “before committing themselves to the BLACK WATER FEVER reconstruction of their science”. But the Back at Imperial College, after a terrible die-hards were growing smaller in attack of black-water fever that detained number, and the meeting ended with a him in Mozambique for several weeks general acceptance that the Earth was and from which he almost died, Holmes probably around 1500 million years old. was given a demonstrator post at £100 a year and immediately started to write PRINCIPLES his booklet on The Age of the Earth. It Holmes worked for many decades on opened with the now famous lines: “It is furthering development of the perhaps a little indelicate to ask of our geological time scale, as well as making Mother Earth her age, but Science major contributions to early ideas on acknowledges no shame and from time continental drift, the formation of to time has boldly attempted to wrest granites, the geology of Africa, and

from her a secret which is proverbially unravelling the Precambrian. He also M well guarded.” A plaque commemorating With frustration mounting at the Holmes, now affixed to entrenched attitudes of established 19 Primrose Hill geologists who adhered to the old methods of measuring the Earth’s age, he wanted to explain to them, and to tell the world at large, about radioactivity and his vision for developing a geological time scale: “As yet it is a meagre record, but, nevertheless, a record brimful of promise. Radioactive minerals, for the geologist, are clocks wound up at the time of their origin [and]…we are now confident that the means of reading these time-keepers is in our possession.”

JUNE 2011 17 M wrote one of the most popular geological text books of all time: Principles of Arthur Holmes Physical Geology. Today, the geological in the Jura time scale has become the framework Mountains on 1 May 1930, with onto which we hang all geological Arnold Buxtorf, events. Thanks to Arthur Holmes, we left, and BM learnt how to tell geological time from Reinhardt, right isotopic clocks and using those clocks we have revealed the true age of Mother Earth, discovered many of her internal mysteries and developed a unifying theory that explains all geological processes – just as he predicted we would. His contribution to our science cannot be overstated. I

* Dr Cherry Lewis is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol and biographer of Arthur Holmes

FURTHER READING Holmes with Doris Reynolds and two 1 Soddy, F 1913. Intra-atomic charge. students Nature, 92, pp399-400. (probably in Northern 2 Holmes, A 1911. The Association of Lead with Ireland in the Uranium in Rock-Minerals, and its Application 1930s. Does to the Measurement of Geological Time. anyone Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. recognise Series A, 85, 578 (9 June) pp248-256. them? If so, please contact 3 Boltwood, B B 1907. On the ultimate the Editor disintegration products of the radio-active ted.nield@geols elements. Part II. The disintegration products oc.org.uk.) of uranium. American Journal of Science, 23, pp77-88. 4 Holmes, A 1913. The Age of the Earth. Harper & Brothers, London and New York. 5 Lewis, C L E 2000. The Dating Game: one Man’s search for the age of the Earth. Cambridge University Press. 6 Lewis, C L E 2001. Arthur Holmes’ vision of a geological timescale. In: Lewis, C L E & Knell, S J (eds). The Age of the Earth: from 4004 BC to AD 2002. Geological Society Special Publication 190, pp121-138.

HOLMES STORIES

Did you know Arthur Holmes? Have you any stories about him? The Pardee Symposium in Holmes’s honour this October is anxious to record people’s recollections. If you have an anecdote that you think might be illuminating or amusing, or both, please email it to sarah.day@ geolsoc.org.uk.

The author with the Mayor of Gateshead in the Mayor's offices Doris Reynolds, after the unveiling of Holmes’s the plaque on 19 second wife, Primrose Hill, 2005 c. 1931 REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL?

Geology examination entries in schools and colleges across the nation are rising, say Chris King and Ben Jones*. Can this be true? And if so, what can it mean?

ow important are graduates who responded, more become enthused to take a geology Above: School school geology students in the field. than three quarters were either in degree through those routes. examination courses to An increasingly employment or further study and However, anecdotal evidence from the UK? This is a common sight? almost one in five (18%) was A-level geology teachers suggests difficult question to working as a geophysicist, that around a third of those who answer, but the geologist, mineralogist or other complete an A-level geology contributionH school geology courses geoscientist. Clearly, these examination go on to take a make to the recruitment of geoscientists were contributing geoscience degree. The percentage undergraduate geologists is an directly to the economy. Many for Scottish Higher candidates may important indicator. The latest data others will have been contributing be similar. The school exam entry we have on the numbers of indirectly – since their geoscience figures for 2002, three years before geoscientists who graduate in the backgrounds may well be the graduation of the 1160 students UK indicate that 1160 students important to the work they do. (many of whom will have taken a completed university courses in three-year degree) show that 1178 geological sciences in 2005. All ENTHUSED candidates were entered for A-level students are contacted six months We do not know how many of the geology that year, while 49 students after they have left university, as 1160 students who completed a were entered for Scottish Higher part of the Destinations of Leavers geoscience degree in 2005 had geology. If a third of these took a from Higher Education (DLHE) previously taken a GCE A-level, geoscience-related degree, this survey undertaken each year, and GCSE or Scottish Intermediates or would have been more than 400

of the approximately 945 geoscience Highers in geology, and so had students, or 35% of those who ▼

JUNE 2011 19 Figure 1

▼ graduated with geoscience-related geology), told us in November last degrees in 2005. year: “It's a pity that I've got no So, if more than third of those definite figures for GCSE entries who graduate with a geoscience- for 2011 but I'm expecting an related degree come through an A- increase of 20-40% on last year”. level or Scottish Higher route, and a Those statistics will be available Figure 2 fifth of them go on to employment next year. as geoscientists, this suggests that Meanwhile, more light can be A-level and Scottish Higher geology shed on the A-level geology entry do play an important role directly in figures by plotting these by centre the nation’s economy. We have type (Figure 5). This rather already made the point that the complex graph shows that the geological backgrounds of other peak of A-level geology in the individuals, not employed as 1980s was rooted in geoscientists per se, may play an comprehensive schools. Since equally vital role, through their then, and despite the rise of sixth work as politicians, journalists, form college entries, the decline in lawyers and so on. geology in comprehensives, as For all these reasons, we believe minority subjects were steadily that the health of GCSE, A-level ‘culled’, is the main cause of Figure 3 geology and Scottish Intermediate falling numbers. Other factors and Higher level geology is have included the reduction in important to UK society. Thus, it is numbers of grammar schools; the very pleasing to report that, after increase in uptake of “vocational” some years of stagnation or even subjects in sixth form colleges, decline, all geology GCSE, AS-level with the related drop in A-levels; and A-level examination entries the steady loss of geology (and increased last year (Table 1, Figures most other A-levels) from further 1, 2 and 3). The statistics are taken education colleges over time; and from the Joint Council for the reduction of geology numbers Qualifications (JCQ). The increased in independent schools. So, it is entries cannot be explained by really refreshing to note that every increases in student numbers, since single category of centre type according to the Office of National showed an increase in entries from Statistics (ONS) there were 2009 to 2010 (Table 2). Figure 4 demographic falls in the numbers of It is unclear why these increases 16, 17 and 18 year-olds from 2009 should have been recorded for to 2010 (Figure 4). every centre type last year, but it Further study also reveals that nevertheless excellent news for A-level, AS and GCSE entries have geology teachers in England, remained at around two thirds male, Wales and Northern Ireland. one third female over many years. The steady fall of GCSE entries SCOTLAND until recently (Figure 3) reflects the Trends in Scottish geology impact of the National Curriculum examinations are harder to from 1988, whose core and analyse, since the figures are small foundation subjects did not include and fluctuations greater. Table 3 geology. So it is refreshing to note shows changes from 2009 to 2010. that the modicum of extra freedom, The 2009 figures were taken from offered to schools in recent years, the Scottish Qualifications has seen an upturn. Anecdotal Authority (SQA website), the 2010 Figure 5 evidence suggests that this trend is figures from a personal set to continue, since the new communication from SQA GCSE geology specification, Qualifications Manager for available for first examination Science, Technology, this year, seems to be creating Engineering and increased interest among Mathematics. both teachers and These figures become students. The clearer in the context of Subject Officer longer term trends, such for Geology at as those shown by the WJEC (the only entries for the Scottish Awarding Body Highers 1986-2010 (Figure now offering GCSE 6). These trends do show a steady increase since the early Right: Soon you may not be able 1990s, somewhat masked by to see the rock annual fluctuations in the small for the students cohorts. This is still seen, when measured against the total Higher entry figures from all subjects. Scottish Intermediate figures are Figure 6 even more erratic and difficult to interpret. However, Professor Left (from top): Colin Graham of the Scottish Earth Figure 1: A-level geology Science Education Forum (SESEF), examination has told us: “The Scottish story is entries, 1971 - currently not a ‘good news’ story. 2010 SQA plans to axe the Geology Figure 2: AS qualifications, which will be geology phased out over the next three to examination entries since the four years, because of "low inception of the uptake". The upsurge of Earth current AS exam science undergraduate numbers in 2001 and applications and the current Figure 3: popularity of SQA geology Geology GCSE entries, 1988 – qualifications at the few centres 2010 where it is taught suggest that low TABLE 1 uptake in schools and colleges is Figure 4: Population Geology examination simply a consequence of low changes by age entries in England, Wales 2009 2010 % increase access. SQA wishes to disperse group, 2004 – and Northern Ireland 2014 A-level (A-level) geology entry aspects of geology among the 1183 1376 16 (mostly 18-19 year olds) other sciences and geography, a Figure 5: A-level AS-level geology entry (mostly proposal that we know from entries by centre 2438 2635 8 type, 1971 – 17-18 year olds) experience will lead to its 2010 GCSE geology entry (mostly 16 812 1007 24 extinction and that actually runs year olds) counter to the cross-curricular and Right: Figure 6: Scottish Higher cross-disciplinary emphasis of entries, 1986 – TABLE 2 science education in the new 2010 Scottish curriculum (the so-called Geology A-level examination entries in England, Wales and 2009 2010 % increase “Curriculum for Excellence”). Northern Ireland by centre type CONCLUSION 6th Form College 839 894 7 Comprehensive 450 489 9 Increases in exam entries in Grammar 200 214 7 England, Wales and Northern Independent 173 196 13 Ireland are good news for the Right: Table 1: geology teachers in these regions The increase in Further Education College 68 83 22 geology GCSE, and for Awarding Bodies that AS and A-level Private 9 12 33 offer geology examinations. There examination Secondary Modern 0 5 ∞ entries, 2009 – is encouragement here for all the 2010 organisations that support the TABLE 3 Table 2: A-level teaching of geology in schools in Scottish geology Mean, entries in 2009 2010 % change England and Wales. The situation England, Wales examinations 2000 - 2009 in Scotland is more shaky. This an and Northern Intermediate 1 71 60 -15% 55 important time to support our Ireland by (mostly 15-17 year olds) centre type Intermediate 2 colleagues there, particularly those 10 21 +110% 20 in the Scottish Earth Science Table 3: (mostly 15-17 year olds) Scottish Higher Education Forum (SESEF), as they 56 64 +14% 57 geology (mostly 16-18 year olds) try to adapt to the new educational examination realities in Scotland. entries, 2009 – 2010 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All photographs courtesy, Ian G Kenyon Head of Geology, Truro School. To examine these graphs in greater detail, please refer to the online version of this article REFERENCES

1 Geological Society website - first destinations data: see PDF attached to page * Chris King is Professor of Earth Science www.geolsoc.org.uk/page5163.html Ben Jones Education at Keele University. is 2 Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ): Inter-Awarding Body Statistics, published annually. Principal Research Manager: Examination Left: UK students 3 Scottish Qualifications Authority statistics website: www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/36315.html Standards, for the AQA Awarding Body. make the grade

JUNE 2011 21 Geoscientist welcomes readers’ letters. These are published as promptly as possible in Geoscientist Online and a selection READERS’ printed each month. Please submit your letter (300 words or fewer, by email only please) to [email protected]. LETTERS Letters will be edited. For references cited in these letters, please see the full versions at www.geolsoc.org.uk/letters NEW LOOK HOT ROCKS! Sir, Joe McCall’s report on ‘Hot Kenya Rocks’ (Geoscientist, February 2011) referred to the exploration at Olkaria, which began in 1956, and noted that production did not begin until 1981. Two boreholes were drilled at Olkaria between 1956 and 1959, on behalf of a syndicate with which Balfour Beatty was associated and which was headed by the East African Power and Lighting Company. As one of BB’s engineering geologists, I worked at Olkaria for several periods in 1956 and 1957. The first borehole was abandoned at a depth of 1644’; a second borehole was drilled to 3096’ but attempts to bring it into production failed and work was stopped in March 1959. The syndicate retained exploitation rights. Sir, Whatever has happened to Geoscientist?? As a long-time resident of the US, the In 1967 I was asked to consider All of a sudden, it's terrific!! I had just arrived at regular arrival of Geoscientist has been my whether interest could be kept alive, the point of saying to myself (and, I regret to main connection with the Society for many with a view to applying to the United say, to others) that this magazine had become years. You and your editorial staff have Nations for funds. I suggested a so fuddy-duddy that I couldn't bear it any restored my confidence in the future of the Wenner configuration resistivity survey, longer, when here comes a vibrant, well- Society, just as I had given up all hope. My to cover some 80 miles along the floor designed, and beautifully written issue that sincere thanks, and a hearty "Well done!". of the Rift Valley between Olkaria to even features a couple of serious women Lots more along the same lines, please! the south and Lake Hannington (now geoscientists. Finally! Carol Simpson Lake Bogoria) to the north. I carried out this survey between April and November 1967; it involved GORDALE IN A GLASS DARKLY about two months’ reconnaissance followed by four and a half months of Sir, It is always a pleasure to see measurements. In all, 242 stations James Ward's Gordale Scar illustrated. were occupied with readings taken at However the image reproduced in the five electrode spacings between 500’ latest issue of Geoscientist (21.03) has and 1500’. The Kenya Government been reversed, and sadly much detail and the UN jointly funded further work is lost in the murk. Readers may be from 1970 to 1974. Although the interested to know of Edward J. outcome was described as Nygren's James Ward's Gordale Scar. ‘disappointing’ in 1974, the second, An essay in the sublime, published by deeper, Olkaria borehole was brought the Tate Gallery, 1982. into production in 1972 and pointed Paul Ensom the way to the later successful Editor writes: We are happy to take the exploitation of the Olkaria area. My opportunity to reproduce the painting again, 1968 report concluded that further in the conventional orientation. exploration should take place in three areas, one of which was Menengai. Freddy Kosten CLIMATE CHANGE Lake Naivasha, nr Olkaria, Kenya Sir, Well said, Richard Clarke (Letters 21.03). There is also the problem of economic growth, the need for which we are told about endlessly, but the continuance of which on a finite planet is clearly impossible. Population growth may come to an end, but I suspect it will be involuntary, either as a result of resource shortages (starvation and thirst), or auto-predation (war), or perhaps predation by disease. However, as a geologist I find one small crumb of comfort. The evidence of the fossil record is that life is tenacious and it seems likely that it will continue, after we have gone. John Heathcote

22 JUNE 2011 BOOKS & ARTS GEOSCIENTIST

at the expense of the unwashed. The worked in the same newsroom as Tim will Corporation by contrast was portrayed relish this prospect. Before the Internet, we as hell-bent upon destroying England’s asked Tim. And on those rare occasions most precious assets in a rapacious when he was stuck for a fact, Tim would pursuit of wealth - dressed up as concern rock back and say: “Hey chaps – anyone for the welfare of those it had enslaved. remember the dates of the Albigensian Crucially, however, what emerged for Heresy?”. Sadly we rarely repaid him with the first time was the idea of a sense of equal value. title to landscape that transcended mere Radford takes as his starting point the ownership. The Earth, in effect, became idea of location epitomised by every child’s The Dawn of Green – everyone’s property. This was the experience of writing his name in an “Dawn of Green”; but what also exercise book and following it with a Manchester, Thirlmere and emerged in this episode were the twin hierarchy of address lines ending with “The weaknesses of Green argument - hysteria Universe”. This enables him to examine modern environmentalism and hypocrisy. If these continue to go what ‘place’ actually means at different In 1875, the people living around unaddressed, they will alas prove the scales and times; his childhood home in Thirlmere, in the English Lake District, twilight of Green. New Zealand; his former home in Hastings; became aware of strange goings-on. his feelings as an adopted Sussex man; as Strange men in deer-stalkers and tweeds Reviewed by Ted Nield an antipodean in another hemisphere, as a were skulking behind bushes, making Francophile Russophile Westerner, as an notes and pretending to be tourists. Who THE DAWN OF GREEN – MANCHESTER, THIRLMERE Earthling. From native soils and their were they, and what could they want in AND MODERN ENVIRONMENTALISM geology to the birth of time itself, this is a this backwater? HARRIET RITVO, Published by: University of Chicago Press particularly personal take on a very grand Publication date: 2009 ISBN 978-0-226-72082-1; 237pp The true identity of these furtive List price: $26.00, www.press.uchicago.edu/index.html subject indeed. gentlemen became known rather sooner As we would expect, Radford’s broad than their employers would have liked. culture is conveyed with a lightness of They were sent by Manchester touch and that deft, easygoing charm that Corporation – geologists among them. characterises all his writing. This is not Cottonopolis, then the industrial capital principally a “science” book. In its own of the world, was running dry. Its modest way it is a ‘genre-buster’ combining huddled masses needed to flush their literature, science (with a lot of geology) new water closets, and its even thirstier with personal memoir. Like a true mills and dyeworks needed it soft. So the Renaissance Man, Radford sees no need of City Fathers had decided to buy a lake – those disciplinary boundaries that so and to do so, if possible, without driving comfort others. His book encapsulates one up land prices. man’s lifetime of experience, seamlessly Manchester was no stranger to The Address Book – integrating knowledge assimilated from all grandiose water schemes; but Thirlmere points of a highly personal compass. was another proposition entirely. our place in the Thirlmere was a Lake, sanctified by poets Reviewed by Ted Nield and artists who had gone in search of scheme of things paradise and then set about defending it Almost everyone who reads popular THE ADDRESS BOOK – OUR PLACE IN THE SCHEME against encroachment by the tide of filth science has read Tim Radford – probably OF THINGS washing up from the industrial North in The Guardian, for which paper he has TIM RADFORD, Published by: Fourth Estate Publication date: 2011 ISBN: 9780007255207; 215pp (attracted mostly by their own activities). served both as Science Correspondent and List price: £16.99, http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/ The dispute that ensued – idyllic pastoral Literary Editor. While changing one’s about-harpercollins/Imprints/4th_Estate/Pages/ myth versus material progress – was, as ‘beat’ is not that unusual in journalism, 4th_Estate.aspx Harriet Ritvo proves in this highly one would be hard-pressed to find engaging history, the birth of the “green” another writer who could carry off these REVIEWS: COPIES AVALABLE consciousness. The Lake District was an two widely divergent roles with equal environmental Jerusalem, fought over aplomb. That he was able to affords some Interested parties should contact the jealously by a fractious and schismatic measure of why this book manages to be Reviews Editor, Dr. Martin Degg 01244 cabal of interests who were only barely so apparently slight, and yet also so rich. 513173; [email protected], only. distracted from their main activity There is a genre of non-fiction – headed Reviewers are invited to keep texts. (squabbling among themselves) by the perhaps by Mr Bill Bryson – in which Review titles are not available to order existence of a common enemy. Plus ça subject matter is almost of no account. from the Geological Society Publishing change. Whether it be childhood memories, House unless otherwise stated. Mutual incomprehension was obvious Australia, cultural history or the English from the moment the unequal battle language, what really matters is the commenced. Manchester, which not only author, and the opportunity to spend time n Fossils from the Lower Lias of the won over Thirlmere but went on to buy inside a capacious mind – like having the Dorset Coast Lord, A.R. & Davis, P.G. Haweswater too, regarded the chance to rummage around a hero’s (eds) (2010), The Palaeontological preservationists as élitist Luddites study, and try out his baggy armchair. Association. content to see their privileges maintained Anyone fortunate enough to have

JUNE 2011 23 GEOSCIENTIST PEOPLE

Geoscientists in the news and on the move in the UK, PEOPLE Europe and worldwide Christchurch quake memories Twenty-nine Nottingham geologists on a 'geotour' holiday were caught up in the 6.3 Mw earthquake in Christchurch New Zealand. Dave Wilson* tells his rather alarming story

Image © NERC Cathedral had collapsed, and the Red Cross are able to how people had been trapped. inform next-of-kin, arrange accommodation and flights LIQUEFIED GROUND out; they also arrange food The shaking had induced and medicine. The consulates liquefaction of the ground. are involved also for those Small mud 'volcanoes' had who have lost passports and developed along fissures; belongings, and who need parts of the playing fields had repatriation. flooded and, interestingly, the I will not forget the help River Avon (actually a large given by ordinary New stream) had risen by about Zealanders, who offered us half a metre and was turbid food, accommodation, with mud. Water mains had transport and sympathy even cracked and there were rifts though they were equally Line of mud volcanoes caused by liquefaction and ejection of across tarmac paths and roads. shaken. We flew out, two unconsolidated sediment along fissures We assembled at a Red days late, via Los Angeles; our Cross centre, converted from a luggage is still in our hotel. It was the last day. straight line. Tables, glass and marquee due to be used for a We may get it back when the Suitcases packed, we were crockery crashed to the ground forthcoming flower show. building is safe to enter. killing time before our in the restaurant, as people However, liquefaction turned flight. It was raining, so headed for the stairs and its floor into a sea of mud and Read more about the when the earthquake struck emergency exit. we had to wait several hours Christchurch Earthquake in an I was on the top floor of the Once outside we moved while it was cleaned, boarded Online Special by Dave Boon Canterbury Museum, away from the building. and covered to allow people to (BGS). Visit www.geolsoc.org. examining an exhibition Fortunately the museum backs sit down. uk/geoscientist and follow the devoted to a centenary of onto the open space of To be processed as a link from the contents page of Antarctic exploration. There Christchurch Botanic Gardens, refugee by the Red Cross is an this month’s issue. was no warning; no build- although even here it was not interesting experience, but I up in the intensity of entirely safe as branches fell now understand why it is * Dave Wilson works for the tremors, just one enormous from trees; in other parts of the necessary. Once completed, British Geological Survey. bang and a terrific lurch gardens whole trees were followed immediately by a uprooted. series of violent jolts that By this time we were joined went on for about 15 by a flood of people from IN MEMORIAM WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/OBITUARIES seconds before subsiding. Christchurch central business THE SOCIETY NOTES WITH SADNESS THE PASSING OF: district (about a quarter of a Edgell, Henry Stuart GET ME OUT OF HERE mile away). Aftershocks came Suzuki, Uko * We were flung across the and went every ten minutes or Williams, L A J * room. Lights went out and so, some almost as strong as the In the interests of recording its Fellows' work for posterity, the alarms sounded. I realised it original. Files of schoolchildren Society publishes obituaries online, and in Geoscientist. The most recent additions to the list are shown in bold. Fellows for whom no obituarist has was an earthquake almost arrived (they all get earthquake yet been commissioned are marked with an asterisk (*). immediately (we'd seen the drill at school) and walking effects of the September wounded, many visibly If you would like to contribute an obituary, please email [email protected] to be commissioned. You can read the guidance for authors at event the previous day), and shocked, on their way to the www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. To save yourself unnecessary work, please do made for the exit; but the hospital. Eventually about 1500 not write anything until you have received a commissioning letter. tremors made it difficult to people gathered, telling how Deceased Fellows for whom no obituary is forthcoming have their names and keep our feet and run in a shops, offices and the dates recorded in a Roll of Honour at www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries.

24 JUNE 2011 PEOPLE GEOSCIENTIST

HELP YOUR OBITUARIST The Society operates a scheme for Fellows to deposit biographical material. The object is to assist obituarists by providing contacts, dates and other information, and thus ensure that Fellows’ lives are accorded appropriate and accurate commemoration. Please send your CV and a photograph to Ted Nield at the Society.

CAROUSEL

All fellows of the Society are entitled to entires in this column. Please email [email protected], quoting your Fellowship number.

n J MYLES BOWEN n DON BRADLEY holdings. Contact: of London. Professor Fowler J Myles Bowen Don Bradley is [email protected] has previously served as head has been given joining Caulmert of Royal Holloway’s the AAPG’s Ltd as an n JOHN DEWEY Department of Earth Sciences Pioneer Award Associate, John Dewey has 2002-08, becoming deputy 2011. The specialising in been made a dean research (science) award, one of two, was Waste Management - Corresponding in 2009. presented at its annual particularly landfill remediation. Member (Foreign convention in Houston on 10 Don worked for many years at Fellow) of the n MIKE STEPHEN April. The Pioneer Awards are the British Geological Survey, Australian Academy of Sciences. Mike Stephen given “to longstanding before moving to consultancy has been members who have around 10 years ago. He has n MARY FOWLER appointed contributed to the Association recently worked for Mary Fowler has Technical Manager and who have made Nottinghamshire County Council been appointed by ABG Ltd., a meaningful and significant leading the Reclamation section dean of the Faculty leading UK manufacturer and contributions to the science responsible for the restoration of of Science, Royal distributor of environmental of geology”. the County's Brownfield Land Holloway, University geosynthetic materials.

DISTANT THUNDER Geological pioneer As Nina Morgan* discovers, William Buckland seems to have adopted 21st Century networking…

Call me old-fashioned, and While searching on Google for discussion despite the exhortations from this something else, I suddenly found regarding the and seemingly all other myself staring at William relative magazines and Societies to be Buckland's very own Twitter culinary their friend or follow them, I have page (www.twitter.com/ merits of the never been personally interested williambuckland). Styling himself pickled in cultivating Facebook friends, or as “Rev. William Buckland, heart of a sharing 140-character thoughts Reader in Geology at Oxford; king versus via Twitter, and still less in reading Dean of Westminster; those of a anyone else's. But this, it seems, gastronome, with locations in nautilus, a roast is just one of the ways Oxford and Westminster”, hedgehog and a in which I differ from Buckland claims to be crocodile. Just the sort of identify with. It's a comment the Reverend following 31 other chatter you might expect to often made about me by my William twitterers, and to have surround someone like Buckland, own correspondents. Buckland 24 followers – including who had the stated ambition of (1784-1856), such luminaries such eating his way through the entire If the past is the key to your first Reader in as Richard Owen and animal kingdom. present interests, why not join Geology at Charles Darwin – But what really caught my eye the History of Geology Group Oxford hanging on his every was a tweet about Huxley's (HOGG)? For more information University, tweet. "famously illegible handwriting” - and to read the latest HOGG and a man as On the day I to which someone, presumably newsletter, visit the website at famous for stumbled across Buckland, has replied "Bah. www.geolsoc.org.uk/hogg scholarship as Buckland's page, he and Spoken by one who's never read he was notorious one “Richard Owen” were one of my letters." * Nina Morgan is a geologist and for eccentricity. engaged in a gastronomic Now here is something I CAN science writer based near Oxford

JUNE 2011 25 2011

Near Surface 2011 is expected to attract over 250 delegates and offers an extensive programme including:

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For a complete overview of the programme and to register, please visit www.eage.org. th 17 European Meeting of Environmental and Register now! Engineering Geophysics

Geological Society members register at the EAGE members rate

www.eage.org 12-14 September 2011, Leicester, UK CALENDAR GEOSCIENTIST

ENDORSED TRAINING/CPD CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) COURSES Course Date Venue and details CAD Presentation of 8 June Organiser: Keynetix Ltd. Venue: Systems House, Moons Park, Redditch. This one-day hands-on course for Geotechnical and up to 6 delegates explores the use of KeyHOLE, an AutoCAD plug-in, in its mapping, Chemical Data 2-dimensional reporting and presentation role. For details see website. 10% discount for Fellows.

Developing Geological Knowledge for CGeol Status, First Steps Ltd. For reservations and information contact Christine Butenuth, [email protected], 0207 589 7394, www.firststeps.eu.com. Managing Performance through People, The Open University. Online Course. Contact David Robinson, [email protected], 0870 900 9577, www.open.ac.uk. Effective Leadership Skills, The Open University. Online Course. Contact David Robinson, [email protected], 0870 900 9577, www.open.ac.uk. Managing Organisational Performance, The Open University. Online Course. Contact David Robinson, [email protected], 0870 900 9577, www.open.ac.uk. n For endorsed courses run by ESI Ltd, visit www.esinternational.com or contact [email protected] n For endorsed courses run by FUGRO Engineering Services, visit www.fes.co.uk/courses or contact [email protected]

DIARY OF MEETINGS JUNE 2011 CAN’T FIND YOUR MEETING? VISIT WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK – FULL, ACCURATE, UP-TO-DATE Meeting Date Venue and details Mendip Field Trip SOUTH WEST REGIONAL June (tbc) Venue: tba. Contact: Cathy Smith E: [email protected]

Climate Change: The Flooding Threat and June (tbc) Venue: tbc Time: tbc (evening) Speaker: Steve Corbett. Contact: Philip Charles Solutions THAMES VALLEY REGIONAL E: [email protected]

Joint Meeting with CIWEM: The Masda 7 June Venue: The Gatwick Manor Hotel, Crawley. Time: Evening 1800 for 1830. Contact: Ron Williams Project, Abu Dhabi SOUTH EAST REGIONAL T: 01737 553740 E: [email protected]

President’s Day and AGM 2011 8 June Venue: Burlington House. Time: 1100 Annual General Meeting (Fellows only) 1230 Lunch with the Award winners (Fellows (+ guest) with tickets only) 1400 Awards Ceremony 1530 Talks by Lyell, Murchison and William Smith medallists 1645 Tea 1715 Talk by Wollaston Medallist 1745 Presidential Address 1830-2000 Drinks reception. Contact: Stephanie Jones E: [email protected]

Manchester Metrolink Extension 9 June Venue: Williamson Lecture Theatre, Williamson Building, University of Manchester. Time: 1830. NORTH WEST REGIONAL Contact: Chris Berryman T: 01925 291111 E: [email protected]

Field Visit - The Geology of Hindhead Tunnel 11 June Venue: Newlands Corner car park off A25 approx 2 miles east of Guildford (OS Grid Ref TQ044493) SOUTH EAST REGIONAL Time: Not given. Contact: Ron Williams T: 01737 553740 E: [email protected]

Coal, Climate Change, and Carbon Capture 15 June Shell London Lecture. Venue: Burlington House. Time: 1430 for 1500 and 1630 for 1700. and Storage Speaker: Mike Stephenson is Head of Science (Energy) at the British Geological Survey (BGS). Contact: Leila Taleb T: 020 7432 0981 F: 020 7494 0579 E: [email protected]

22nd Petroleum Group Annual Dinner 16 June Venue: Natural History Museum. See website for details. Contact: Steve Whalley T: +44 (0)20 7432 0980 F: +44 (0)20 7494 0579 E: [email protected]

Internal Architecture, Bedforms and 20-21 June Venue: Burlington House. Contact: Steve Whalley T: +44 (0)20 7432 0980 F: +44 (0)20 7494 0579 Geometry of Turbidite Channels E: [email protected]

Engineering Monitoring, Management and 22 June Venue: Burlington House. Time: tbc. Contact: Hannah Cuthew E-Mail: Maintenance of UK Dams [email protected]

International Mineral Conference: Sustainable 23 June Venue: Heritage Motor Museum, Gaydon. See website for booking. Contact: Pam Badham Aggregates Production, Carbon Capture and E: [email protected] W: www.miro.co.uk Storage, Re-mineralisation and re-use of Quarry Assets MIRO

Extreme Events: Shaping the Surface 28-30 June Venue: University of Liverpool. Contact: E: [email protected] of the Earth W: pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~rchiv/bsg2011/index.htm

Popular Lectures - How Climate Models 29 June Venue: Institute of Education, London Time: Evening meeting 1900-2130. Contact: Lee-Anne Work and Could They Be Better? Parker E: [email protected] W: www.lms.ac.uk/content/popular-lectures London Mathematical Society

JUNE 2011 27

CROSSWORD GEOSCIENTIST

CROSSWORD NO. 147 SET BY PLATYPUS WIN A SPECIAL PUBLICATION

The winner of the April Crossword puzzle prize draw was Miss Rehemat Bhatia of Coulsdon, Surrey.

All correct solutions will be placed in the draw, and the winner’s name printed in the August issue. The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Closing date - June 21.

The competition is open to all Fellows, Candidate Fellows and Friends of the Geological Society who are not current Society employees, officers or trustees. This exclusion does not apply to officers of joint associations, specialist or regional groups.

Please return your completed crossword to Burlington House, marking your envelope “Crossword”. Do not enclose any other matter with your solution. Overseas Fellows are encouraged to scan the signed form and email it as a PDF to [email protected]

Name ...... ACROSS DOWN Membership number ...... Address for correspondence ...... 1 Crystals seem to have this all the time (5) 1 Tending to build reef structures (10) ...... 4 A sequence of beds deposited in a 2 Waste receptacle (3) single sedimentary cycle (pace Robin 3 Three-legged stand for supporting ...... Bailey, p6) (9) instruments or plane tables 9 Calcium disilicate, found in siliceous during surveys (6) ...... limestones and low-grade 4 Northern Scottish region with more flags metamorphics (9) ...... than anywhere else (9) 10 Quinquireme of Nineveh, or the Athenian 5 Fly-fisherman's basket (5) ...... trireme, are both this kind of boat (5) 6 Mud in your eye? No, more like grit in 11 White orthoamphibole; but as its name ...... your ear (8) implies to those who know, more often clove-coloured (14) 7 Wider than exegesis, pertaining to the ...... study of interpretation theory across all 14 Thine, plurally or formally (4) ...... media (11) 15 Competitor in a set of ten 8 Most popular, but not necessarily the Postcode ...... athletic events (10) average unless Gaussian (4) 18 Native to the largest archipelago 12 Mythical fowl ofen associated with the and most populous Muslim country extinct Dromomithidae (Oligocene- SOLUTIONS APRIL on Earth (10) Pleistocene) (11) 19 Massive luminous ball of plasma, 13 Pertaining to rock, such as the polarising ACROSS: confined by gravity (4) microscope (10) 1 Palsa 4 Zoroaster 9 Granitoid 10 Gorge 21 Referring to the use of radioactive 16 The eight-legged class of chelicerates (9) 11 Nucleoprotein 14 Tusk 15 Prosperous isotopes to study chemical reactions (13) 18 Oleoresins 19 Pale 21 Chequerboards 17 Not foodstuff (8) 24 "Mallory's Pipe", for example. (5) 24 Swami 25 Immutable 27 Assyrians 28 Yeast 20 Good luck charm (6) 25 Protective screen, such as might be used around radioactive materials (9) 22 Havens of fertility in the desert (4) DOWN: 27 Restores imbalance (9) 23 ‘Precipitous prominence’ in the North 1 Pagination 2 Lea 3 Amines 4 Zoospores of England. (4) 5 Radio 6 Anglesey 7 Tyrannosaur 8 Reef 28 A soldier or policeman's jacket, 12 Cistercians 13 Assessment 16 Syndromes for example (5) 26 Charged particle (3) 17 Breezier 20 Fortey 22 Utica 23 Asia 26 Boa

JUNE 2011 29 RECRUITMENT

GGeologicaleological SSocietyociety publicationspublications onlineonline

WWhathat isis thethe LyellLLyyell Collection?Collection? New Developments for 2011 Launched in 2007 to celebrate 200 years of the Geological Society of London, the LLyyell Full functionality of H20 Colleccttion is an online collection comprising the Society’s journal titles, Special Publications and key book series. Cutting edge science sits alongside important historical material, all captured and presented to the highest electronic standards and benefiting from the extensive functionality of HighWire Press’ platform. • Full text in HTML and PDF format • • Accttively linking to cited references • • Free public access to alerts, search funccttions and abstracts • • Selected open access articles • • Hosted by Highwire Press New titles IndividualIndividual aaccessccess ttoo thethe LyellLLyyell Collection?Collection?

Fellows of the Geological Society enjoy extensive access to Lyell Collection content, including: • JGS, QJEGH, GEEA or PG (including the full archive – when subscribed to as your free or additional journal option) • • The historical Transactions of the Geological Society of London (1811-1856) • • The Books Archive (all Special Publications, Memoirs and Engineering Geology Special

Publications published prior to the current and three previous calendar years)

• The option to access all current titles via the Full Book Collection TToo find out more about becoming a Fellow visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/join • LibraryLibrary accessaccess toto thethe LyellLLyyell Collection?Collection? • Access to the full content of the Lyell Collection is via a range of subscription options, or pay- perr--view. See the table below for further details. Additional content added for the 2011 subscription year is included in LLyyell Collection Complete subscriptions.

ToTo orderorder thethe LyellLLyyell CollectionCollection oorr iindividualndividual jjournalournal ttitles,itless,, oorr rrequestequest ffurtherurther iinformationnformation oorr a ffreeree ttrial,rial, ppleaselease ccontact:ontact: In UK and Europe: Email: [email protected] Telephone: +31 71 524 7630 In USA and Canada: Email: [email protected] Telephone: +1 617 395 4065 In Korea and Japan: Email: [email protected] Telephone: 82-2-598-2571 (ext. 230) In Austrraalian and New Zealand: Email: [email protected] Telephone: +61 7 5453-7675 In TTaaiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, SE Asia: Email: [email protected] Telephone: +886 2 8786 0601 All other regions: Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1225 445046

FForor moremore informationinformation visit:visit: wwww.lyellcollection.orgwww..lyellcollection.org FoundationFoundation SSponsorsponsors

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