DOCSLIB.ORG

Virtual Reality

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Virtual Reality T E A C H I N G R E S O U R C E G U I D E VIRTUAL REALITY R E A L I Z I N G T H E P O W E R O F E X P E R I E N C E , E X C U R S I O N A N D I M M E R S I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: GETTING STARTED Why Virtual Reality ------------------------------------------------------------------2 How to Use This Guide --------------------------------------------------------------3 Learning Strategies for Virtual Reality --------------------------------------------4 Tips for Getting Started -------------------------------------------------------------5 PART 2: LESSON PLANS Lesson 1: A Mission to Pluto -------------------------------------------------------7 Lesson 2: Meet Three Children Displaced by War and Persecution ----------9 Lesson 3: Four Antarctic Expeditions --------------------------------------------12 Lesson 4: Time Travel Through Olympic History -------------------------------14 Lesson 5: Decode the Secret Language of Dolphins and Whales------------16 Lesson 6: Memorials and Justice -------------------------------------------------18 Lesson 7: The World's Biggest Physics Experiment---------------------------20 Lesson 8: Journey to the Hottest Place on Earth ------------------------------22 ABOUT THE AUTHORS Travis Feldler is the founder of TechRow, a social enterprise that explores how to leverage immersive technology inside schools to improve learning outcomes. Natalie Proulx is a staff editor at The New York Times Learning Network. She is a former English Language Arts teacher and has written curriculum for a variety of subjects, including the humanities, STEM and virtual reality. P A R T 1 Getting Started WHY HOW TO USE LEARNING TIPS FOR VIRTUAL THIS GUIDE STRATEGIES GETTING REALITY FOR VIRTUAL STARTED REALITY 1 Why Virtual Reality? In 2015, The New York Times pioneered a new form of storytelling: virtual reality journalism. In an introduction to its first V.R. video, “The Displaced,” a documentary about three children who had been forced from their homes by war and persecution, Jake Silverstein, The New York Times Magazine’s editor, wrote: "We decided to launch The Times’s virtual-reality efforts with these portraits because we recognize that this new filmmaking technology enables an uncanny feeling of connection with people whose lives are far from our own. By creating a 360-degree environment that encircles the viewer, virtual reality creates the experience of being present within distant worlds, making it uniquely suited to projects, like this one, that speak to our senses of empathy and community." Since then, The Times has created a series of 360-degree videos that transport users from their living rooms to far-flung places — from Antarctica to Ethiopia, the depths of the ocean to Pluto, back to the beginning of the universe and through Olympic history. Five years later, V.R. might not have taken off in the way many hoped it would, but it still has the potential to be a powerful tool for the classroom. Virtual reality is engaging, yes — its novelty can be an excellent hook for learning — but it can also be so much more than that. With The Times’s 360 videos, students are no longer mere spectators, reading about an event or watching it unfold, but participants in it. Virtual reality can create a visceral experience, evoke memories, and foster empathy and emotional connection in a way that is rare in other mediums. It can also make abstract concepts concrete — taking students inside a giant microscope that smashes together subatomic particles, transporting them to iconic moments in history, or introducing them to people affected by the global refugee crisis. And V.R. can take students to places they might otherwise never get the chance to go, whether that’s the Mississippi Delta, Antarctica or Pluto. From a practical standpoint, what’s also useful about NYT VR is that the films are typically no longer than 10 minutes, so they are easy to fit into a normal class period without overwhelming students. In this guide, we offer you an array of examples to leverage immersive technology in your classroom using New York Times content and give you the tools to create V.R. lessons of your own. 2 How to Use This Guide This guide comes in two parts: (1) a framework for teaching with virtual reality and (2) a set of eight lesson plans, each based on an NYT VR video. It’s meant to be flexible based on your curricular goals and the needs of your students. Here are a few suggestions for using it in your classroom. Teach Our Lesson Plans. We’ve included eight lesson plans suitable for STEM and humanities classes that can be taught in one to two class periods. Each one is based on an NYT VR video, or series of videos, and includes activities for before, during and after the V.R. experience. Practice Skills. Virtual reality is ripe for practicing a number of academic skills related to STEM and the humanities. You can use the lessons in this guide or the videos on their own to teach students skills like: Making predictions and observations and drawing conclusions. Asking media literacy questions. Having discussions and making claims grounded in text evidence. Practicing descriptive writing and communicating complex concepts. Using multiple literacies like reading, viewing and listening. Building empathy and taking the perspectives of others. Build Your Own Curriculum. Are you teaching about animal intelligence in biology? Reading a novel about refugees in language arts? Learning about the civil rights movement in social studies? You can use any of the lesson plans in this guide to supplement a unit you’re already teaching. Here are a few ideas: Use a video as an engaging hook at the beginning of a unit. Take a “virtual field trip” to build background knowledge on a culture, place, people, historical event or scientific concept you are studying. Make what you’re learning relevant to the real world by inviting students to connect what they’re studying in class to a VR video. You can also draw on the themes and learning strategies in this guide to create your own lesson plans or units around an NYT VR film of your choice. Find many more 360 videos to use in your classroom in the 360 Video stream or the New York Times YouTube channel. 3 Learning Strategies for V.R. We suggest a few teaching ideas to get the most out of virtual reality with your students. Roles and Goals Virtual reality is experiential; it asks viewers not just to watch the film, but also to participate in it. By giving students roles to play (astronauts, anthropologists, museum curators, deep-sea divers) and having focused objectives (collecting data, sharing insights, making recommendations), teachers provide students with a mission to decode their experiences. Partners This medium is all about exploration, inquiry and play, so while students will have a learning objective, they should also have plenty of time to follow their curiosities and investigate the new worlds they find themselves in. We suggest students watch the video at least twice: once to explore and again to make specific observations related to their roles and goals. Exploration and Inquiry This medium is all about exploration, inquiry and play so while students will have a learning objective, they should also have plenty of time to follow their curiosities and investigate the new worlds they find themselves in. We suggest students watch the video at least twice: once to explore and again to make specific observations related to their roles and goals. Journaling After students view the V.R. video, they should have an opportunity to record their observations, synthesize their ideas and reflect on their overall experience. Each of our lessons includes a journaling opportunity, such as the “If I Were There” and “Notice and Wonder” protocols. Then, students can discuss what they wrote. 4 Tips for Getting Started With V.R. A Tool, Not a Curriculum Virtual reality is not a technology that should replace other teaching resources; instead, it should serve as a complementary tool that can enhance learning across disciplines. As with any new technology being introduced into the classroom, success depends on expectations, an effective strategy and the practical details of how it is being used. Safety! Safety! Safety! We always recommend sitting when participating in V.R. experiences. Partners create an additional safety measure because the partner who is observing can ensure that his or her partner is safely experiencing the VR content. Before starting, go over a list of dos and don’ts. Some of our personal favorites include: No standing up. If you are starting to feel dizzy or getting a headache, take the headset off. Do not flail hands or legs around to avoid causing potential accidents. Virtual reality can sometimes be an intensely emotional experience. Remind students that if they are feeling overwhelmed, it’s OK to stop. Technology To get started, you’ll also need some basic technology. Here are some general requirements: Internet: V.R. experiences can be downloaded or streamed. We recommend downloading the experience to the device so that streaming issues are avoided. Mobile Device: Smartphones are essential to powering these experiences. Headset: Choose a headset that makes the most sense for the mobile devices that you are using. There are mobile device-agnostic headsets that could work with a variety of phones. Prices start under $10 for a simple cardboard viewer and go up from there. Most headsets also come with compatibility specs, so that you can be better informed on how to pair accurately. Without Headset: 360 videos can also be viewed without a headset, but the experience isn’t as immersive.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ethiopia Lifetime Adventure | 2019 Ethiopia Highlights
    Gheralta Mountains Human © the Movie ethiopia lifetime adventure | 2019 ethiopia highlights Lalibela - exploring the incredible 12th century rock-hewn churches. Visit the church in a cave - Yemrehana Krestos. Low level flight through the spectacular Tekeze gorge Tigray Region & Gheralta mountains - ancient rock-hewn churches full of colourful frescoes and artefacts. Danakil Depression - Afar people on the salt pans, neon sulphur springs at Dallol and the turquoise pools of Lake Asal. Stellae monuments at the bustling town of Aksum, the building believed to house the Ark of the Covenant, Maria Zion and the monastery with the treasure house. Simien Mountains - high altitude landscapes, Gelada baboon & Walia Ibex. Royal Enclosure of Gondar - Castles and imperial houses dating back 400 years. End of your safari! Dawn over the Simiens © Richard Coke itinerary Aksum Day 1: Addis Ababa Explore the street markets and museum, TIGRAY and enjoy an evening in the traditional Simiens Gheralta song houses. Sheraton Hotel SUDAN Gondar Tekeze River Danakil Day 2 & 3: Lalibela FlyCongo to Lalibela viahighlights the Blue Nile gorge. AMHARA Visit some of the ancient monolithic AFAR churchesVirunga including National St George Parkand Lalibela Yemrehana Krestos, in the company of a local guide.Mountain Mountain & Lowland View Gorilla Hotel Semliki River, Lake Edward & Sinda Day 4, 5 & 6: Tigray Region Our next destination is GheraltaGorge in the Tigray region, flying via the spectacular TekezeSenkwekwe Gorge. We gorillawill visit orphanage the ancient Blue churches in the mountains including an Nile optional thrilling hike to Abuna Yemata The active volcanos of Nyamuragira - the church in the sky! Take a morning heli excursion to theand Danakil Nyiragongo Depression.
    [Show full text]
  • Evaporites Reveal Pleistocene Basin Dynamics in the Danakil Depression (Northern Afar, Ethiopia)
    Evaporites reveal Pleistocene basin dynamics in the Danakil depression (northern Afar, Ethiopia) Valentin Rime1,*, A. Foubert1, R. Fentimen1, H. Negga1, A. El Korh1, T. Adatte2, I. Hajdas3, B. Atnafu4 & T. Kidane5 1 Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Ch. Du Musée 6, Fribourg, Switzerland. 2 Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Switzerland 2 Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Switzerland 4 School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. 5 School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban, South Africa. * [email protected] Welcome! Welcome to my COVID-type presentation! • If you like to know the summary of this study, jump to the next slide. • If you are only interested in the results, jump to page 8. • If you are only interested in the discussion, jump to page 12. • If you are only interested in the conclusion, jump to page 22. Don’t hesitate to comment, ask questions, or make any suggestions to this study! Highlights • Multiproxy study of a drillcore in the Danakil depression, Afar, Ethiopia. • More than 600m of sediments dominated by evaporites most probably formed during the last 130ka. • Formation by evaporation of seawater after flooding of the depression and by remobilization through meteoric water inflow. • High sedimentation rates, important subsidence and rapid extensional tectonics. • Probably the most Recent analogue of Past Salt Giants. Fig. 1: Lithostratigraphic log of the core record Introduction: Geological setting (1) The Danakil depression (Afar, Ethiopia) is a rift valley forming the southernmost part of the Red Sea rift. It is situated between the Ethiopian plateau and the Danakil block and Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Observations of Pale and Rüppell's Fox from the Afar Desert
    Dinets et al. Pale and Rüppell’s fox in Ethiopia Copyright © 2015 by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. ISSN 1478-2677 Research report Observations of pale and Rüppell’s fox from the Afar Desert, Ethiopia Vladimir Dinets1*, Matthias De Beenhouwer2 and Jon Hall3 1 Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. Email: [email protected] 2 Biology Department, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001 Heverlee, Belgium. 3 www.mammalwatching.com, 450 West 42nd St., New York, New York 10036, USA. * Correspondence author Keywords: Africa, Canidae, distribution, Vulpes pallida, Vulpes rueppellii. Abstract Multiple sight records of pale and Rüppell’s foxes from northwestern and southern areas of the Afar De- sert in Ethiopia extend the ranges of both species in the region. We report these sightings and discuss their possible implications for the species’ biogeography. Introduction 2013 during a mammalogical expedition. Foxes were found opportu- nistically during travel on foot or by vehicle, as specified below. All coordinates and elevations were determined post hoc from Google The Afar Desert (hereafter Afar), alternatively known as the Afar Tri- Earth. Distances were estimated visually. angle, Danakil Depression, or Danakil Desert, is a large arid area span- ning Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somaliland (Mengisteab 2013). Its fauna remains poorly known, as exemplified by the fact that the first Results possible record of Canis lupus dates back only to 2004 (Tiwari and Sillero-Zubiri 2004; note that the identification in this case is still On 14 May 2007, JH saw a fox in degraded desert near the town of uncertain).
    [Show full text]
  • Genomic Methods and Microbiological Technologies for Profiling Novel
    ARTICLE Genomic Methods and Microbiological Technologies for Profiling Novel and Extreme Environments for the Extreme Microbiome Project (XMP) † Scott Tighe,1,* , Ebrahim Afshinnekoo,2,3,4,* Tara M. Rock,5 Ken McGrath,6 Noah Alexander,2,3 Alexa McIntyre,2,3 Sofia Ahsanuddin,2,3 Daniela Bezdan,2,3 Stefan J. Green,7 Samantha Joye,8 Sarah Stewart Johnson,9 Don A. Baldwin,10 Nathan Bivens,11 Nadim Ajami,12,13 Joseph R. Carmical,12,13 Ian Charold Herriott,14 Rita Colwell,15 Mohamed Donia,16 Jonathan Foox,2,3,17 Nick Greenfield,18 Tim Hunter,1 Jessica Hoffman,1 Joshua Hyman,19 Ellen Jorgensen,20 Diana Krawczyk,21 Jodie Lee,22 Shawn Levy,23 Nat`alia Garcia-Reyero,24 Matthew Settles,25 Kelley Thomas,26 Felipe G´omez,27 Lynn Schriml,28,29 Nikos Kyrpides,30 Elena Zaikova,9 ‡ Jon Penterman,31 and Christopher E. Mason2,3,32, 1Advanced Genomics Lab, University of Vermont Cancer Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA; 2Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 3The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, and 32The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; 4School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA; 5Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, USA; 6Australian Genome Research Facility, Gehrmann Labs, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia; 7DNA Services Facility, Research Resources Center, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 8Marine Sciences, The
    [Show full text]
  • Discovery of a Hydrothermal Fissure in the Danakil Depression
    EPSC Abstracts Vol. 12, EPSC2018-381-1, 2018 European Planetary Science Congress 2018 EEuropeaPn PlanetarSy Science CCongress c Author(s) 2018 Discovery of a hydrothermal fissure in the Danakil depression Daniel Mège (1), Ernst Hauber (2), Mieke De Craen (3), Hugo Moors (3) and Christian Minet (2) (1) Space Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland ([email protected]), (2) DLR, Germany ([email protected], [email protected], (3) Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Belgium ([email protected], [email protected]) Abstract Oily Lake and Gaet’Ale). It is manifested by (1) salt polygon geometry directly influenced by the underlying Volcanic rift zones are among the most emblematic fracture; (2) bubbling pools; (3) dead pools; (4) shallow analogue features on Earth and Mars [1-2], with expected sinkholes; (4) a variety of other micromorphologies differences mainly resulting from the different value of a related to free or pressurised upflow of gas and fluids; single parameter, gravity [3]. Beyond the understanding and (5) rare evidence of fumarolic activity. In this context, of the geology, rift zones provide appropriate the Yellow Lake appears as a possible salt karst feature hydrothermal environments for the development of [10] the location and growth of which is controlled by micro-organisms in extreme conditions which depend at relay zone deformation between the fissure segments. first order on endogenic processes, and weakly on the planetary climate conditions. The Europlanet 2018 3. Hydrothermal fluids Danakil field campaign enabled identifying a previously The physico-chemistry of fluids and minerals from two unreported 4.5 km long hydrothermal fissure on the Lake small pools located along the Yellow Lake Fissure, as Asale salt flats, the Erta Ale - Dallol segment of the well as the Yellow Lake, have been analysed (Table 1).
    [Show full text]
  • Expedition EARTH
    EXPEDITION EARTH by Cindy Horton EXPEDITION EARMy Passport to theT WorldH by Cindy Horton WORK ES SHE D ET LU S , C F IN L A D S C BONUS CD-ROM H . C E Published by: Bramley Books™, a division of A R R O D S M , D Knowledge Quest, Inc. L E N S A S S O P N A M P , L S A Post Office Box 789 N Boring, OR 97009-0789 All rights reserved. However, Knowledge Quest, Inc. grants the right to the individual purchaser to reproduce the pages herein for noncommer- cial, individual use. Reproduction for an entire classroom, school or school system is strictly prohibited. Please call (210) 745-0203 or email orders@ knowledgequestmaps.com for information on quantity sale discounts. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the author. Copyright: 2011 Cindy Horton www.KnowledgeQuestMaps.com www.BramleyBooks.com Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-1-932786-44-6 (hardcover) Cover design by Cathi Stevenson Cover images created by Sheriff/ licensed through Fotolia Page layout and design by Cindy Horton Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Africa.............................................................................................................................................. 3 Algeria .................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Geoheritage and Resilience of Dallol and the Northern Danakil Depression in Ethiopia
    Geoheritage (2020) 12: 82 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00499-8 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Geoheritage and Resilience of Dallol and the Northern Danakil Depression in Ethiopia Viktor Vereb1,2 & Benjamin van Wyk de Vries2 & Miruts Hagos3 & Dávid Karátson1 Received: 22 November 2019 /Accepted: 29 July 2020 /Published online: 26 September 2020 # The Author(s) 2020 Abstract The Danakil Depression, located in the northern segment of the Afar rift, is a world-class example of active rifting and the birth of a new ocean. The unique, yet only partially interpreted geothermal system of Dallol in northern Danakil is currently receiving renewed attention by researchers and visitors despite its extreme climate since the recent improvements of infrastructure and the stabilisation of Ethio-Eritrean political relations. Previous studies focused on the general geological description, the economic exploitation of potash reserves and interpretation of the complex hydrothermal processes. Continuing monitoring of geothermal activity has not yet been carried out, and the valorisation of local geoheritage has not accompanied the increased interest of tourists. Here, we present a three-step study in order to demonstrate the unique geological environment and international geoheritage significance of Dallol and Danakil. A three-year-long remote sensing campaign has been done to provide informa- tion on improving the resilience of visitors through interpreted, monthly hazard maps, and on following up the changes of geothermal activity. Over the same time, the first geoheritage assessment of the region for 13 geosites was carried out along with a comparative analysis of three quantitative methods (to evaluate the scientific importance and the geotouristic development potential of the area).
    [Show full text]
  • Lipid Biomarker and Carbon Stable Isotope Survey on the Dallol Hydrothermal System in Ethiopia
    ASTROBIOLOGY Volume 19, Number 12, 2019 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1963 Lipid Biomarker and Carbon Stable Isotope Survey on the Dallol Hydrothermal System in Ethiopia Daniel Carrizo, Laura Sa´nchez-Garcı´a, Nuria Rodriguez, and Felipe Go´mez Abstract The remote Dallol Hot Springs, an active hydrothermal system in the volcanic region of Danakil (Ethiopia), is an interesting yet poorly studied polyextreme environment for investigating the limits of life. Here, we explored the presence of signs of life in five samples of sinter deposits at Dallol, by means of lipid biomarkers and stable isotope composition. The results reveal the existence of biological material with predominance of (presently or recently active) microbial sources, according to the relative abundance of low-over-high molecular weight moieties (n-alkanes, n-carboxylic acids, or n-alkanols), and the detection of diverse microbial-diagnostic compounds (i.e., monomethyl alkanes; C16:1 o7, C18:1 o9, C18:1 o10, C18:2 o6,9 and iso/anteiso C15 and C17 carboxylic acids; or short-chained dicarboxylic acids). The molecular lipid patterns at Dallol suggest a mi- crobial community largely composed of thermophilic members of the Aquificae, Thermotogae, Chroroflexi, or Proteobacteria phyla, as well as microbial consortia of phototrophs (e.g., Cyanobacteria-Chloroflexi) in lower- temperature and higher-pH niches. Autotrophic sources most likely using the Calvin cycle, together with the acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) pathway, were inferred from the depleted bulk d13C ratios (-25.9/-22.6&), while sulfate-reducing bacteria were considered according to enriched sulfate (7.3/11.7&) and total sulfur (20.5/ 8.2&) d34S ratios.
    [Show full text]
  • From Paddling the Zambezi to Galloping Across South African Savanna, We’Ve Come up with the Adventures You Can’T Miss
    From paddling the Zambezi to galloping across South African savanna, we’ve come up with the adventures you can’t miss. They’ll transport you through wilderness, introduce you to stunning landscapes and deliver some mighty animals along the way. ETHIOPIA UGANDA KENYA REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO TANZANIA ZAMBIA NAMIBIA BOTSWANA SOUTH AFRICA 100 get lost ISSUE 47 get in the know One elephant can hear another’s trumpet from 10 kilometres away. get in the know The Zambezi, at 3450 kilometres, fows through six countries: Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. ISSUE 47 get lost 101 walking with giants For a mORe sErEnE take oN ThE tradiTIonAl safAri, HanNA JoNes lacES up her HikIng boOts fOr cloSe encouNtErs Of The wild kInD IN KeNya. Promises have been made: hike to the top of One of this walk’s unique aspects is its a huge rock called Nyasura in the distance guides. Hailing from the Samburu tribe, who and be rewarded with spectacular views live mainly in north central Kenya (they’re over the plains. After about 15 minutes or related to, but distinct from, the Maasai so, it isn’t the vista that proves to be the people), they lead the safaris dressed most magical element of the climb: we can in traditional attire. This includes shoes hear men singing. Since we’re in the middle made from old tyres – and if you doubt the of nowhere, Kenya, this comes as a bit of a effectiveness of such footwear, I’m here to tell surprise, but it does provide the impetus to you those old Bridgestones seemed to offer get moving a little faster towards the summit.
    [Show full text]
  • Pleistocene Sea‐Floor Fibrous Crusts and Spherulites in The
    Published in "Sedimentology 66(2): 480–512, 2019" which should be cited to refer to this work. Pleistocene sea-floor fibrous crusts and spherulites in the Danakil Depression (Afar, Ethiopia) DAVID JARAMILLO-VOGEL*, ANNELEEN FOUBERT*, JUAN CARLOS BRAGA†, JEAN-CHARLES SCHAEGIS*, BALEMWAL ATNAFU‡, BERNARD GROBETY* and TESFAYE KIDANE‡§ *Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Ch. Du Musee 6, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland (E-mail: [email protected]) †Departamento de Estratigrafıa y Paleontologıa, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva, 18002 Granada, Spain ‡School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia §School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa ABSTRACT Pleistocene fibrous aragonite fabrics, including crusts and spherules, occur in the Danakil Depression (Afar, Ethiopia) following the deposition of two distinc- tive Middle and Late Pleistocene coralgal reef units and pre-dating the precipita- tion of evaporites. Crusts on top of the oldest reef unit (Marine Isotope Stage 7) cover and fill cavities within a red algal framework. The younger aragonite crusts directly cover coralgal bioherms (Marine Isotope Stage 5) and associated deposits. Their stratigraphic position between marine and evaporitic deposits, and their association to euryhaline molluscs, suggest that the crusts and spher- ules formed in restricted semi-enclosed conditions. The availability of hard substrate controls crust formation with crusts more often found on steep palaeo- slopes, from sea level up to at least 80 m depth, while spherules mainly occur associated with mobile substrate. Crusts reach up to 30 cm in thickness and can be microdigitate, columnar (branching and non-branching) or non-columnar, with laminated and non-laminated fabrics.
    [Show full text]
  • Updated 9/20/17 CURRICULUM VITAE Robert Curtis Walter Address
    Updated 9/20/17 CURRICULUM VITAE Robert Curtis Walter Address Department of Earth and Environment Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 Position Associate Professor of Geoscience Phone 717-358-7198 Email [email protected] Education 1981 - 1985 University of Toronto. Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Physics (Division of Geophysics) with Prof. Derek York, and Department of Geology with Prof. John A. Westgate. 1975 - 1980 Case Western Reserve University. Ph.D. 1981, Geochemistry (Prof. James L. Aronson, advisor). Dissertation Title: "The Volcanic History of the Hadar Early Man Site and the Surrounding Afar Region of Ethiopia". 1972 - 1975 Franklin and Marshall College. B.A. (Dean's List) 1975, Geology (Prof. Stanley A. Mertzman, advisor). Academic Research (1) Tectonic basin analyses and fracture pattern mapping for deep groundwater exploration: (2) Development and application of geological and geochemical techniques for the investigation of human impacts on the environment: (3) Water quality and watershed analyses; (4) Calibrating geological timescales; (5) Geology of human evolution. East African geology, geoarchaeology, and paleontology; interpretation of geological factors in faunal evolution, human evolution, climate change and paleoenvironments; (6) Isotope Geochemistry and Geochronology (40Ar/39Ar, fission track, 137Cs, and 210Pb systematics); (7) Petrogenisis of volcanic rocks (8) Volcanology, tephrostratigraphy, and tectonic evolution of rift and plume volcanoes; (9) Paleoclimates, paleonvironments and climate change. Humanitarian Interests (1) The interplay of natural science and complex humanitarian emergencies; (2) Using remote sensing techniques and geological knowledge to monitor, map, and predict environmental disasters; (3) Disaster management; (4) Food security, water security, and environmental security around the globe, with an emphasis on Africa and the Near East.
    [Show full text]
  • Geotouristic Attractions of the Danakil Depression Katarzyna Cieśluk1, Mirosław T
    Geotourism 1(36) 2014: 33–42 http://dx.doi.org/10.7494/geotour.2014.36.33 Geotouristic attractions of the Danakil Depression Katarzyna Cieśluk1, Mirosław T. Karasiewicz1*, Zdzisław Preisner2 1 Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Earth Sciences, ul. Lwowska 1, 87–100 Toruń; *e-mail: [email protected] 2Toruń School of Banking, ul. Młodzieżowa 31a, 87–100 Toruń Introduction The Danakil Valley occurs in The Afar Triangle, within The Great Rift Valley, on north-east Ethiopian, south-east Eritrean and west Djiboutian territories. It is an enormous unsettled area with barren soil. From the North to the South it is about 570 km long, and its width varies from 80 to 400 km (covering an area~200000 km2 – Beyene, Abdel- salam, 2005). Most of it lies below sea level. It also has the deepest depression of the African continent, the shoreline of lake Asal reaching 155 m b.s.l. (Waltham, 2010, but Mo- rell, 2012–156 m b.s.l.). Its geological, climatic, cultural Abstract: Geotourists and unconventional tourists will be definite- and landscape features are unique on a global scale. Hot ly interested in the Danakil Valley. It is rarely visited place but ab- sulphur springs, multicolour salt and mineral crusts, rifts, solutely extraordinary in many ways. It is in an area of divergence faults, black lavas, vaporous geysers and active volcanos of lithosphere plates and, therefore connected to that, seismic and create one of the most weird and beautiful landscapes volcanic activity can be observed. Stunning terrain forms, geo- on Earth. logical structures, colours and diversity seem to be unreal.
    [Show full text]