The Professional Geologist Nov/Dec 2007
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Volume 44, Number 6 THE PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST NOV/DEC 2007 A Publication of the American Institute of Professional Geologists Professionalism Is Our Purpose www.aipg.org TTPGP G Volume 44, Number 6 THE PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST NOV/DEC 2007 FEATURE An Interview with Mark Myers U.S. Geological 8 Survey Director OPINIONS FROM OUR MEMBERSHIP Causes of Global Warming, Are We Certain? 12 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES 3 Geological Aspects of Unitization in the Petroleum 30 Fields of Louisiana: A Brief Overview Assuring the Reliability of Your Sampling Results 33 Clastic Dikes in the Parachute Creek Member 39 AIPG STORE ITEMS 44 3RD IPGC CALL FOR PAPERS 45 DEPARTMENTS EDITOR’S CORNER 2 SECTION NEWS 4 MEMBERS IN THE NEWS 5 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 6 5 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 7 IN MEMORY 7 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 11 AIPG STUDENT CHAPTERS 11 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 16 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COLUMN 17 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND PRACTICES 18 MARKETING 22 STUDENT’S VOICE 24 NEW APPLICATIONS AND MEMBERS 26 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ANSWERS 27 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 28 41 ON THE COVER - Mount Moran is radiant in the early morning autumn sunlight with its dusting of snow and Skillet Glacier hinting of the surficial processes that sculptured this spectacular view. On this morning, this mountain peak in the Grand Teton National Park seems to nestle on the cloud bank while casting its reflection onto the quiet surface of Jackson Lake, which itself is framed with vegeta- tion dressed in fall colors. The creation of this spectacular view began some 6 - 8 million years ago when movement along the Teton Fault began raising even older rocks to where surface processes like ice, wind, running water, and mass wasting could create these features we call mountains. On the other side of the fault, equally impressive is evidence of rocks that have been lowered, resulting in the topographic depression we call Jackson Hole.” Geology not only is important in our daily lives when we are concerned about having sufficient potable water or non-renewable resources, but in moments like this when the grandeur of geology is at its best. Note a correction from the September/October TPG cover. The correct description should have read “Minerals dissolved in groundwater seeping through the outcrops creates the colors observed throughout the lakeshore -- red and orange are iron, green and blue are copper, black is manganese, and white is lime.” 2007 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE EDITOR’S CORNER PRESIDENT - Kelvin J. Buchanan, CPG HB Engineering Group O: (775) 786-4515 / [email protected] PRESIDENT-ELECT - Daniel St. Germain, CPG Is Anyone Out Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. O: (201) 398-4381 / [email protected] PAST-PRESIDENT - Lawrence C. Weber, CPG There? Geosciences Design Group, LLC O: (615) 883-9434 / [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT - Virginia T. McLemore, CPG Gail G. Gibson, CPG-09993, New Mexico Bureau of Geology O: (505) 835-5521 / [email protected] Florida Community College at Jacksonville SECRETARY - Mark W. Rogers, CPG 1154 Morgan Circle E. ECC Orange Park, FL 32073 O: (808) 486-3707 / [email protected] [email protected] TREASURER - Ronald J. Wallace CPG State of Georgia O: (404) 362-2589 / [email protected] EDITOR - Gail G. Gibson, CPG Greetings fellow AIPG members. Many were about to receive that they had ERRED, Florida Community College at Jacksonville of your friends, peers, and colleagues are intentionally misspelling err as ERRR. Then I H: (904) 215-3159 / [email protected] here in Traverse City MI, attending the 44th would explain that as a result of their academic ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES R. Todd Church, CPG Annual Meeting of the American Institute achievements, they Earned the Respect of URS Corp. of Professional Geologists. The weather is people who did not know them, and may never O: (703) 713-6461 / [email protected] spectacular! The leaves are just beginning to see them, but that the recognition carried with Charles W. Drake, MEM Tetra Tech, Inc. turn, and these same friends, peers, or col- it certain Rights and Responsibilities, and O: (407) 839-3955 / [email protected] leagues are sitting around in the sun discuss- then proceeded to explain what was meant by Barbara H. Murphy, CPG ing a variety of topics related to the theme “…Rights and Responsibilities.” So, here is the Clear Creek Associates O: (480) 659-7131 / [email protected] of this meeting, Geology: The Foundation for e-mail address ([email protected]), again. Dennis Pennington, CPG the Environment and Resources. Both oral Now, since I have your undivided atten- Consulting Geologist and poster sessions have been well attended O: (215) 646-8866 / [email protected] tion, let’s make your e-mail response a bit with lots of questions and discussion, and NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS longer, say 10 minutes. What do you expect 1400 W. 122nd Ave., Suite 250 yes I heard that the Mackinac island bicycle to get from your AIPG membership, besides Westminster, CO 80234 field trip prepared you for a bit of a rest and 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM MDT; M-F additional letters following your name and the (303) 412-6205 • Fax (303) 253-9220 a good meal. Imagine being in the field on a prestige of qualifying for membership? How [email protected] • www.aipg.org breezy, comfortably warm, sunny day, bicy- do you remain current in you discipline? AIPG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - William J. Siok, CPG - [email protected] cling between outcrops, looking at rocks and offers a number of professional development ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - Wendy J. Davidson - [email protected] discussing geology with others. opportunities. Did you know that at the state MEMBERSHIP SERVICES - Cathy L. Duran - [email protected] If you read these comments, please take level, some of the sections are very active OFFICE ASSISTANT - Cristie J. Valero - [email protected] three minutes (well, maybe five minutes) relative to legislative initiatives? How does OFFICE CLERK - Emma M. Schlundt - [email protected] and send me an e-mail briefly telling me why this impact me you say? Well, think about LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE you aren’t attending the annual meeting in it. Legislative initiatives formulated without GeoCare Benefits Insurance Plan Phone: 800-337-3140 or 805-566-9191 Traverse City. I would very much like to get your input can have a negative impact on http://www.geocarebenefits.com/ a handle on why you are missing out on this your work. TPG offers a forum for sharing E-mail: [email protected] Liberty Mutual professional development activity. When information, either via opinion pieces or ref- Phone: 800-524-9400 asked, I have no idea why you are not attend- ereed articles. Do you have something that http://www.libertymutual.com/lm/aipg AFLAC ing. This same question is asked at most you would like to share? Since you are now (303) 674-1808 http://www.aflac.com professional meetings. Anyway, I can only thinking of all the stuff you want to include in ALAMO RENTAL CAR - (800) 354-2322 - Member #BY-218167 speculate or depend on hearsay information, that e-mail, include your idea for a contribu- AVIS RENTAL CAR - (800) 222-2847 - Member AWD #L123443 hence, the title of these comments and the tion to TPG. If you are working on your own or fact that I normally receive few responses with a small company, the insurance package AIPG FOUNDATION Kel Buchanan, CPG to such queries. I should get about 3,000 offered through AIPG might to appropriate for HB Engineering Group you. Here is that e-mail address (ggibson@ P.O. Box 2391 responses to this query -- if everyone reads Reno, NV 89505-2391 the November – December issue of TPG. fccj.edu), again. (775) 786-4515/FAX (775) 786-4324 [email protected] Even face-to-face, the response to such a Now that you are on a roll, furiously typing question is often a shrug of the shoulders. my e-mail address, and thinking of appropri- The Professional Geologist (USPS 590-810 and ISSN 0279-0521) So, I have requested that the megabyte size ate responses, let’s consider a second ques- is published bi-monthy by the American Institute of Professional of my e-mail inbox be expanded. So, here is tion that is on my mind. If you were part of Geologists, 1400 W. 122nd Ave., Suite 250, Westminster, CO 80234- 3499. Periodicals Postage Paid at Denver, Colorado and additional the e-mail address ([email protected]). the AIPG Executive or Advisory committees, mailing offices. When I regularly addressed new student what would like to see accomplished? Once POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Professional Geologist, AIPG, 1400 W. 122nd Ave., Suite 250, Westminster, CO inductees into a university’s honor society, I again, the e-mail address is (ggibson@fccj. 80234. would sometimes remind them of the saying edu). Subscriptions for all Members and Adjuncts in good standing are included in annual membership dues. Subscription prices are “To err is human, to forgive is…...” I would Yes, I will share your comments, but not $35.00 a year for Members’ additional subscriptions and $45.00 a tell that by being eligible for the honor they who the authors of the comments are. year for non-members for 6 issues (for postage outside of the U.S. add $10.00). Single copy price is $4.00 for Members and $6.00 for non-members. Claims for nonreceipt or for damaged copies are American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) is the only national organization that honored for three months. certifies the competence and ethical conduct of geological scientists in all branches of the Entire contents copyright 2007 by The Professional Geologist.