Stage 0 Lightning in the (San Francisco Peaks)

Home , Agassiz Peak, Doyle Peak, Fremont Peak (Arizona)

Lab Title LIGHTNING IN THE PEAKS Analyzing processes responsible for the distribution of lightning strikes during Arizona's monsoon season in the San Francisco Peaks

Lightning strike over San Francisco Peaks Credit: Mike K, National Weather Service https://www.weather.gov/images/fgz/LightningBrianK.jpg

Lightning is one of those topics in physical geography that captures What is the imagination. Students have requested for labs about lightning, and until this Stage 0 recently – it was not possible (nor safe). However, with the ability to map About? cloud-to-ground lightning strikes on a digital elevation model (DEM) enabled the development of a lab focused on students analyzing processes responsible for the distribution of lightning – using video game technology. This lab’s focus rests on you analyzing lightning strikes. However,

there is more to this lab. Analyzing lightning strikes is part of the story. You get to analyze and study lightning in the context of the greater physical geography (see graphic above) of the study area of the San Francisco Peaks in Northern Arizona. 2

WARNING: DO NOT TAKE THE QUIZ IN CANVAS UNTIL YOU HAVE WORKED ON THIS LAB OFFLINE USING THE GAME AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PDF FILE.

Students who rush to take a quiz, and do not “practice” going back and forth between the PDF file and the game, DO VERY POORLY ON THE LATER STAGES THAT ARE MORE COMPLICATED.

An important aspect of this "stage zero" assignment is for you to get in a study habit that will lead to you: • spending the least amount of time • learning the most; and • getting the best grade.

Stage 0 The points you accumulate for correct answers count towards your grade. Worth Incorrect answers do not hurt your grade. However, because you can repeat Stage 0, you should be able to earn a perfect score by learning from the error and correcting it.

STEPS IN STEP 1. Download the video game geovisualization DOING https://gamejolt.com/games/2BC_LightningLabSFP/506498 STAGE 0 Please feel free to use Professor Dorn’s hints on how to avoid mistakes in purchasing and downloading the game: http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/112_PurchasingGames.pdf

STEP 2. Practice with playing the game. Please feel free to use Professor Dorn’s hints on how to play the geovisualizations in general: http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/112_HowPlayGames.pdf and this game in particular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkUjQX-wMlI

STEP 3. Put this PDF file on a second device (or print it out) such as on a phone or tablet) so you can access the information in this PDF file while you are playing the game easily and with minimal frustration.

STEP 4. Get out a pen/pencil and some pieces of paper – so you can take notes while you play the game and get the answers to the questions in this PDF file.

STEP 5. Go through the questions in this PDF file and the instructions. Figure out the best answer to these questions. Take notes.

STEP 6. Check your answers carefully to the questions in this PDF file, and then go into canvas and put down your answers. 3

Note about the game and your computer

THE GAME AND YOUR COMPUTER FAN/HEATING

If you are running a low-end computer with just the minimum amount of 4GB RAM, then the game will make your fan turn on and heat up for the first 5-10 minutes of play. This sometimes freaks out students.

Why does this happen? The game engine needs to create a virtual world of topography, so when your avatar runs around the game, the views can mimic reality. It involves a lot of math to make sure items in the distance are scaled so that they look like they are in the distance.

Will things calm down? Yes. Your processing will be pushed for the first 5-10 minutes, but once the game is built, the processing will slow down a lot. The fan may still stay on, to keep the computer cooled.

WARNING/HEADS UP. All of the questions and answers in this PDF file will be the same that you will see in canvas. This is not the same for the rest of the stages. There are pools of questions in the other stages, and canvas will rotate them for students randomly. Thus, the PDF file for later stages will provide generalized instructions and example questions. But for Stage Zero, I want you to IGNORE CANVAS and just work on the lab using this file and the geovisualization.

STAGE 0: Getting to know the lab and study site

The study site for this lab located in Flagstaff, Arizona and the nearby San Francisco Peaks, consisting of a series of peaks and saddles that create a C-shaped ring of high points. This ring was created when a very large volcanic eruption blew the top off the composite volcano. The direction of the blast was to the east, and the decapitation of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 is thought to have been similar to what happened between 1 million and 400,000 years ago. All of the high points in the geovisualization are a result of volcanic processes discussed in this U.S. Geological Survey publication: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2001/fs017-01/

The San Francisco Peaks are visited by outdoor enthusiasts for skiing, mountain biking, and hiking. The mountains are also sacred to Native Americans living in the region including the Havasupai, Navajo, Hopi and Zuni. To Navajo, they are the sacred mountain of the west called Dook’o’ooslííd. The Hopi villages on Black Mesa view the peaks as a ritually pure sacred space and the home of the kachina spirits, and alignment of sunset is used to calculate winter solstice. 4

Credit: Deborah Lee Soltesz USFS Coconino NF

The geovisualization allows you to fast-travel to the following locations seen below in a Google Earth screenshot [By the way, we can’t use Google Earth, because there’s no lightning data, no air temperature data, and no rainfall data]. 5

You can also find background information on these locations to dive more into the history and context of these locations.

Fast Travel Spots About the Fast Traveling Location

Flagstaff was founded by Lumberjacks who celebrated the 100th anniversary Flagstaff: of the USA by nailing a U.S. flag to the top of a ponderosa pine. The early 35.1983 N, 111.6513 W economy was based on the railroad, ranching and lumber. Currently, among other industries, it has a strong tourism sector.

Arizona Snowbowl Facing southwest, this ski resort was and is embroiled in controversy N 35.33037 W 111.70459 regarding using reclaimed water to make snow

This is the highest point in Arizona at 12635'. Along with Agassiz, Fremont, Humphrey's Peak Doyle and other peaks, it makes a rim of mountains that used to be a part of a N 35.3464 W 111.6780 much larger stratovolcano that was built up and blew apart in just the last million years.

Named for Louis Agassiz, the man who fought the ‘Church’ over the science Agassiz Peak of glaciation, it is the southernmost peak in the contiguous USA over 12,000 N 35.32577 W 111.67756 feet tall.

There are many Fremont Peaks, honoring John C. Fremont who was an Fremont Peak explorer, soldier, and the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office N 35.32297 W 111.66074 of President.

After the top of the San Francisco Peaks was probably blown off and ejected Inner Basin to the east, the inner basin formed. Currently, the aquifer of the Inner Basin N 35.34324 W, 111.65019 supplies the city of Flagstaff with much of its water. 6

Fast Travel Spots About the Fast Traveling Location

Doyle Peak The name Doyle is present on U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps, but N 35.33011 W 111.64594 its original name was Shultz Peak.

Elden Mountain This is a volcanic (thick and pasty lava) dome, characterized by steep sides. N 35.24099 W 111.59754 Elden Mountain rests just above downtown Flagstaff.

Dry Lake Hills This location is a popular hiking and mountain biking area. Its volcanic, like N 35.26132 W 111.63685 most of the high points in Arizona.

Sunset Crater is the most recent volcanic eruption in the San Francisco Peaks Sunset Crater volcanic field, erupting about 1085. There’s an associated basalt flow called N 35.36371 W 111.50295 Bonito.

O’Leary Peak is the highpoint in the area of Sunset Crater, named for a scout O'Leary Peak during the Indian campaigns of the late 19th century. It is not a cinder cone, N 35.40242 W 111.53262 but a dome of thick viscous lava like Elden Mountain.

Doney Park: Doney Park is a residential area northeast of Flagstaff, a low spot named for a N 35.27300 W 111.50868 northern Arizona pioneer.

Fort Valley Fort Valley is an old settlement that has become a suburb of Flagstaff. It still N 35.25795 W 111.73778 holds small farms and ranches.

Schultz Pass Road is considered by many to be one of the most scenic drives in the Flagstaff area. It is also the quickest route to get out of the city and go Schultz Pass into the national forests. But you won’t be alone. It’s a busy area – and you N 35.2848 W 111.6336 can decide if the people who go there during the monsoon are making a good decision. Lockett Meadow is where you would park if you tried to head out for a hike Lockett Meadow in the Inner Basin. It’s a good gravel road, but I still would not recommend a N 35.35880 W 111.61972 passenger car.

Abineau Trail is a steep hike! But it is worthwhile, no matter the season. You Abineau Canyon Trailhead will make your own judgment if the Monsoon season (July, August, N 35.38356 W 111.67407 September) is a good idea!

Bear Jaw Flats This is a relatively flat area on the northern flank of the San Francisco Peaks. N 35.39979 W 111.63595 You can make a loop with the Abineau Canyon trail.

The questions in Stage 0 are organized into 3 categories: • Task 1 Getting to know the “Lightning in the Peaks” game • Task 2 Getting to know the Physical Geography of the San Francisco Peaks study site • Task 3 Getting to know the basic idea behind the lab: analyzing lightning patterns

Stage 0 Task 1 Getting to know the “Lightning in the Peaks” game: The hope is that you do more than just figure the answers to this question – but hop around and explore the area while you get comfortable with this software.

QUESTION 1 (Learning about data available in the game) setup: When the game starts up, you will land on the top of Humphreys Peak with lightning strikes and the landsat layer overlaid on topography . Spin the camera so that you are looking at the avatar’s face like this:

NOTE: it will be frustrating at first to manipulate the camera. You will use your mouse or trackpad. If the trackpad does not work well, borrow a trackball or a mouse (or use a video game controller). The idea is that your avatar has not moved, but the camera has swung around and you can see the avatar’s face.

NOTE: You start up in game-playing mode, where you can move the avatar and spin the camera angle around.

Escape on the keyboard allows you to go between game mode and access to the menu. The little triangle on the left side opens up into the menu, and the map icon opens up to control the compass, geology key, and inset map.

Once you have the camera facing the avatar’s face, fill out the table below making observations using what you see IN YOUR GAME. You are just reading information displayed in the upper left corner of the game.

Direction camera angle is facing (it is the cardinal direction you see at the top of the outer compass ring, either North, South, East or West)

Direction that the avatar is facing (it is the cardinal direction you see at the top of the inner compass ring). Latitude, Longitude and Elevation Readout 10 am Surface Temperature 10 am Air Temperature Rainfall

QUESTION 1: When the game starts, spin the camera angle using your mouse so that you are looking at the avatar’s face. Please make note of the following information that you can see in the geovisualization using the compass, the readout of information displayed. Then, select the best answer that fits your observations. These are the choices you will see in the canvas question, but the order will be scrambled.

Direction camera Almost Almost Almost Almost north angle is facing (it west southeast south is the cardinal direction you see at the top of the outer compass ring, either North, South, East or West)

Direction that the Almost Almost Almost north Almost south avatar is facing (it east northwest is the cardinal direction you see at the top of the inner compass ring). Latitude, 35.3450 35.3450 35.3450 35.3450 Longitude and -111.6784 -111.6784 -111.6784 -111.6784 Elevation Readout 3804 m 3804 m 3804 m 3804 m 10 am Surface 19.4˚ F 66.9˚ F 35.5˚ F 92˚ F Temperature 10 am Air 19.4˚ F 92˚ F 35.5˚ F 66.9˚ F Temperature August Rainfall 2.12 mm 21.0 mm 2120.0 mm 212 mm

Task 2 Physical Geography of the San Francisco Peaks study site The different questions in this task will touch on all but the soils part of physical geography seen in the graphic. We are working on figuring out how to do soils, by having the avatar dig virtual soil pits, but it’s not done yet.

The questions will end with the climate and weather of the Flagstaff area, since lightning is the focus of Task 3 and the rest of the lab. The climate questions will help transition to the rest of the lab.

Stage 0 Question 2 On Geologic Materials of the Study area, the San Francisco Volcanic Field

Question 2. Note: the order may be scrambled differently in your quiz).

These are the locations in the game (Landsat Layer) • 35.3463 -111.6436 (pull the camera up high behind the avatar and look west) • 35.5834 -111.6309 (pull in game camera behind the avatar and up high and look north) • 35.2404 -111.5976

These are the volcanic feature that you will match to the locations: • volcanic dome • composite volcano • cinder cone and basalt flow

IF YOU NEED HELP, WHAT FOLLOWS IN THE NEXT THREE PAGES IS THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION REPEATED FROM THE GPH 111 CLASS, BUT CONTEXTUALIZED BY THE STUDY AREA: This lab focuses on lightning and climatic processes leading to lightning. However, landforms are an important part of lightning development because the shape and height of the topography influences climate processes. Thus, this question helps you understand the origin of the topography of the game. The San Francisco Peaks are part of a much larger volcanic field, shown below. They were part of a much larger volcano (composite volcano or stratovolcano) that erupted in a way very similar to Mt. St. Helens in 1980. The topography of the game was produced by volcanic activity over the last 6 million years, and the volcanic action has been moving in an east direction very slowly. It is likely that there will be more eruptions in the future, but when?? Nobody knows, but likely in the next 60,000 years, so don’t hold your breath!

Source: https://azgs.arizona.edu/photo/san-francisco-volcanic-field-arizona 12

VOLCANO TYPE COMPOSITE VOLCANO: The entire San Francisco Peaks that blew out to the east, much like this diagram of Mt. St. Helens in the Cascade Range that blue out to the north:

3D view San Francisco Peaks: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3433303,-111.4928913,18558a,35y,270h,37.11t/data=!3m1!1e3

3D view of Mount Saint Helens https://www.google.com/maps/@46.3270728,-122.178539,15687a,35y,180h,37.28t/data=!3m1!1e3

VOLCANO TYPE: DOME (named for type of lava, such as rhyolite dome)

There are two main types of domes seen in the game, a dome that formed inside the composite volcano after it erupted:

Sugarloaf Rhyolite Dome, SF Peaks: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3631082,- 111.5948695,1938a,35y,270h,38.38t/data=!3m1!1e3 Elden Mountain Dacite dome from multiple vents: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2418851,- 111.5474828,4303a,35y,270h,38.17t/data=!3m1!1e3

VOLCANO TYPE: Cinder cone and basalt lava flow

BEST EXAMPLE IS SP CRATER AND ASSOCIATED LAVA FLOW Location: 35.582479, -111.631915

SP Crater Street View: https://goo.gl/maps/3yDxeME5AMeSQbzP6 SP Crater Basalt Flow Street View: https://goo.gl/maps/4DNNdCoLcse2Q3By8 3D View: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.533761,- 111.6330912,9392a,35y,38.01t/data=!3m1!1e3

QUESTION X (Learning to Teleport, walk, jump, and study game data) in the context of analyzing the Hydrology of the Study Site:

Stage 0 Question 3 On Biogeography of the Study area, the San Francisco Volcanic Field and Merriam’s Life Zones

Merriam’s Life Zones: In 1889, C. Hart Merriam studied the biogeography of plants and animals from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the top of Humphreys Peak. Ever since then, students have had to study the life zones he identified, and you may have been exposed to them as early as elementary school. This is from his research:

You can learn more and see images of these zones in northern Arizona by visiting the Museum of Northern Arizona: https://musnaz.org/courtyard/lifezones/ and also the alpine life zone: https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/?page_id=2128

INFORMATION PIECE #2: Take a virtual tour of the different life zones on the game board. You are encouraged to do this tour via Google Street views (via the links provided below) to see different locations, and then also via Helicopter Fast Travel between these places see the view from above via Landsat, air temperature, and rainfall.

To the right is a view of a helicopter flight showing temperature, August precipitation and the Landsat scene Lowest Elevation Game Life Zone: North of The Peaks on the way to Page via Hwy 89 (35.4675, -111.5579): https://goo.gl/maps/YJCsRvFL5gJzV6nh9

Second Elevation Game Life Zone Near Flagstaff Airport (35.1481, -111.6522) https://goo.gl/maps/jAJ9fbfmjRLmaokd6

Mixture of two Life Zones found just below Timberline (35.3743, -111.6725): https://goo.gl/maps/pYyaE8BqBR3Rrydj6

Highest Life Zone in the Game https://goo.gl/maps/aQtrB1aw68Pv8tTy9

Question 3. This is the question and the answers (the order may be scrambled differently in your quiz).

Stage 0 Question 4 Hydrology and Landforms (topic development of river valleys) of the study area, San Francisco Volcanic Field

RIVER VALLEYS: An Introduction

A drainage basin is a core concept in physical geography. The idea is that all of the precipitation inside a drainage basin all “drains” to the main stream. The main stream is typically “incised” (eroded down) to a lower elevation than tributaries, and this allows the water (and sediment) to be moved eventually towards the ocean.

The simple idea is that water the falls onto slopes runs off over the surface (overland flow) and picks up sediment as it moves. The work of eroding and then transporting the sediment is all fueled by water runoff over the surface. But what happens if water did not runoff? What would happen if the water infiltrated (sinks into the ground) before it could flow over the surface?

If the material is porous (lots of holes) and permeable (the holes are connected, water will

just sink into the ground.

Imagine a rainstorm hitting a slope composed of this material that you see above. The water just sinks in, and it does not flow over the surface.

Almost all of the study area is composed of volcanic rock, and much of the surface is made up of volcanic cinders and basalt lava flows. I hope you have a pile of sand (without any small particles mixed in) nearby, because I would like you to try an experiment. Take a up of water and pour it into sand. The sand should absorb almost all of the water. This is what happens with cinders. All of the water just sinks in. Its also what happens with basalt lava flows, because they are very porous and permeable. The water just sinks in. Some of the study area consists of sedimentary rock, where the rock material does have permeability and porosity (water can sink in), but nowhere near as much as the cinders and lava flows.

PREPARATION TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, LEARNING HOW TO FAST TRAVEL IN DIFFERENT WAYS

Step 1. Fly over the sedimentary rock area using the Landsat overlap and the helicopter Fast Travel mode. As you fly over the sedimentary area, just look at the drainages. Observe them.

Step 1a: Go to the Fast Travel menu and enter 35.1629 for latitude and -111.5178 for longitude. You will then quickly travel to a location next to a drainage (river valley). Step 1b: Go back to Fast Travel and set the helicopter Fast Travel mode to the speed of travel that you want. Some students like it slow. Some like it fast. Then, enter 35.1552 for latitude and -111.5818 for longitude and push the helicopter image. Your avatar will be lifted up and you can observe the drainages in sedimentary rock.

Step 2. Fly over the volcanic rock area area using the Landsat overlap and using helicopter Fast Travel mode. As you fly over the volcanic terrain, just look at the drainages. Observe them.

Step 2a. Use the Fast Travel menu to go to to the Abineau Canyon Trailhead. Step 2b. Go back to the Fast Travel menu and set up speed you want for the helicopter. Then, enter the latitude of 33.4465 and longitude of -111.6568. Then push the helicopter icon and look at the topography. 18

One of the purposes of this question is for you to get more comfortable with the different ways of fast travel: (i) where you use the menu; (ii) where you enter latitude and longitude coordinates; and (iii) where you use the helicopter mode to get an overview of the physical geography.

If you have jumped ahead to look at the question and determined the answer already, and if you are not yet comfortable with these fast travel options – YOU CHEATED YOURSELF out of learning fast travel. You need to get comfortable with these options if you want to do the rest of the labs efficiently and quickly.

Note: the order of the answers may be scrambled, but these are the answers you will see in canvas.

Stage 0 Question 5 Climate of the Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks

Please examine the climate data for Flagstaff, Arizona. Then, determine the answer to these questions: • Which month of the year had the greatest difference between temperature and dew point? • Which month of the year had the least difference between temperature and dewpoint? • Which two months had the highest number of lightning strikes, and would you consider the dewpoints in those two months high, medium or low? • Which elevation experiences the greatest number of lightning strikes? • Which 3 months of the year experience the most precipitation?

Lightning strikes by month in the Study Area Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 0 0 10 25 25 10 3200 3500 500 10 0 0

Lightning Strikes by Elevation in the Study Area Elevation 5800 6200 6600 7000 7400 7800 8200 8600 9000 9400 9800 10200 10600 11000 11400 11800 (feet) Elevation 1768 1890 2011 2134 2256 2377 2500 2621 2743 2865 2987 3109 3231 3353 3475 3597 (m) Strikes 73 116 664 1019 1763 1270 647 377 163 127 112 86 59 41 59 31

Flagstaff temperature by Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec ˚C 1.7 2.8 4.4 7.2 11.6 18.3 19.4 16.6 15 10 3.9 0.6 F˚ 35 37 40 45 53 65 67 62 59 50 39 33

Dew point by month for Flagstaff Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec ˚C -9.4 -5 -6.1 -5.6 -3.9 -3.9 10.5 11.1 10 2.8 -5.6 -3.9 ˚F 15 23 21 22 25 25 51 52 50 37 22 25

Flagstaff Precipitation by Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec mm 50 10.7 37.6 37.1 4 3 88.9 139 76 16 15 73 Inches 2.16 2.42 1.48 1.46 0.15 0.00 3.5 5.49 3.00 .64 .60 2.85

The order of these answers may change, but these choices will be what you will see in canvas.