SCIENTIST GEO VOLUME 26 NO 8 ◆ SEPTEMBER 2016 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST The Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 [SOCIETY ON FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GEOLSOC ] Wonder working waters The geology of British wells and spas explained, for the Society’s ‘Year of Water’ OMAN MANGLE ONLINE: THORNEY PROBLEM START OF THE PEER SHOW How new technology helps Desmond Donovan on the Nina Morgan on the Society’s untangle the ophiolite hidden mysteries of the Tyburn pioneering peer reviewers Rain Rivers Reservoirs 26-30 September 2016 Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh The science of rain, rivers and reservoirs spans from ‘clear gold’ water, to ‘black gold’ oil. Following in the footsteps of the successful first Rain, Rivers and Reservoirs workshop in Sao Paulo, Brazil in September 2015, this workshop will bring together geoscientists and civil engineers with different backgrounds to generate new interdisciplinary approaches to key problems in our adjacent subject areas. Modern flooding, erosion and deposition, through to geological preservation of fluvial aquifers and petroleum reservoirs require linking of fluvial/flood processes to the longer term trends of climate change, regional uplift and sea level change. These subject areas are fundamentally interdisciplinary. Therefore we would particularly encourage Earth Scientists and Civil Engineers working on aspects of fluvial processes to join the meeting. Over-abundance of water (flooding) and under-abundance of Convenors: water (drought) are societal issues in many parts of the world that we wish to address, and we encourage world-wide case Patrick Corbett (Heriot-Watt University) studies to be submitted. These wider perspectives add both 'LDUPDG&DPSEHOO %*6(GLQEXUJK/\HOO depth and context, allowing researchers focussed on one &HQWUH particular aspect of fluvial expertise to contribute to Gareth Pender (Heriot-Watt University) solutions for ongoing global challenges. Adrian Hartley (Aberdeen University) Hugh Sinclair (Edinburgh University) Field Trips Daniel Barreto (Napier University) Arjan Reesink (Southampton University) Monday 26th September 2016 Chris Hackney (Southampton University) Pre-Conference Field Trip: Old Red Sandstone (Arbroath/ Adebayo Adeloye (Heriot-Watt University) Stonehaven) and South Esk River, Glen Cova. Led by Adrian Jaan Pu (Bradford University) Hartley (Aberdeen University) and Andy Gardiner (Heriot-Watt Qiuhua Liang (Newcastle University)Ryan University) Pereira (Newcastle University)Mingfu Guan (Leeds University) Friday 30th September 2016 John Simmons (Consultant) Post Conference Field Trip: Carboniferous Spireslack Further information: Abandoned Opencast Mine, Ancient and Modern Water Issues, Ayrshire. Led by Graham Leslie (BGS) and Dom Tatum (HWU) For further information about the conference please contact: Additional trip to review the progress on the new Forth Road Georgina Worrall, Conference Office, Bridge crossing will also be arranged. The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG T: 020 7434 9944 E: [email protected] Web: www.geolsoc.org.uk/rainriversreservoirs Follow this event on Twitter: #Rain5LYHUVReservoirs Event Sponsors GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS 16 25 10 26 FEATURESFEATURES 16 OMAN MANGLE IN THIS ISSUE... Using drones and pioneering computer software to resolve the structure and history of the Oman Ophiolite REGULARS 05 Welcome Ted Nield on technological progress, and our tendency to forget what mind and hand can do unaided ON THE COVER: 06 Society News What your Society is doing at home and 10 Well appreciated abroad, in London and the regions John Mather peers into the rich 09 Soapbox Martin Bennett asks: What makes a successful Exploration Manager? heritage of Britain’s ‘holy wells’ 22 Books and arts Four new books reviewed by Dave Brook, and spas for the Year of Water John Milsom, Tim Tubby and Douglas Palmer 24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move 26 Letters we welcome your views 27 Calendar Society activities this month THORNEY PROBLEM Professor Desmond Donovan uses 28 Obituary Bob Symes 1939-2016 NLINEN historical sources to resolve the issue over the original course and tributaries of London’s 29 Crossword Win a Special Publication of your choice SPECIAL River Tyburn WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | SEPTEMBER 2016 | 03 World Renowned Seismic Software House TRAWL & DISCOVER Use Marlin to trawl tape and disk directories. 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For more information contact Troika International Email: [email protected] www.troika-int.com GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME ❞ Geoscientist is the ADVERTISING SALES Fellowship magazine of the Hayden McIntosh WE USE MORE COMPUTING POWER TO FIND Geological Society T 01727 739 184 of London E hayden@centuryone POKEMON THAN APOLLO 11 NEEDED TO FIND ITS publishing.uk The Geological Society, WAY TO ANOTHER WORLD Burlington House, Piccadilly, ART EDITOR London W1J 0BG Heena Gudka T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 DESIGN & PRODUCTION ❞ E [email protected] Jonathan Coke (Not for Editorial - Please contact the Editor) PRINTED BY Publishing House Century One The Geological Society Publishing Ltd. Publishing House, Unit 7, Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Copyright Brassmill Lane, Bath The Geological Society of BA1 3JN London is a Registered Charity, T 01225 445046 number 210161. F 01225 442836 ISSN (print) 0961-5628 ISSN (online) 2045-1784 Library FROM THE EDITORS DESK: T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 The Geological Society of London F +44 (0)20 7439 3470 accepts no responsibility for the views E [email protected] expressed in any article in this publication. All views expressed, except EDITOR-IN-CHIEF where explicitly stated otherwise, represent those of the author, and not Of giant leaps & mankind Professor Peter Styles The Geological Society of London. All All rights reserved. No paragraph of this EDITOR publication may be reproduced, copied Dr Ted Nield or transmitted save with written E [email protected] permission. Users registered with am writing on the 47th underestimate what can be achieved Copyright Clearance Center: the Journal EDITORIAL BOARD is registered with CCC, 27 Congress anniversary of the fi rst Moon by hand and mind - given suffi cient Dr Sue Bowler Street, Salem, MA 01970, USA. 0961- 5628/02/$15.00. Every effort has been landing by Armstrong and time, and now-inconceivable levels of Mr Steve Branch made to trace copyright holders of Dr Robin Cocks material in this publication. If any rights Aldrin - a day I remember well, oppression, poverty and cruelty. Prof. Tony Harris have been omitted, the publishers offer because the great event fell We also forget a lesson that Dr Howard Falcon-Lang their apologies. Mr Edmund Nickless Ihappily into a physics period, and geologists learn, which is the No responsibility is assumed by the Mr David Shilston Publisher for any injury and/or damage our dour physics master could hardly selectiveness of the fossil record. Dr Jonathan Turner to persons or property as a matter of Dr Jan Zalasiewicz products liability, negligence or refuse our request to listen to it live Ancient machinery may not preserve otherwise, or from any use or operation on someone’s transistor radio. It was well, but that does not mean it did not Trustees of the of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Geological Society Although all advertising material is one small step for man, one giant exist – as the Antikythera Mechanism, of London expected to conform to ethical (medical) improvement on the equations of now thought to date from 100-200BC, Mr Malcolm Brown (President) standards, inclusion in this publication Mr Rick Brassington does not constitute a guarantee or motion: though Newtonian physics got demonstrates. endorsement of the quality or value of Dr Jason Canning such product or of the claims made by its us to the Moon in the fi rst place - a fact In this month’s issue, Sam Cornish Miss Liv Carroll (Secretary, manufacturer. Professional Matters) that Mr Mort might have done well to (who won a Society Research Grant Dr Nigel Cassidy Subscriptions: All correspondence relating to non-member subscriptions point out. for his doctoral fi eldwork) describes Mr Chris Eccles (Vice president) should be addresses to the Journals Dr Marie Edmonds (Secretary, Subscription Department, Geological Great feats of yore quickly come using drone photography and special Science) Society Publishing House, Unit 7 to look ‘impossible’ as technological software packages to resolve structural Mr Graham Goffey (Treasurer) Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Dr Sarah Gordon Lane, Bath, BA1 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 progress advances. We know that complexities in the Oman Ophiolite. 445046. Fax: 01225 442836. Email: Mrs Tricia Henton [email protected]. The subscription somehow, the Apollo missions This is a neat and timely demonstration Mr David Hopkins price for Volume 26, 2016 (11 issues) Ms Naomi Jordan to institutions and non-members will be managed with computer capacities of how old and new can work together: £139 (UK) or £159/$319 (Rest of World). Dr Robert Larter vastly inferior to those now available true fi eldwork with all its joys, Dr Jennifer McKinley © 2016 The Geological Society Prof David Norbury of London on any smartphone. We use more augmented by new tools inconceivable Dr Colin North (Secretary, computing power to fi nd Pokemon only a few years ago. Sooner than we Publications) Geoscientist is printed on FSC® mixed credit - Mixed source products are a than Apollo 11 needed to fi nd its expect, people will be wondering how Dr Sheila Peacock blend of FSC 100%, Recycled and/or Prof Christine Peirce Controlled fi bre.