This month in GeoTalk, we spoke to Robin Andrews, a PhD candidate at the University of Otago, New Zealand, who takes us through the explosive aspects of one of Geology’s most thrilling disciplines – volcanology. First, could you introduce yourself and let us know a little about your work and what drew you to volcanology? Ah, introductions! Well, I’m Robin Andrews, a British postgraduate volcanolog ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: The Chalk Cliffs of Étretat
Étretat is a coastal region in northern France, well known for its stunning geological landscape. Particularly the headland you see here. Headland erosion is perhaps one of the best known processes in coastal erosion, where a crack in the headland is opened and enlarged by hydraulic abrasion. Continued wave action causes the widened crack or cave to break through the headland and form an arch. As ...[Read More]
Geosciences Column: Perfecting Palaeogeographic Reconstructions
We model the changes in the geographic location of continents via paleogeographic reconstructions. However, the current methodology for generating these reconstructions is not without problems! Publication of palaeogeographic reconstructions is scarce, probably resulting from the difficulties associated with generating them. Conventional reconstructions are presented as static maps which have poor ...[Read More]
Communicating Climate Change
The UK House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee has recently launched an inquiry entitled “Climate Change: public understanding and its policy implications”, which is due to address the issue of communicating climate change research. This inquiry was raised following a recent surge in climate change scepticism and a diminishing public concern regarding its effects, with ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: Explosions in the Sky
Suwanosejima, which lies within the Ryukyu Islands, is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, erupting almost continuously between the 1950s and mid 1990s. It has two active craters, the central Otake crater and the Bunka crater, to the southwest. While the frequency of these eruptions has declined, the volcano remains active, with strombolian and vulcanian type eruptions occurring every 2 to 4 wee ...[Read More]
GeoTalk: Alexis Rouillard
GeoTalk is a regular feature highlighting early career researchers and their work. Following the EGU General Assembly, we spoke to Alexis Rouillard, an Arne Richter Outstanding Young Scientist awardee and a brilliant space scientist. First, could you introduce yourself and let us know a bit about your current work at the French National Centre for Scientific Research? Hi, I am Alexis Rouillard and ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: cutting through a slice of geological cake
Nothing captures beauty of Arizona’s landscape better than the Grand Canyon and its steeply-sided cliffs that have been carved by the Colorado River. This photo by Lukas Hoertnagl shows this stunning landscape as seen from Lipan Point in the Grand Canyon National Park. The early geological history of America is preserved in the strata that make up the Grand Canyon’s famed banded landscape, which i ...[Read More]
GeoTalk: Sylvian LeDuc on Why Woody Biofuels Wouldn’t be the Best Plan for the EU
Biofuels are set to replace 10 per cent of EU transportation fuel by 2020. Yet, the long-term sustainability of first generation biofuels, made from grains and vegetable oils, has raised concerns as production starts to compete with food supplies. Attention has now turned to second generation biofuels, produced from non-edible sources such as wood or waste plant residual like straw. In the next de ...[Read More]
CCS – what’s the hold up?
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been on the research and political agenda for some time now, but there has been a surge in media coverage recently in the European Union (EU). This is in part due to the announcement of the results of the CCS funding commercialisation competition run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in the UK and also the second call for European Commission ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: Grand Prismatic Spring
Yellowstone National Park, USA, is well known for its outstanding natural beauty. This is the Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. It is the third largest hotspring in the world and the largest found in the United States, with a maximum diameter of about 90 m. It discharges roughly 2.5 cubic metres of mineral-rich water per minute, which flows down the rock ...[Read More]