There are few things on Earth that evoke more fear than radioactivity. Most people’s response to radioactivity is one of immediate fear and confusion and I can’t say I blame them. There is something very frightening about a substance that shoots off invisible rays that can kill you if you’re exposed to enough of them. However, most people really don’t need to worry about be ...[Read More]
Fun with PHREEQ at Red Creek
Most freshwater on earth is not that highly saturated with dissolved metals or minerals. However, there are exceptions to be found all over the world from natural acid rock drainage to the alkali springs of Jordan. If the concentrations of dissolved metals are high enough the water can be toxic. For example, water draining from gold mines is often very high in arsenic and must be contained and cle ...[Read More]
Geology Photo of the Week # 20 – Feb 3-9
This week we have a photo of the something that has been on my mind a lot for the last little while and will continue to be on my mind in the comings years months weeks. Of course I am speaking of lab work and particularly the new iodine extraction line that I have been developing. Over the past few months I have had a 0% success rate with this damn thing. However, thanks to the fresh ideas and ex ...[Read More]
Guest Lecture – Dr. Tim Lowenstein
Our department was recently lucky enough to have Dr. Tim Lowenstein from SUNY Binghamton come give a guest lecture on the changes in the chemistry of seawater throughout geologic time. Originally, we thought that the major ion chemistry in the past was more or less the same as it is today. However, over the last 10 years this long standing belief has been challenged by many researchers and champio ...[Read More]
Translate Radioisotope Hydrogeochemist – #1000simplewords
There is a new craze sweeping twitter…at least among those that I follow, which is mostly geoscientists. This is of course the #1000simplewords challenge. In essence the challenge is to explain your profession using only the 1000 most common words in the English language. The most complex/specific title that I could come up with for myself was radioisotope hydrogeochemist. What a mouthful of ...[Read More]
Research Highlight – Variations of 129I in the atmospheric fallout of Tokyo, Japan: 1963-2003
I occasionally like to focus in on what I view as a key paper either in my particular field of iodine geochemistry or in the geochemical world at large. In this instance I have decided to highlight a paper in my field that releases a fantastic wealth of data that is matched nowhere else in the literature I have seen. This paper also reflects incredible dedication and planning to answer a scientifi ...[Read More]
Geology Photo of the Week #15 – Dec 9-15
The 15th photo of the week is of an area of natural acid rock drainage (ARD) in Eagle Plains, Yukon. ARD is a phenomenon that most people associate with mine tailings and mine waste. However, it occurs naturally as well since the only criteria that need to be met are a source of oxidized water, such as rain, rocks or minerals that have a high sulphur content, and a very little carbonate in the roc ...[Read More]
The 46th Ottawa Gem and Mineral Show
A few weeks ago I went to the 46th annual Ottawa Gem and Mineral show. I have always been a dedicated mineral and fossil collector and shows like this allow me to indulge my inner collector and drool over all the fantastic specimens. I have been to a lot of shows, all local such as Kingston, Peterborough and now the Ottawa show, but there are tons all over the world. In fact, I would speculate tha ...[Read More]
The Wooden Wall
It is once again time to write about geology and classics and the incredibly important impact the geosciences had on the ancients and their way of life. My previous post on this topic can be found at my old blog location as the post: The Odyssey and Geology. I’ll begin by relating a story: The two fleets, the Persians the the Greeks, which was composed of the navies of all the city states, b ...[Read More]