Kentucky Geological Survey

We're two weeks away from the Earth Science Week Open House, Wednesday October 16, 6-7:30 pm. If these reviews are any indication, it's going to be something.

More information is here, https://www.uky.edu/KGS/news/openhouse2024.php, and the event page is https://www.facebook.com/share/PvggDC8s7yzyStZB/.

is currently taking name suggestions for our new sediment and soil core lab at EARL. Submissions so far include:
- Dirt Diggers
- Sedimentally Yours
- Silt Happens
- Dirt Nerds
- Down to Earth
- Get Soiled
- Soil Searchers
- Ground Control to Major Loam

KGS staff has spent countless hours building core sampling cradles, refinishing countertops, acquiring a splitting cradle, working with UK engineering students on designing a core scorer, cleaning up the space, installing a refrigeration unit, adding lights, building a core imaging station, and rearranging the area to make it workable.

heist!

Highly collectible, rare agate necklaces and pocket knife (see news article for pics) are missing and suspected stolen after Southeast Kentucky Gem, Mineral & Fossil Club's Fall 2024 Kentucky Agate, Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show in Irvine, , https://www.wkyt.com/2024/09/25/police-searching-man-accused-stealing-rare-gemstones/.

Agate, Kentucky's State Gemstone (photo posted) is a beautiful mineral found in east-central Kentucky and is prized for its banding and vibrant, varied colors. Learn more about Kentucky agate here, https://www.uky.edu/KGS/rocksmineral/specimen-month-01-2017.php.

Now: Heavy rains (2-3 inches) from remnants of Hurricane Helene are possible across southern and southeastern Kentucky and could trigger landslides in the areas. For example, landslides were triggered during the July 2022 heavy rains in eastern Kentucky (https://www.uky.edu/KGS/news/2023_July2022-Landslides.php).

Action: Maintain proper drainage; be aware of the land around you, especially in a landslide-prone area; stay alert; look for cracks in ground or foundation displacement; and listen for unusual sounds such as cracking trees, rocks, or walls. Evacuate immediately if you are in danger and call local emergency management (https://kyem.ky.gov/Who%20We%20Are/Pages/AreaOffices.aspx).

Future: Any work done to stabilize a slope should be completed by a registered professional geologist or geotechnical engineer.

KGS maintains a database of landslides occurred in the past and are also working on landslide susceptibility classifications (https://kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/helpfiles/landslidesusc_help.shtm).

Bourbon at work?! Yes.

Well...at least a podcast about bourbon. In recognition of September's National Bourbon Heritage Month, responsibly enjoy this BBRP episode about geology's role in bourbon.

https://kgsnews.podbean.com/e/ep-34-bourbon-and-geology-encore/

Here's a tip to landing early career jobs: the ability to drive to field sites is an essential skill.

There are some exceptions (looking at you GIS and programmer folks), but generally we go where the rocks, soil, water, and monitoring equipment are located, which is usually out there.

🎵Hello? Is it you we're looking for?
We can see it in your drive
We can see it in your guile
You're all we've ever wanted
And the window's open wide
'Cause you know just what to say (resume)
And you know just what to do (geology)
And we want to tell you so much
We need you!🎵

Apply here: https://bit.ly/3QY6mkr

On this first (work) day of fall 2024, we're looking ahead to cooler temps, fewer bugs, yummy treats, and more .

We're going to have to rearrange some rocks to find space for this one.

director Michael McGlue has been awarded the 2024 UK Global Impact Award for significantly contributing to the University of Kentucky’s global engagement. McGlue's research on "geological records of environmental change, lakes/wetlands, and conservation has resulted in significant advances."

https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/uk-international-center-announces-2024-global-impact-award-winners

UK International Center announces 2024 Global Impact award winners The International Center at the University of Kentucky has announced the 2024 UK Global Impact Award winners.

Shiver me timbers! -- to all you scurvy landlubber fans on , here's the oath hanging above the galley. We make all new hires recite it or they have to walk the petrified wood plank.

's Earth Week Open House is October 16 from 6 - 7:30 pm! It's our favorite time of year!

We're inviting you to UK's Mining and Minerals Resources Building to check out earth science displays about everything from landslides to geomorphology to radon to volcano demonstrations to rocks, minerals, and fossils from and around the world. Don't miss it! https://www.uky.edu/KGS/news/openhouse2024.php

Send a message to learn more

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new nationwide landslide susceptibility map that indicates nearly 44% of the U.S. could potentially experience landslide activity. These damaging, disruptive, and potentially deadly geologic hazards are more likely in eastern and northern , but there is also considerable potential scattered throughout Kentucky.

Overview Map: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/where-do-landslides-occur
Interactive Map: https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae120962f459434b8c904b456c82669d
Report: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024AV001214

Who needs a Saturday off work when you can trek through some woods and fields in long pants and hiking boots in nearly 90 degree heat?

A group a KGSers (Jason Dortch, Michael McGlue, Meredith Swallom, and Sarah Arpin) along with other researchers and students from UK Earth and Environmental Sciences, Morehead State University, and Western Kentucky University, spent Saturday scouting out research sites near the River in Irvine and Ravenna.

The group is working on KY NSF EPSCoR project 2 'Paleo-Perspectives,' which will build a record of Kentucky's hydroclimate and geohazard occurrence through time to provide insights into Kentucky's future climate resilience.

is preserving the past for those in the future.

With the help of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, KGS will be able to safeguard, and make accessible, nearly 200 years of geological, geographical, and textual data about , ensuring its availability for future generations.

https://uknow.uky.edu/research/kgs-awarded-imls-grant-preserve-nearly-200-years-kentucky-geological-data

KGSers Matt Crawford, Hudson Koch, and Evelyn Bibbins and UK Earth and Environmental Sciences's Sarah Johnson headed to Robinson Forest in Breathitt County, to test cell service connectivity for data loggers that will be a part of KY NSF EPSCoR CLIMBS Project 5. Project 5 is working to mitigate landslide impacts through stronger monitoring and modeling of the Kentucky River Area. In this portion of Project 5, the group will be instrumenting slopes to monitor soil moisture.

The group was assisted by John Reinstetle, Robinson Forest manager, who showed them around the forest. Robinson Forest is a teaching, research, and extension forest administered by UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources in cooperation with the UK Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability.

Come and work for the best geological survey in ! is hiring for two positions: Geologist I and Geologist II.

Apply here: https://bit.ly/3QY6mkr.

Slag-diddely-slag-a-rag slagoooo
Slag. It's ALWAYS slag...

Brought in for identification, this metallic silica slag is leftover material from an iron furnace. Before and during the Civil War, iron furnaces were common in .
https://www.uky.edu/KGS/rocksmineral/DidIfindmeteorite.pdf

Roadcuts are a glass of water to a thirsty geologist.

On Saturday, KGS's Cortland Eble and Steve Greb led Geological Society of Kentucky's annual field trip. This year, the group explored the new roadcuts along the Mountain Parkway in beautiful eastern , between Campton and Salyersville.

We also spy new KGS director Mike McGlue among the enthusiastic crowd of geologists.

is fun, and in this case, delicious. We present: PBJ + geology

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published this great teacher's guide to explore the life cycle of a mineral deposit. Additional hands-on activities include orange peel plate tectonics, chocolate chip cookie mining, and making your own toothpaste.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/17/

Retirement plan: *vigorously shakes and squeezes a box of quartz*

A new study suggests that electricity and earthquakes cause concentrations of gold to collect in veins of quartz.

Article: Shake, rattle, and gold: Earthquakes may spark gold formation, https://www.science.org/content/article/shake-rattle-and-gold-earthquakes-may-spark-gold-formation

Research: Gold nugget formation from piezoelectric quartz,
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01529-8

Shake, rattle, and gold: Earthquakes may spark gold formation Electric flow in quartz veins could help gold particles clump into nuggets

If you’re not first, you’re last!

The Hazards team took that idea to heart as EPSCoR CLIMBS project 3 quickly gets underway with the installation of a seismic station in Murray, .

Seth Carpenter and Zhenming Wang also tested seismic instruments for the 4D passive-seismic groundwater monitoring part of the EPSCoR CLIMBS project. The duo installed several instruments at a Murray State University research farm with the help of UK Earth and Environmental Sciences master’s student Seth Thompson and Murray State undergrad Hannah Conner.

Starting out this short work week with a little 'wow!'

A record-breaking 1,268m-long (~4,160ft in American) sample of mantle rock has been retrieved from the seabed by an international marine research consortium that studies Earth's history.

This sample, which is more than 6x longer than the previous core of mantle rock, gives us glimpses into the composition of this mostly inaccessible layer, Earth’s deep geology, and the conditions that could have been involved in the origins of life.

Article: https://phys.org/news/2024-08-recovery-earth-mantle-reveal-secrets.html
Research: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp1058

Thunderstorms over a holiday weekend? You need a cave. Constant temperature, no precipitation, sharks (looking at you Mammoth Cave National Park).

Here's nine caves in and Indiana to visit this weekend: https://www.wlky.com/article/caves-kentucky-indiana-adventure-underground/61476883

9 unique caves you can explore across Kentucky, Indiana Looking for an adventure this summer? Here are 9 unique caves you can explore in Kentucky and Indiana.

We love a fun map and with it being peak harvest season in , we're sharing this one from our friends over at Kentucky Agriculture & Environment in the Classroom.

Geology is fundamental to agriculture in many ways. plays an important role in soil properties and water quality. What needs good soil? Plants. Who eats plants? Animals. Who needs good water? Living things.

You're telling me that a podcast called The Big Blue Rock Pod, that's affiliated with the University of Kentucky, whose fans are called The Big Blue Nation, is talking about a Lexington park with a sinkhole called The Blue Hole?

Yep. Only in .

Join The BBRP team as they revisit an old KyGeocast about McConnell Springs Park. https://kgsnews.podbean.com/e/ep-33-springs-sinks-and-a-big-blue-hole-mcconnell-springs-revisited/