Data:
Please download the data (kmz file) (https://una.instructure.com/courses/89737/files/15157085/download?verifier=RqqcTQhXr2vIT5AN3PZ0lzJzBGZJ8PZoMGKKnGLc&wrap=1).
Introduction:
This activity provides you with satellite views of stream and rivers on both Earth and Mars through the Google Earth application. You have been provided a .kmz file containing placemarks to guide you to the appropriate locations. For two of the terrestrial features (Oxbow Bend, WY and Horseshoe Bend, AZ), you are asked to view and interpret features in panoramic images (viewable on separate web pages and within Google Earth). You may need to consult your textbook to answer some of the questions about the features you observe.
Terrestrial Rivers
- Locate Oxbow Bend (part of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; this is included as a placemark in the Lab4-River-GoogleEarth.kmz file).
Observe the feature in Google Earth:
a. What type of river-channel is this, and how can you tell?
b. Discuss briefly the processes of erosion and deposition that are occurring in this area and why they are happening. What is the eventual fate of Oxbow Bend?
c. Is there any evidence of this particular process operating in the past along this portion of the Snake River? If so, describe the evidence (use key terms from your textbook; it will also be helpful to compare what you see on the image with diagrams in the book).
- Open the Oxbow Bend panorama by double-clicking in Google Earth under Panoramas). You can zoom in and out of the pan as needed.
a. Consider the processes of erosion and deposition you observed in Question 1: what evidence of these processes can you find in the panorama?
b. Describe the Snake River plain as seen in the panorama: the river plain extends from the foreground out to the base of the Tetons in the distance. What landforms are present?
- Locate Horseshoe Bend (near Page, AZ), which is part of the Colorado River east of the Grand Canyon.
(Panorama at or
http://gigapan.com/gigapans/33155).
a. First, explore this part of the Colorado River in Google Earth and describe the type of river-channel present. How is this river similar or different to the portion of the Snake River you observed in Questions 1 and 2?
b. Second, examine the landforms of Horseshoe Bend. What type of feature is prominent here?
How is it similar and different to Oxbow Bend?
c. Examine the panorama. Describe the Colorado River and the canyon as observed in the panorama: What does this suggest about the geologic history of this part of Arizona compared to the portion of Wyoming observed earlier?
- Find the location in Russia where the Volga River enters the Caspian Sea.
a. What type of landscape feature is this and how does it form?
b. Include a simple sketch of the feature.
c. Find and identify 2 similar features in the US (include Coordinates of the location).
- Find Mount Shasta in California.
a. What drainage pattern is present here? Include a sketch of this pattern.
- Go to the placemark: Ozarks - Little Missouri.
a. What kind of drainage pattern is here? To see the streams clearly, it might help to open this image in Google maps (icon to the far right on the toolbar) and turn on the terrain layer.
b. What underlying geologic formations do you suspect are present due to this drainage pattern?
- Go to the placemark: Sipsey Wilderness.
a. What kind of drainage pattern is this? How did this drainage pattern get its name?
b. Include a sketch of this type of drainage pattern
- Go to the placemark: Coba ruinas
a. This area gets the about the same rainfall as Alabama. Where are the rivers?
b. Based on this information, what do you know about the underlying geology of this place?
Now, on to Mars! The location toolbar contains an icon that looks like Saturn: click the button to bring up a menu of locations - choose Mars.
- Locate the feature Warrego Valles. This question is best answered using a eye alt of about 120 miles -
What type of drainage does this appear to be - and what implications does this have for the formation of Warrego Valles?
- Locate the Eberswalde area on Mars. Name and describe 4 features you see here. Why is this site a good candidate for exploration?
Investigating Terrestrial Rivers and Their Geomorphic Features
Introduction
The study of rivers on Earth and Mars provides valuable insights into the geomorphic processes that shape their landscapes. By examining specific river features such as Oxbow Bend in Wyoming, Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, the Volga River entering the Caspian Sea in Russia, Mount Shasta in California, as well as various drainage patterns in the US, we can better understand the dynamic interactions between water and landforms. Additionally, exploring river features on Mars like Warrego Valles and the Eberswalde area offers a glimpse into the Martian geological history and potential sites for scientific exploration.
Thesis Statement
By analyzing the geomorphic characteristics of terrestrial rivers and their implications for landscape evolution, we can gain a deeper understanding of the processes shaping Earth's and Mars' surface features.
Oxbow Bend, Wyoming
1. Oxbow Bend showcases a meandering river-channel characterized by sinuous curves and cutoffs, indicating a dynamic flow pattern.
- Erosion and deposition processes at Oxbow Bend are driven by the river's meandering nature, with erosion occurring on the outer bank of bends and deposition on the inner bank.
- The eventual fate of Oxbow Bend involves continued erosion on the outer bank and sediment deposition on the inner bank, leading to gradual meander migration.
- Evidence of past meander evolution can be observed through point bars and cutbanks along the Snake River, reflecting historical channel shifts.
2. The Oxbow Bend panorama reveals evidence of erosion in the form of cutbanks and deposition in point bars, shaping the river plain extending to the base of the Tetons.
Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
1. Horseshoe Bend features an entrenched river-channel with steep cliffs, exhibiting a different morphology compared to Oxbow Bend.- The Colorado River at Horseshoe Bend showcases a more entrenched channel with vertical walls, contrasting the meandering nature of the Snake River.
- Prominent landforms at Horseshoe Bend include a horseshoe-shaped meander cutoff, highlighting the erosive power of the Colorado River.
- The panorama provides a view of the Colorado River carving through the canyon, indicating a complex history of fluvial erosion shaping the landscape.
Volga River Entering Caspian Sea, Russia
1. The location where the Volga River meets the Caspian Sea forms a deltaic landscape feature characterized by sediment deposition at the river mouth.- Delta formation occurs due to sediment accumulation carried by the river and deposited at its mouth, creating landforms such as distributaries and marshes.
- Similar features in the US include the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California.
Mount Shasta, California
1. Mount Shasta exhibits a radial drainage pattern where streams flow outward from a central high point, resembling spokes on a wheel.- This drainage pattern is indicative of a volcanic origin, with streams following the slopes of Mount Shasta in a radial pattern.
Ozarks - Little Missouri
1. The Ozarks region showcases a dendritic drainage pattern characterized by interconnected stream networks resembling tree branches.- This drainage pattern suggests the presence of folded sedimentary rocks in the Ozarks region, influencing stream courses and patterns.
Sipsey Wilderness
1. Sipsey Wilderness features a trellis drainage pattern with parallel main streams intersected by tributaries at right angles.- The name "trellis" derives from the pattern's resemblance to a garden trellis structure, reflecting regional geologic control on stream direction.
Coba Ruinas
1. Despite receiving similar rainfall to Alabama, Coba Ruinas lacks prominent rivers due to its karst topography characterized by underground drainage systems.- The absence of surface rivers indicates significant limestone or karstic formations beneath Coba Ruinas influencing water flow patterns.
Conclusion
Exploring terrestrial rivers and their geomorphic features offers valuable insights into landscape evolution and geologic processes on Earth. By comparing different river types, drainage patterns, and landforms, we can unravel the intricate interactions between water systems and geologic structures. Furthermore, studying river features on Mars provides a unique perspective on planetary geology and potential sites for future exploration missions. Through these investigations, we enhance our understanding of how rivers shape our world, from Earth to Mars.