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Geology Picture of the Week, April 27-May 3, 2008: Giant's Causeway, Ireland
simonward.com ^
| Simon Ward
Posted on 04/29/2008 3:11:51 PM PDT by cogitator
TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Education; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: antrim; basalt; catastrophism; coast; godsgravesglyphs; ireland
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Just felt like some columnar basalt this week. The second one is from here:
2ireland.org
1
posted on
04/29/2008 3:11:51 PM PDT
by
cogitator
To: 2Trievers; headsonpikes; Pokey78; Lil'freeper; epsjr; sauropod; Miss Marple; CPT Clay; ...
2
posted on
04/29/2008 3:12:56 PM PDT
by
cogitator
To: cogitator
3
posted on
04/29/2008 3:23:09 PM PDT
by
Andyman
(The truth shall make you freep.)
To: cogitator
Here is some homegrown. Really interesting spot. Sheepeater's cliff.
4
posted on
04/29/2008 3:23:53 PM PDT
by
doodad
To: Andyman
Ok I’ll bite, how does that happen naturally. I know I could look it up but if your gonna post then I’m going to ask.
5
posted on
04/29/2008 3:26:02 PM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate tag lines but I don't know how...)
To: VaRepublican
6
posted on
04/29/2008 3:29:20 PM PDT
by
VaRepublican
(I would propagate tag lines but I don't know how...)
To: VaRepublican
As the lava cooled rapidly, contraction occurred. While contraction in the vertical direction reduced the flow thickness (without fracturing), horizontal contraction could only be accommodated by cracking throughout the flow. The extensive fracture network produced the distinctive columns seen today. While most are six-sided, some are anywhere from 5- to 8-sided.
The basalts were originally part of a great volcanic plateau called the Thulean Plateau which formed during the Paleogene period.
Thanks to Wikipedia.
7
posted on
04/29/2008 3:58:04 PM PDT
by
Andyman
(The truth shall make you freep.)
To: cogitator
Now that’s just COOL! If I ever get to Ireland, I’d like to see those in person!
8
posted on
04/29/2008 4:12:26 PM PDT
by
SuziQ
To: 75thOVI; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aristotleman; Avoiding_Sulla; BenLurkin; Berosus; ..
9
posted on
04/29/2008 10:13:45 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Profile updated Monday, April 28, 2008)
To: cogitator; blam; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; ...
10
posted on
04/29/2008 10:16:01 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Profile updated Monday, April 28, 2008)
To: SuziQ
Now thats just COOL! If I ever get to Ireland, Id like to see those in person! You can see it in the U.S. at Devil's Postpile National Monument... in California
11
posted on
04/29/2008 10:40:19 PM PDT
by
Swordmaker
(Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!)
To: SunkenCiv
Nan Madol, the mysterious structures on a number of islands in Micronesia, used prismatic basalt as the primary construction material:
The 260-foot long north wall of Nandauwas sweeps gracefully upward at its ends. Naturally formed prismatic basalt was laid in skillfully fitted stacks to form the wall.
12
posted on
04/30/2008 4:23:46 AM PDT
by
Fred Nerks
(Fair Dinkum!)
To: Swordmaker; SunkenCiv; cogitator
This looks like fun? Climbing the basalt columns at Devils Tower:
13
posted on
04/30/2008 4:30:40 AM PDT
by
Fred Nerks
(Fair Dinkum!)
To: cogitator; SunkenCiv
I'll see your Giant's Causeway, and raise you a Cliffs of Moher:
And a picture of me in Ireland with the Atlantic in the background:
14
posted on
04/30/2008 4:59:58 AM PDT
by
CholeraJoe
(Indiana: "Bring your picture ID to the polls . No ID, No vote.")
To: cogitator
15
posted on
04/30/2008 6:43:29 AM PDT
by
Grammy
To: Andyman
I was there too in 2006. The view is beautiful!!
16
posted on
04/30/2008 6:48:59 AM PDT
by
mass55th
To: Andyman
While contraction in the vertical direction reduced the flow thickness (without fracturing), horizontal contraction could only be accommodated by cracking throughout the flow.
So why did it contract in a vertical direction instead of a horizontal contraction?
17
posted on
04/30/2008 6:50:52 AM PDT
by
Jessarah
To: CholeraJoe
It was fairly misty the day I was at the Cliffs of Moher. You weren’t one of those crazy people who walked out to the edge were you?
18
posted on
04/30/2008 6:58:15 AM PDT
by
mass55th
To: mass55th
Um, yeah. I was pretty much leaning over the edge when I took this one:
19
posted on
04/30/2008 7:44:54 AM PDT
by
CholeraJoe
(Indiana: "Bring your picture ID to the polls . No ID, No vote.")
To: Jessarah
Sometimes the formation happens vertically, sometime more horizontally. In the hill above the more famous formation most commonly pictured at Giant;s Causeway, there is this formation jutting out of the hill:
These ones are called Organ Pipes. Why they are not geometrically shaped at the top, I don't know.
This shot shows the horizontal and vertical fracturing:
20
posted on
04/30/2008 7:49:55 AM PDT
by
Andyman
(The truth shall make you freep.)
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