Module lV: Climate,Cultures and Oceans

We are the water planet. Seventy percent of our earth is water. Water is able to absorb and release tremendous amounts of heat energy. The amount of heat released or absorbed by our atmosphere and ocean affects our weather and climate. If changes take place on our planet that change the heat distribution our weather patterns and ocean circulation will change. At this time we are seeing changes taking place in our climate. Native Inupiats living in the arctic also see these changes taking place. Living in the midwest the changes at this time do not have an

affect on our lifestyle. We read about global warming and the scientific research going on the study climatic changes. In the arctic the Inupiats see the changes firsthand. They have observed the thinning ice, warmer temperatures, and changes in seasonal weather. All of these changes will effect how they hunt whales, and other animals for food to survive. Their lifestyle is changing. This is a great example of native science observations vs western perspectives of science. The native people see and experience climatic changes while western scientists gather data to try and understand the causes of the changes taking place. This module also shows how heat energy is an interdisciplinary topic. Changes in heat distribution on our planet has an impact on the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and cryosphere. Our students need to understand the basic principles that cause the seasons, how the ocean is a heat sink, that ocean circulation through currents disperses heat, and the hydrologic cycle is in reality an energy cycle.

Heat is an energy that is created by the motion of particles. As heat is absorbed the molecular particles of a substance move faster and if heat energy is released the molecular particles move slower. With the addition or removal of heat energy changes of state in matter occur. These changes of state are the foundation of the hydrologic cycle. Through the processes of evaportion and condensation heat energy if moved through the atmosphere. Different substances absorb and release heat at different rates this is called specific heat capacity. The specific of a substance is the amount of heat need to raise on gram of a substance one degree Celcius. Water has a high specific heat and can absorb large amounts of heat. Water will absorb heat slowly and release heat slowly. Land or the beach has a low specific heat. Land will heat up quickly and cool off quickly. During the day the beach sand can feel hot and the water cool. At night the water feels warm and the beach sand cool. Why? Differences of heat capacity. A great way to show this concept is to boil water in a paper cup. Fill a paper cup with water, place it under a lit bunsen burner until the water boils. This is a great discrepant event.

Fall in Iola, Wisconsin Oct. 25--------------------------------Fall in Barrow, Alaska Nov. 4

Why are the seasons so different at different latitudes? The sun is the same distance away and gives off the same amount of energy. Both locations are in the Northern Hemisphere. The difference is latitude. Iola is about 44 degrees N and Barrow about 71 degrees N. Since the earth is a curved surface the angle of incidence of sun's rays in Iola and Barrow are different.

Iola recieves rays at a lower angle so the energy is more intense, in Barrow the angle is higher so the energy is dispersed over a larger area. The other difference is the altitude of the sun. As the earth revolves around the sun it's postion in space changes. During the summer the axis of the earth points towards the sun and in the winter away from the sun. As the earth moves from summer to winter the vertical rays of the sun start to migrate south. Again due to the curve of the earth the altitude of the sun changes at each latitude. The higher the latitude the lower the sun in winter and less solar or heat energy is recieved. Iola in winter has about 6hr of day while in Barrow there is about 3 months with no sun or solar energy.

Winter in Iola,WI in Feb. above left. Winter Wainwright,Ak Feb. above right. Christmas noon Wainwright lower right.

In summer the axis points towards the sun. The sun is higher in the sky and the solar energy is more intense. Also we have longer daylight hours. In the arctic the solar energy is not as intense as in the lower latitudes. Although there are 24 hr of sunlight the angle of incidence is still low so the solar energy is spread over a large area and summers remain cool.

Since we know that water has a high specific heat capacity the ocean is able to absorb large amounts of heat energy. Due to unequal heating of the earth the air in the atmosphere is put into motion. This moving air or wind blows across the ocean causing motion in the water. The currents created transport heat around the world. The ocean currents carry heat from warm places to cold. The currents that flow from the equator move to the higher latitudes. As the heat is released the water cools at the higher latitudes and sinks. The cool/cold water sink and the currents return the water to the equatorial reigions where heat energy is again absorbed. Many scientific concepts combine to create wind and currents. The direction of planetary winds and flow of ocean currents depends on several factors. Some factors are the Coriolis Effect, the concept of density and landforms. The Coriolis Effect is the deflection of air and water due to the rotation of the earth. In the northern hemisphere the wind and currents are deflected to the right and in the southern hemisphere to the left. An excellent way to demonstrate the Coriolis Effect is to use an old turntable or phonograph player. Cut out paper in a circle to fit the turntable. Place the circular paper on the turntable and draw a line from the center of the paper to the edge. Turn on the turntable and while the paper is spinning again draw a line from the center of the paper to the edge. Compare the results. This model shows how air and water are defected due to rotation. Density is the concept that compares mass and volume. Density explains why ice floats and not sinks. Saltwater is more dense than freshwater. Make several solutions of saltwater with different amounts of salt dissolved. Meaure equal volumes of the saltwater and determine the mass of each sample. Using the formula D=M/V determine the density. To show differences in densitys of liquids make a density tower using different liquids like water, cooking oil, rubbing alcohal, syrup and saltwater. Carefully pour the liquids into a cylinder and create the density tower. Changes in temperature also change the density by changing the volume. This explains why warm air rises , cool air sinks, and warm water is on the surface and cool/cold water sinks and is on the bottom. The waters of the ocean are in layers of different densities. The least salty water is the top layer and most salty form the bottom layers. The movement of water due to density differences, prevailing winds and the Coriolis Effect create a global current system. The waters of the ocean act as a large conveyer belt transporting heat, losing heat at the higher latitudes and then the cooler water sinking to return to the equator. If the salinity or amount of freshwater entering the ocean system changes, the currents can also change. As ice sheets melt more freshwater is added to the system. As more ice forms salt is added to the system. In cold climates the cold salty water sinks creating the deep ocean currents that moves the water back to the equator.

Ocean currents through the transportation of heat energy regulate the climate. If the ocean temperatures change weather patterns change, ocean circulation could change and cultures
that depend on steady ocean patterns will change. Changing the ocean system could result in different locations of food sources. If food sources change migration routes of whales could change causing native arctic cultures serious problems in hunting. If seasonal weather changes the plants on the tundra will change forcing animals to seek different locations for their food. This also would effect the arctic natives. We live in a world were all things are connected. The atomosphere, the ocean, solar energy and the seasonal changes are all connected. If you change one there is a ripple effect and the other systems will adjust and change. Past cultures have vanished like the Anasasi. They thrived in the southwest. They understood the significance of the seasons . At the Chaco Canyon National Historical Monument Fajada Butte ( shown above right) has on it a sprial carved into a stone(shown above left). Only on the day of the summer solstice a shaft of light pierces the center of the spiral. This culture depended on seasons. The Anasasi Indians vanished. Only their ruins exist today. Did the climate change which caused the disappearance? Cultures of the past and today depend on the seasonal cycles and ocean currents. As our planet and climate change whether man-made or natural cultures will also change.

Module IV:volcanoes and earthquakes

USGS photo Alaskan Earthquake 1964-------- USGS photo 1906 San Fransisco Earthquake

Earthquakes are one of the most exciting events that occur on planet earth. They shake the foundation of our planet. They can cause catastrophic damage,tremendous loss of life and generate giant sea waves called tsunamis. Earthquakes generate fear and many cultures created myths to explain why the earth shakes. For example in India four elephants are standing on the back of a turtle that is balanced on a cobra, when one of the animals move the earth shakes. Another from Japan is a giant catfish lies under the sea with the islands of Japan on it's back. A demigod holds a heavy stone on the catfish to keep it from moving. When the demigod is distracted the catfish moves and the earth shakes. In western culture people believe that God caused earthquakes to punish man. Earthquakes have been changing the earth since it's formation. Without earthquakes the land would be leveled by the forces of weathering and erosion. The forces from earthquakes build mountains, raise shorelines and raise ocean floors above sea level. Earthquakes occur everyday, but very few cause catastrophic damage. In the United States two major earthquakes forced scientists to change how they study the earth. The 1906 San Fransisco earthquake and the great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 led to changes in understanding the earth. New instruments were developed to register earthquake waves, a scale was developed to rank earthquakes, and the plots of earthquakes revealed the location of plate boundaries. Earthquakes originate inside the earth at the focus. The point above the focus on the earth's surface is the epicenter. An earthquake is the shaking caused by the release of energy that travels in waves. Instruments called seimographs record energy waves. Energy waves include longitudinal and transverse waves, p-waves and s-waves. P-waves are longitudinal waves and reach the earth's surface first. They are longitudinal and move like sound waves with compression and rarefaction motions. P- waves cause little damage. The s-wave is a transverse wave with crests and troughs. S-waves move the earth's surface like an ocean wave and can cause a incredible damage. The printout of these waves is called a seismogram.

Earthquake waves are detected by seismographs throughout the world. The data from 3 or more stations are used to locate the epicenter of the quake. The data generated by the seismic waves allows the geologists to better understand the science involved in earthquakes. Above is a seismogram comparing the 1906 earthquake with the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. By analyzing the seismogram data we see that the 1906 quake released more energy than the 1989 quake. Both the San Fransisco and the 1964 Alaskan quake were caused by the movement of plates. The plate movement for each quake was different. The San Fransisco earthquake was caused by the Pacific and North American Plate sliding past each other. The picture to the right shows the plate boundaries at the Carizzo Plain. The white line is the fault with the Pacific Plate on top and the North

American Plate on the bottom. The Alaskan quake of 1964 was caused subduction at the boundary of the Pacific and North American Plate. The photo on the left shows the plate boundary with a white line. Both quakes were powerful and devastating. and brought about changes in earthquake study. The public became more informed and better educated about earthquakes and geology. These types of earthquakes create interest in geosciences, generate questions by our students and the general public. A powerful side effect of some earthquakes is the tsunami. After the Christmas tsunami of 2005 I was able to quickly produce a unit on the tsunami. We incorporated data from the tsunami into my physical science unit on energy and waves. The students discovered the cause of the earthquake, tsunami and found the same geology off the coast of Oregon and Washington. The students were able to realize that the same event that happened in Indonesia could someday happen to our Pacific coast. Tsunamis have changed and become part of cultures. The picture on the right shows the famous Japanese painting of a tsunami. Tsunamis mistakenly called tidal waves can be created by earthquakes, landslides and volcanoes. Tsunamis are giant sea waves that can travel over the ocean at speeds of over 500mph. When these waves reach the shore the energy is forced up and a wall of water washes over the land. If the trough of the wave reaches the shore first the water draws back and exposes the land normally underwater. The value of education saved many lives in 2005. A girl with her family vacationing in Thailand at the time of the tsunami wtinessed the drawback of the water. In her science class she had learned about the drawback of water before a tsunami hit. She recgonized what was about to happen and warned the people to seek high ground which resulted in the saving of lives. Tsunamis cause the greatest loss of life. A tsunami generated by the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa killed 36000 people. The greatest loss of life in the 1964 Alaskan quake was from the resulting tsunami. Because of the 1948 tsunami that hit Hawaii without warning the tsunami early warning system was created. In 2005 no warning system was available for the Indian Ocean, today there is. It took the loss of 250,000 lives to create a warning system.
The power and spectacular beauty of an erupting volcano brings excitement and wonder to students and the public. Many people did not know in 1980 that active volcanoes existed in the continental United States. People who lived in the area of MSH did not realize that their volcano could erupt. Like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions create interest in the geosciences. The same questions of how, and why are asked again. In 1988 I was on of 30 selected to study MSH. The highlight of the program was a trip into the crater of MSH. Standing in the crater and on dome I understood the power of the blast. I knew that my job was the share my excitement and awe with the students and the public. People are interested in volcanoes. I have been priviliged to give more than 200 presentations about MSH and the Cascade Range to a wide diversity of groups. This one event ignited an interest in volcanology. The Cascades have culltural history. The Native Americans called MSH fire mountain.

Mt. St. Helens was the volcano that erupted but interest in the Cascade Range volcanoes included Mt. Rainier and Crater Lake. New studies on Rainier showed the mountain due to chemical reactions on the rock is decaying from the inside. Mt. Rainier is now one to the top 10 deadliest volcanoes in the world. Due to the amount of glaciers on the mountain the main fear are large lahars. Orting,WA is built on old mudflows from past eruptions of Rainier. The town and local schools have volcano evacuation drills each year. The photo on the left shows Orting and Mt. Rainier.
Mt. Mazama or better known as Crater Lake since the eruption of MSH has undergone new studies. A manned submersable explored the lake bottom in 1988 and discovered that heat is still being generated. Could it erupt again? As people visit these places they are being educated about the geology. Large geologic events do increase awareness about the geology of our nation. In the United States there are two major island arcs. The Aleutian Trench and the Emperor Seamount which includes the Hawaiian Islands. The culture of Hawaii is based on the local volcanoes. The goddess Pele is the base of many volcanic legends. Today Pele is honored eachday with offerings and prayer. The above image shows the entire length of the Emperor Seamount Island Arc. Why are there volcanoes here with no plate boundaries? The Hawaiian Is. have formed on top of a hotspot. As the Pacific Plate moves the islands move off the hot spot and become extinct and continue to move to the northwest. The Aleutian Is. are a volcanic arc created by the Aleutian trench subduction zone. These volcanic islands are not good for agriculture so the Aleuts culture depends upon the ocean.

Catastrophic events are useful in stimulating interest in the geosciences. These events can serve as hooks to gain interest into geology. The students can see real world events have an immediate effect on the land, and the local culture. By developing units on catastrophic events it is important not only to learn the science, but also to learn about the culture of he area. I believe each unit should include all the disciplines. Each unit should have a math, language, literature, social studies, geography, music and art component. It is important to place emphisis not only on the event but also to understand how the people of the area are going to cope. By studying the culture the students gain an apprecitation of a different group of people and to understand their beliefs and values. In this way the geosciences can bring together a variety of disciplines to better understand how different cultures view volcanism, earthquakes and tsunamis. They can appreciate the history of these sciences and how catastrophic events can lead to better science and positive changes for the public. Using geosciences we can show why it is important to understand the geology of an area before the land is developed. Hopefully our students see geology not just a class to take but that understanding the geosciences can be useful in their lives.

RESOURCES:

1. Earthquakes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Seismic Disruptions

by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders paperback 2007

2. Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions

by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer, Donald Theodore Sanders and Robert Ballard paperback 2004

3. Cascades Volcano Observatory and Alaskan Volcano Observatory web site

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov

http://www.avo.alaska.edu

4. Photos: USGS public domain, Google Earth, Bill Wendlandt

Module III: Landform Formation and Culture

Traveling throughout the United States one marvels at the variety of unique and beautiful landscapes created by geological forces. Some of the landscapes are so spectacular that national parks were created to preserve them for future generations. Questions arise like, how were they formed, when were they formed or how long will they last? Other questions are, who were the first people that lived here and how did they survive ?The geology involved in creating the land formations determined how the people lived, thrived and survived. The search for the geological answers created a new controversial idea. This idea in the beginning was known as continental drift. As new technologies were developed continential drift is now known as theory of plate tectonics. A German meteorologist Alfred Wegener noticed that the shapes of the coastlines of South America and Africa seemed to fit together like a puzzle. Using fossil, glacial and rock data, Wegener realized that the continents in the past have moved and at one time formed a single continent that he called Pangea. Unable to discover the mechanism involoved to explain how the continents moved his theory was rejected by most geologists. Over time and with the gathering of new evidence Wegener has been proved correct. Today his idea is know as the theory of plate tectonics. The theory states that the crust of the earth is divided into moving sections called plates. As the plates move they converge, diverge, subduct and slide by each other. The collision of plates creates transform faults, mountain ranges, volcanic activity and earthquakes . With improving technologiy geologists collect new data, analyze data and conclude that most volcanic activity and earthquakes occur along plate boundaries. The study of the ocean floor has revealed the existence of ocean trenches along subduction zones,and mid-ocean ridges along divergent zones. The mechanism that Wegener was looking for to explain why the continents move involves the subduction of plates at trenches and the diverging of plates at mid-ocean ridges. Along subducion zones plates are destroying causing volcanism and earthquakes. At mid-ocean ridges plates move apart creating new crust. The process is a huge convection current moving the continents on the plates about 1-2 in/yr.

(USGS plate motions)

Over time the continents again will form supercontinents like Pangea, and again break apart. Plate tectonics explains why coal deposits are found in the arctic, fossils of fish on Mt. Everest, glacial deposits in deserts, hydrothermal vents along ridges and the formation sulfide minerals. Once landforms are created they are slowly destroyed by the processes of weathering and erosion. This geologic recycling is known as the rock cycle. The processes within the rock cycle creates unique and beautiful landforms throughout the United States. Geologists study landforms in various stages of their development or destruction. As we increase our knowledge about plate tectonics scientists can improve the process of locating valuable minerals, fossil fuels and understanding the past geologic history.

No matter where we live or come from the geologic forces that created our landscapes affects our lives. Each state has it's own geologic history that has influenced how early humans survived. Each culture has tried to explain geologic events through myths, and stories passed from generation to generation. Devils Tower for example has a story that it was created by an Indian brave who turned himself into a bear and clawed the volcanic rock to create the formation that exists today. (photo Devils Tower)

Wisconsin geology includes past plate tectonic boundaries, volcanism, and glaciers. Today Wisconsin's landforms are mostly glacier related. Glaciers have given our state excellent soil for farming, abundant lakes for industry and recreation,and till deposits of gravel which in my county is the number one export. Below are examples of glacial deposits of a kame, esker, drumlin and kettle lakes.

kame, drumlin, kettle lakes

driftless area- nonglaciated- Mississippi R watershed

esker, home Iola,WI (I live on the kettle lake)

The landforms of Wisconsin have influenced our culture just as the landforms in Wainwright,AK have shaped the native Inupiat culture. Each place has dramatically different landforms. The village of Wainwright is located about 90 miles southwest of Barrow on the shores of the Chukchi Sea on the tundra. The tundra landscape is flat with year round permafrost. In summer the surface of the permafrost thaws. The melted water can not seep into the frozen ground forming many lakes. Tundra landscape features created the expansion and contraction of permafrost are polygonal forms, and ice wedges that thrust onto the surface form hills called pingos. The land cannot be used for agriculture so the local natives had to use what was given. The Inupiuts used snow to build shelters, hunted Caribou for food, skins and used bones for tools. They used the sea to provide fish and the hunting of Bowhead whales. Other mammals(seals,wolves,polar bears, walrus) were also hunted for food and fur. The pelts are used to make warm clothing to protect the people from the extreme cold. Seal skin is used to stretch over umiaqs used in whale hunting. The people used the water from the rivers as source of freshwater for cooking, cleaning and drinking. Some other food sources used were berries and other grasses and mosses that grow on the tundra. The original natives used what was given and survived. Today the traditions continue. Whale hunting, fishing and Caribou continue to provide food for the village.

Wainwright coastline Wainwright tundra and lagoon

Caribou Tundra lakes and river
photo credits:
plate tectonics USGS public domain

Google Earth

Bill Wendlandt

Useful websites for plate tectonics

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/

How is everything connected : Module II

The arctic natives have been here for thousands of years. In that period of time the people have learned to live off the land and survive. The Inuits believe in the concept of Sila. They believe in a spirit within everything connects life, energy and the physical universe. The intelligence of the world. In the time the Inuits have lived in the arctic they have learned science through observation and experience. Their culture teaches a holistic approach to explain nature. The Inuits had to learn how to live off the land to survive. They learned life cycles of animals, what plants to harvest and eat, read the sky to aid in weather knowledge, and ocean patterns all without the use of modern scientific instruments. The native people understood the relationships between land, sky, water and air. An example is in their culture they believe that the Bowhead whale gives up it's life for the sustinance of the people. The Inuits did not do actual science but understood their environment. They practiced good ecology and respect for the earth.

Western science uses a set of rules to process science. We have tools to take readings and measurements to quantify our world. Each discipline of science is or was taught as a stand alone subject. As scientists gather more information with improved technology we now realize that we live in an earth system. All facets of the system are related. The biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere and lithosphere are affected by changes in each one. The ocean effects the weather which in turn will cause change in the lithosphere and naturally the biosphere. We see pollution from other parts of the world end up in the arctic through weather patterns, ocean currents and the food chain. As educators it is our duty to teach geosciences as an earth system. We need to show our students that all parts of our earth are related and changes in one system will cause change in the other systems.

It is important that our students of all cultures understand both the holistic view of our world and the western earth system. We need to understand that each segment of our earth is related by observation, experimentation and improving our methods of gathering and analyzing data. The native culture needs to keep their traditions of Sila while using the western advances in science knowledge. I see in the village I live in the use of the internet, cellphones,GPS, satellite receivers, new medical tools and procedures, snow machines and of course petroleum. The native students need to learn the values of western science methods and students in other parts of the United States need to understand the holistic approach to our universe. Richard Glenn who is both an Inupiaq whaler and geologist stated that each point of view is like a flashlight shining down the same path. Each culture will benefit with the convergence of knowledge gained through each method of learning about science. The western culture can benefit with the idea of the relationships between each part of the earth system and the native students can become scientists to improve their knowledge of the natural world.