Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton, 21 July 1884
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/11/5/16
Scope and Contents
Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton telling him that he is undertaking field work in New Mexico. He is concentrating on the plateau country aided by good topographic maps of the region. He tells Geikie that there are landforms and cliffs similar to those in Utah and Arizona with exposures of Triassic, Permain and Cretaceous strata. These are overlain with evidence of volcanic activity, ancient basalt of 50-200 feet depth on the plateau. Young basalt, in vast lava sheets, can be found in the valley regions, although there is no trace of their originating vents or any fragmented ejecta. The ancient basalts originate from the volcano, Mount Taylor and its vents, and signs of its activity spread as far as 45 miles from the core. The lava beds have been eroded and volcanic chimneys can be seen on the valley floors. Similar occurances are observed 100 miles to the north-west. He concludes that the whole western, southern and south-eastern rim of the plateau country is characterised by basaltic eruptions.
Dates
- 21 July 1884
Creator
- Dutton, Capt Clarence Edward, 1841?1912 (American geologist, United States Geological Survey) (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Physical Description
1 letter
Extent
From the Fonds: 2 metres
Physical Description
1 letter
Processing Information
None
Processing Information
Sarah Higgins 28 August 2001
- Basaltic Lavas
- Dutton, Capt Clarence Edward, 1841?1912 (American geologist, United States Geological Survey)
- Erosion
- Geikie, Archibald, Sir, 28 December 1835 – 10 November 1924 (Professor of Geology, University of Edinburgh)
- Geology, Stratigraphic Cretaeceous
- Geology, Stratigraphic Permian
- Geology, Stratigraphic Triassic
- Great Britain
- Landforms
- Lava Flows
- New Mexico
- Topographic Maps
- Utah (United States)
- Vents, Volcanic
- Volcanic Activity
- Volcanic Core
- Volcanic Ejecta
- Volcanic Fields
- Volcanoes
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk