Geology in Northwest indiana
Geology in Northwest indiana
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What about here?
What about here?
Rocks & shells are weathered to create the sand for our local Lake Michigan beaches.
Rocks & shells are weathered to create the sand for our local Lake Michigan beaches.
How long does weathering take?
How long does weathering take?
Constant water and wind can weather material into sand within decades.
What about here?
What about here?
Mount Baldy is the largest sand dune in Indiana Dunes National Park. Mount Baldy is shrinking due to erosion of the sand by wind and waves.
Mount Baldy is the largest sand dune in Indiana Dunes National Park. Mount Baldy is shrinking due to erosion of the sand by wind and waves.
How long does erosion take?
How long does erosion take?
Constant water and wind can carry away an entire dune in decades.
Glaciation- Being covered by glaciers or gradually moving ice sheets, which causes the landforms beneath to flatten.
Glaciation- Being covered by glaciers or gradually moving ice sheets, which causes the landforms beneath to flatten.
What about here?
What about here?
Many thousands of years ago, much of the northern US (including here) and Canada were covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet.
Many thousands of years ago, much of the northern US (including here) and Canada were covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet.
Northwest Indiana is flat because the weight the glacier flattened the bumps in the land.
Northwest Indiana is flat because the weight the glacier flattened the bumps in the land.
The Laurentide ice sheet also created our local lakes!
The Laurentide ice sheet also created our local lakes!
Kettle Lakes
Kettle Lakes
Kettle lakes are formed when glacier pieces carve giant holes in the ground and melt into them.
Kettle lakes are formed when glacier pieces carve giant holes in the ground and melt into them.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan was carved out as glaciers moved back and forth over the land and melted.
Lake Michigan was carved out as glaciers moved back and forth over the land and melted.
How long does glaciation take?
How long does glaciation take?
The process of giant ice sheets moving across the land takes several thousands of years.
This glacier contained and moved a soil mixture known as glacial till
What about here?
What about here?
As the glaciers advanced and retreated...soil, rocks, and seeds were picked up and dropped off by the ice.
As the glaciers advanced and retreated...soil, rocks, and seeds were picked up and dropped off by the ice.
The reason our area has such great biodiversity is the glacier left a variety of soils and seeds from all over the north as it retreated.
The reason our area has such great biodiversity is the glacier left a variety of soils and seeds from all over the north as it retreated.
How long does deposition take?
How long does deposition take?
The process adding soil, rocks, and seeds to a landform takes minutes to years.
What about here?
What about here?
After a heavy rain the water carries sediments, fertilizers from farms, and pollutants on the road with it to our local rivers. These particles will settle to the bottom of the river in time.
After a heavy rain the water carries sediments, fertilizers from farms, and pollutants on the road with it to our local rivers. These particles will settle to the bottom of the river in time.
How long does sedimentation take?
How long does sedimentation take?
The process of the particles settling out of the water depends on the speed at which the water is moving. This could take seconds to days depending on the speed of the water.
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