Week 7 - Rotorua field trip

I was given the most amazing opportunity to see Science in action this week. I went with Kathy, 2 honours students (Michaela and Sian) and a research associate (Bryan) to Rotorua for 4 days to visit several geothermal sites in the area. The research is a major contributor to the Rotorua on Mars project.

We left very early on Monday to drive to Rotorua and our first (and most important) site visit. This was to Tikitere (Hell's Gate). Here we visited the 'cooking pools' where one of the honours students will be researching the microbes that grow into these little spicules out of the pool. While at this site, the heat of the pools and the distance between safe and not safe was our biggest hurdle. So, we tested the temperature of each pool using a laser gauge and taped the pH paper onto the end of a long stick (kiwi ingenuity). I observed Michaela and Bryan begin to map out the area of the pools using GPS points to ensure the drawings were in accurate positions for future use.

This site was so fascinating. I was entranced by the different colours of the pools even though they were so close together, this indicates the different temperatures, a clear pool = very very hot so therefore the murkier the water the cooler it was. I also saw the spicules which Michaela will be researching. These also are fascinating microbial growths that have hardened into these little spiky peaks that are sharp but also very delicate.

I learnt about mud volcanoes, land oysters, a type of rock that turns into a liquidy clay if you put enough pressure on it, pH testing, temperature testing, mapping using GPS points, identifying the different sinter types, how fast sulphur crystals form, and to see the wonderful spicules I've been hearing about.

On day 2 we headed to Lake Rotokawa which is on the outskirts of Taupo. First we spend 20 minutes checking a map that another student had created, we identified 8 facies types and compared them to where he had placed them on his map. This site also had spicules growing, however this time they were green.

We then moved over to a lagoon that was next to the lake. At this lake Kathy wanted us to map out the lagoon edge as the edge of the lagoon had several interesting features on it. We were a little bit overwhelmed with sulphur clouds off the lagoon that kept being blown in our direction by the wind. We moved our way around the lagoon to the lakes edge and began mapping our way back to the other side using the same techniques as yesterday. This time Bryan showed me how he uses his compass and a GPS device in tandem to create points on the map, keeping it accurate for future reference. There was an interesting overhang that had fallen into the lagoon, it was interesting to see how many layers had formed and how strong it must have been.

Towards the end there was a spring next to the lagoon that had a very different colour around it, it was black. A stark contrast to it's clear waters (very very hot). Kathy had informed us not to take samples from here as they had previously tested it and it had come back positive for being high in arsenic.

On day 3 we went to several different locations. The weather was not playing ball, it was wet and cold and set to get wetter.

We went out to Atiamuri to a spring where we checked a map created by a previous student. While Kathy checked the spring itself, the rest of us concentrated on the fan that was created from the exit point of the spring. This fan was created by microbial mats that have formed together in little terrace like features that spread out into a fan like shape down a small hill.

After Atiamuri we then went to Te Kopia which is found on the Paeroa Fault line. This site was amazing, you can hear the roar coming from the ground, I took this as a warning to tread lightly and not get too close to the fumaroles and streams. Kathy showed us Geyserite which is normally hard to get your hands on (as it's found in the geyser). We went to a stream where we checked a student's map and took lots of photos for them, we also did pH testing and temperature testing. This stream was very powerful and hot, the sound (again) was all the warning you needed.

From there we bush bashed our way up the hill to 'the buttress' which is where Jess (a current honours student) has been studying the front of a terrace that has fallen off. I was really looking forward to seeing this as I had heard the background of this research and seen some of the thin sections under the microscope. This means that I was able to better understand what I was seeing and begin making connections between my learning and real life.

This buttress was layers and layers of different rocks. It told a story. Each layer had something new to it due to temperature and pH differences and environmental events that may have happened. I was most excited to learn that this buttress had fallen off the front of a structure similar to the famous pink and white terraces. Here I learnt how to take a rock sample for myself that shows the different layers.

On the last day we went to Waimangu. Unfortunately we were unable to do exactly what we needed to here due to the local Iwi only just have taken back custody of this piece of land. However, we were allowed to walk down the approved public walk ways to learn about the history of this area and Mt Tarawera while Kathy took photos for potential research points.

All in all it was a wonderful week where I was able to see science in action outside the University walls. This is what researchers live for. I was so lucky to be part of their conversations where they live and breath Geology. This week I was able to see all 4 Nature of Science strands in action.

On this field trip, I was able to see in vivid colour, the life of a scientist. The excitement, the engagement, the questioning, the answering, the re-questioning, the organizing, the discussions on site and around the dinner table. I was able to relate what I have observed and learnt at the university to real life. Seeing the rocks and microbiology up close meant that, I was able to absorb the knowledge, process it and then give it purpose in my life. This experience gave me so many opportunities to connect with the STLP experience. The Nature of Science strands were woven so seamlessly into our excursions each day. Understanding in science through the exploration of the ideas and the conclusions that were drawn. Investigating in science through the mapping process, pH and temperature testing and sample taking. Communicating in science through the never ending questioning and curious comments made as new observations were found. Participating and contributing, through the teamwork involved each day, the respect given from professor to students, the relation of learning to everyday life. This experience for me has solidified my notion that we need to get our students experiencing science (not just doing science).