The aerial surveyor diaries
The team
Ellen McCallie's diary about the challenge for the Aerial Surveyor programme, from the BBC/OU series Rough Science 4
Day One
Challenge: Determine the center and magnitude of the 1872 earthquake that occurred in this area by using botanical and geological skills.
1. an aeroplane flight will give us the macro-view
2. determine the extent (length) of the earthquake
3. we know the depth (15km) because this is standard in this area
4. determine good places to take measurements along the fault—looking for horizontal and vertical movement
5. find oases and describe why they are there—blocking water
Make instruments
Flight: Owens Lake to Big Pine. In Lone Pine, it is obvious that there was vertical and horizontal movement—a river and oases in a straight line. At Big Pine there is a cinder cone.
One of us threw up in the plane—I won’t say who. Not a smooth ride.
Day Two
Talk about a great day that was impossible to film! It’s nearly impossible to get a camera to see what it takes an extremely well-trained eye to see. As the light changed over the course of the day, it was tougher and tougher to make out evidence of the earthquake. In any case, we did make good measurements for both vertical and horizontal components of movement.
The oases were a refreshing and useful break…
Iain and I worked on calculations.
next > Page 1 of 2
Content last updated: 19/07/2006
