This is an Earthcache – as such, there is no physical cache. Instead after examining the granite of the Pod Sculpture at the posted coordinates you will answer 4 questions and message me the answers. This sculpture is located on the Hagerstown Cultural Trail in City Park and permission was granted by the Hagerstown Parks & Recreation Division.
POD SCULPTURE
“Pod” is a three-piece sculpture that resembles a grouping of very large tree seeds that was originally placed at the Chevy Chase Center 62 miles south of Hagerstown. It is carved from pink granite from the Italian island of Sardinia. Sculptor Richard Deutsch was inspired by 130-year-old trees that lined the streets in Chevy Chase when he created this piece in 2005. “Pod” rested on a fountain in Chevy Chase for 12 years until developmental plans made sculpture available. Hagerstown swooped in and moved it here in 2017.
ROSA BETA IS A PINK GRANITE FROM SARDINIA
Granite is an igneous rock crystalline in nature, with crystals large enough to be visible with the unaided eye. Granite is composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles and other minerals. This mineral composition usually gives granite either a red, pink, gray or white color with additional mineral crystals visible throughout the rock. Granite is hard enough to resist most abrasion, strong enough to bear significant weight, inert enough to resist weathering and it accepts a brilliant polish.
Granite begins life in a molten liquid state that solidifies as it cools. The texture is then determined by the rate in which it cools. The larger mineral crystals in granite are evidence that it cooled slowly from the molten rock, this slow cooling occurred beneath the earth's surface and required a long period of time. Granite magma which cools more rapidly results in granite with crystals that are smaller.
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the most geologically ancient bodies of land in Europe. There are minerals and rocks of almost all geological ages to be found on the island. Sardinia Granite is found mainly in the Gallura, which is on the northern end of the island and along Costa Smeralda.
The pink granites of Sardinia were formed millions of years ago during the variscan orogeny. That was a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic continental collision between Euramerica and Gondwana to form the supercontinent of Pangaea. The grains of this pink marble are mainly made up of feldspar and quartz with minor amounts of other minerals. The mineral composition gives granite its color which can vary from red (more feldspar and less quartz) through pink to gray and white (more quartz and less feldspar).
REFERENCES:
1. 'Pod' sculpture finally arrives at City Park in Hagerstown, Marshall, Katiann, Aug 1, 2017, heraldmailmedia.com
2. Geochemistry of granitic rocks from the Hercynian Sardinia-Corsica batholith: Implication for magma genesis, APoli,Giampiero, Lithos, Volume 23, Issue 4, October 1989, Pages 247-266 , sciencedirect.com
3. Artist excited his 'Pod' has found a new home in Hagerstown, Marshall, Katiann, Aug 2, 2017, heraldmailmedia.com
4. Sardinia, wikipedia.com
4. Rosa Beta Granite, Granites & Porphyritic Granites, jsgeology.com
LOGGING REQUIREMENTS:
To log this Earthcache: Read the geology lesson above. Answer all four questions posted below and send them via e-mail or messenger contacts on my Geocaching profile.
QUESTION 1. From the text, what rate is the the granite texture determined by?
QUESTION 2. Touch the unfinished sides of this Pink Granite. Describe the texture?
A) Pegmatitic - A pegmatitic texture is one in which the rocks crystals are about 1” long to larger.
B) Phaneritic - A rock with phaneritic texture has crystal grains large enough to be distinguished with the eye.
C) Aphanitic -Aphanitic texture consists of extremely small crystals.
QUESTION 3. Observe the color of the stone. Is the composition of the granite more feldspar or quartz based?
QUESTION 4. Do all three sections of this sculpture appear to be from the same block of stone or are there any differences that make you think otherwise?
OPTIONAL PHOTO: Posting a photo that readily indicates that you (and anyone else logging the find) are at the location.
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