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You will need a pair of binoculars to complete this Earth Cache by answering questions related to the picture below.
The Uinta Anticline is a long, narrow, flat fold that runs from east to west. The anticline runs about 100 miles long and it is 35 to 50 miles wide. Within this anticline are several smaller anticlines and synclines. Over millions of years erosion caused by water and wind has exposed a section of the anticline off the in the distance.
To understand the Uinta Anticline, let us look at how an anticline fold forms. When rock layers deform and bend but do not break from stress caused by compression it creates a wave like structure. When rock layers convex in a upward motion to create an arch like fold this is an anticline. The core of the anticline is where the oldest rocks are found at the core with the youngest rock layers progressively working outward. There are also antiforms, how can you tell the difference? If the rock layers become older going to toward the center of the fold, then we would refer to it as an anticline. If we cannot tell the age difference in the rock layers then it would be called an antiform.
The stress comes from pressure which is when two opposing sides of the layers rocks exert force against each other causing them to buckle (but not break) in an upward motion. In this case the Uinta Mountain which also runs from east to west formed the Uinta anticline by exerting pressure far underground during the Laramide mountain-building event between about 70 and 34 million years ago. If an anticline was cutaway it would resemble an uppercase A or a lowercase n. Since anticlines are a fold, they can consist a of single fold or many folds or alternating Synclines (arches that dips into the earth) and anticlines. The core and inner layers of an anticline can act as reservoirs for various fluids. Anticline formations can be highly indicative of petroleum reserves. This is especially true when the anticline is formed from sedimentary rock layers. Anticlines form a structural trap that can capture pockets of hydrocarbons in the bend of the arch. Impermeable rock beds, often referred to as seals or cap rock, trap hydrocarbons in the anticline peak. In the pore spaces natural gas and oil build up in the reservoir rock at the core of the arch. The lowest parts of the reservoir rock are often filled with salty water, thus sealing the hydrocarbons into the arch. Generally largest oilfields occur in anticlines containing sedimentary rock. Where the curvature on the anticline is greatest is referred to the as the hinge. It is also called the Crest.
Where you are standing (which is also part of The Uinta Anticline) was actually an ancient sea formed 87 millions ago leaving a Hilliard shale top layer. Hilliardshale is made up from Claystone, Siltstone and Sandy Shale. Sandstone is composed of sand sized grainulars of various minerals mostly of uniformed size which are rounded and smooth with various colors including Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White. Siltstone is fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt (Silt is a solid, dust-like sediment that water, ice, and wind transport and deposit) with colors of reddish brown, brown and red. Claystone which is dark gray to pink, is a fine-grained, sedimentary rock which mainly consists of compacted and hardened clay.
Looking at the exposed mountain you can see three layers of the anticline. The top layer being Navajo-Sandstone with the middle Chinle and the bottom being Moenkopi. These formations varied from mudflats to desert sand dunes that were deposited near sea level.
Please answer the questions below and send them to me by message or email.
1. To the left of the sign kiosk you will see a part of the Antincline that is exposed. You can reference the picture above also for the portion you are looking for. Looking at the actual wall what are the colors of the different layers?
2. What do you think happened for that part of the incline to become exposed?
3. How many different layers do you see?
4. Where do you think the red color in the layers come from?
5. Take a picture of yourself or your GPS/Phone with eroded wall in the background and attached them to your online log.
https://www.geologypage.com/2015/12/geological-folds.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laramide_orogeny
https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Anticline
https://rocks.comparenature.com/en/sandstone-vs-siltstone/comparison-8-37-0