Types of geological questions...

[coogor]

Hi,

 

I try to set-up an earth cache on a lonely island in the atlantic ocean. I decided for an earth cache as the local authority does not allow plastic containers, as used in traditional caches. The islands are uninhabited, around 200 miles away from the next inhabited island. So not really a place where you could come along by chance

 

Next to some questions on geology, which can be answered from reading the description, the questions to answer while on-site were:

 

- standing on the coordinates, what consistency and color does the ground have?

- how many trees can you see?

 

Any additional ideas what could be a good question, or is this sufficient? As it is fairly impossible to visit this place again in a short term, it should not be too difficult.

[+Lostby7]

Without seeing the write up or knowing the topic it's hard to say if this is sufficient or not...that said, I have seen questions like this pass in the past but things have tightened up a bit in the last few years and questions are a bit more demanding.

 

Perhaps a better question would be "What consistency and color does the ground have and explain why it appears that way."

Edited December 12, 2012 by Lostby7

[+TerryDad2]

As mentioned above, the writeup would be helpful to determine the questions. How was the island formed?

[+GeoawareGSA1]

"- standing on the coordinates, what consistency and color does the ground have?"

It's hard to say w/o the full write-up, but this question would be improved by placing it in some context or asking for some interpretation. Like, "and therefore, what type of materials/soil/mineral/rock is this made of? How do you know? What does that tell you about this location, geologically speaking?" (Just some examples. Because simply asking for consistency or color of something does not necessarily provide an earth science lesson.)

 

- how many trees can you see?

As this is written (and w/o the context/write-up) it does not relate to earth science as defined for EarthCaching, so this task couldn't be published. There are limited cases in which asking about trees does work, but the question should relate the growth or presence of trees to earth science/geological factors, and would have to help deliver a lesson. (Just asking to count them wouldn't seem to provide a lesson.)

 

An island that remote sounds like it would have some nice coral or volcanic rocks, or both, so I would suggest focusing on those sorts of things in your description and logging tasks. Could also discuss coastal erosional features, etc., if done in a site specific manner. Avoid the temptation to sway toward flora and fauna, unless you can connect that very closely with earth science

 

Best wishes,

 

geoawareHQ

[coogor]

Thanks for your answers and support so far!

I'll attach the write-up for the earth cache. I have already applied the amendment suggested by Lostby7, which makes sense to me.

A good point was as the the hint regarding the growth or presence of trees. Of course one will notice quite quick that there are no trees at all, as the climate does not allow, but I want something that has to be determined on site

 

Further comments are welcome!

 

PS: OpenDocument Format according to ISO 26300 is not supported by this forum??

Selvagens.pdf

[+flyfshrgrl]

I am working on a gneiss EarthCache in my area that also involves pink granite. I am struggling with a "concise" question. Mine seem to be too involved in the details. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

 

Also, if you don't have a website, what is another way to insert a picture?

[+hzoi]

I am working on a gneiss EarthCache in my area that also involves pink granite. I am struggling with a "concise" question. Mine seem to be too involved in the details. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

Look for something that looks different about the lcoation and focus them in on it.

 

Gneiss is usually banded. Something more than "count the stripes," maybe if there is an area that has esecially large or dense bands, or an occlusion or dyke that appears different than the banded material around it, you could call their attention to it.

 

edit to add: if the gneiss and granite examples are right next to each other, it can be as simple as describing both rocks and how they formed, then asking the cacher which is which, how they can tell, what differences they can see/feel (taste?) between the two rocks.

 

An advanced search for caches with "gneiss" in the name pulls up 40 caches, several of which are earthcaches. Perhaps you can find some inspiration there.

 

Good luck!

 

Also, if you don't have a website, what is another way to insert a picture?

 

If you're talking about on a cache listing, you can upload the image directly to the cache page. If you then want it to display, copy the image's location, then use the img html tags to put the image in your listing.

 

If you're talking about here, similar concept: upload the photo to a cache (I use one of our archived caches for quick and dirty image hosting these days), then just copy the image location and use the img tags on the forum.

Edited March 12, 2013 by hzoi

[+releasethedogs]

I am working on a gneiss EarthCache in my area that also involves pink granite. I am struggling with a "concise" question. Mine seem to be too involved in the details. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

Look for something that looks different about the lcoation and focus them in on it.

 

Gneiss is usually banded. Something more than "count the stripes," maybe if there is an area that has esecially large or dense bands, or an occlusion or dyke that appears different than the banded material around it, you could call their attention to it.

 

edit to add: if the gneiss and granite examples are right next to each other, it can be as simple as describing both rocks and how they formed, then asking the cacher which is which, how they can tell, what differences they can see/feel (taste?) between the two rocks.

 

An advanced search for caches with "gneiss" in the name pulls up 40 caches, several of which are earthcaches. Perhaps you can find some inspiration there.

 

Good luck!

 

Also, if you don't have a website, what is another way to insert a picture?

 

If you're talking about on a cache listing, you can upload the image directly to the cache page. If you then want it to display, copy the image's location, then use the img html tags to put the image in your listing.

 

If you're talking about here, similar concept: upload the photo to a cache (I use one of our archived caches for quick and dirty image hosting these days), then just copy the image location and use the img tags on the forum.

or attache the image to a reviewer note. When the cache is published the note will vanish and your page will not be clogged up with nastyness. :smile:

[+Huntleigh]

..snip..

Also, if you don't have a website, what is another way to insert a picture?

You do have a website - geocaching.com.

 

Create a new unpublished cache; upload a photo to it; find the link to the uploaded photo (something like http://img.geocaching.com/cache/large/77786320-1571-4d60-9a7b-0dc837aec0c3.jpg; add that link to the html in your earthcache text.

 

For that matter why not just upload to the earthcache and then also embed the link in your html?

[+hzoi]

Create a new unpublished cache; upload a photo to it

Saw some forum traffic along the lines that unpublished caches only last so long and can be archived by reviewers. That's why, if a cacher already owns a cache listing that is archived, I recommend going that route isntead.

 

Or just uploading the image directly to a cache listing -- which doesn't even require a reviewer note.

[+CanadianRockies]

Create a new unpublished cache; upload a photo to it

Saw some forum traffic along the lines that unpublished caches only last so long and can be archived by reviewers. That's why, if a cacher already owns a cache listing that is archived, I recommend going that route isntead.

Even if a reviewer archives an unpublished cache, the uploaded photographs remain and the cache is still accessible to the cache owner and to the reviewer.

 

Either method should work fine.