Good Afternoon !

1. Good Afternoon!

2. Rocks, Lakes, and Springs! Oh My! Western Kentucky University Mojave 2014 Ron Waterbury

3. Tecopa, Hot Springs This is a hot Hyper arid Desert with a mean-annual temperature around 9.5°C (49.1°F), and during the summer reaching above 45°C (114°F).

4. Inyo County California, USA Tecopa, Area -18.6 Square Miles Location -35°50′54″N 116°13′35″W Elevation - 1,339 feet Population - 150 – census 2010 Median House Hold Income -$20,624

5. History The Hot Springs, was previously named “Yaga” by the Paiute. At one time held the largest Native America Population in this area, due to the healing powers of the Hot Springs, wildlife, and wetlands. It was a trading stop during the 1800’s and later was named after an Indian Chief Tecopa who was instrumental in keeping the local tribes from attacking the early west settlers traveling along the Old Spanish Trail.

6. Lithology Ql: Quaternary Deposit, Lake Deposits. Qol: Alluvium Deposit. Tv: Volcanic Rock; North west of Tecopa along the Resting Spring Range Tertiary volcanic rocksTvr-rhyoliteTva-andesiteTvb-basaltTvp-pyroclastic rocks E?: Paleozoic Sedimentary and Metazoic Sedimentary Rock: Cambrian marine Qc: Pleistocene nonmarine

7. Tecopa Lithology Quaternary Lake Deposits Volcanic Rocks Alluvium Deposits These deposits are mostly Lacustrine Mudstone, with Clay and Volcanic Ash layers deposited some 72meters thick in a lake that was close to 400 meters deep and 85 sq. miles. RhyoliticPyroclastic flows, to Pumice Lapilli tuffs, with Volcanic Devitrified Pumice Tuff, Welded Tuffs and Vesicular Vitrophyre line most mountain ridges and have been dated by K-Ar methods to 9.5 Ma. 50 m thick, consist of sand, gravel, and sub angular cobbles composed of dolomite, quartzite, basalt, and silicic volcanic rocks

8. Stratigraphy No post-Cambrian Paleozoic rocks, except a few Carboniferous, are present The sequence, ascending, consists of: Noonday Dolomite (Proterozoic) Johnnie Formation (Proterozoic) Stirling Quartzite (Proterozoic) Wood Canyon Formation (Proterozoic & Lower Cambrian) Zabriskie Quartzite (Lower Cambrian) Carrara Formation (Lower and Middle Cambrian), Bonanza King Formation (Middle and Upper Cambrian). There are 12 layers of volcanic ash in Tecopa 3 of which are particularly thick They include: Lava Creek Ash from Yellowstone – 620,000 yrsold Bishop Ash from Long valley – 760,000 yrsold Huckleberry Ridge ash (Yellowstone) – 2 million years old

9. Stratigraphy and mapping: Understanding the chronology of that layers of sediment were deposited is critical to interpreting earth history and preparing geologic maps. Likewise understanding how erosion and tectonic forces affect the landscape over time is equally essential to mapping-related sciences. This generalized stratigraphic diagram for the central Mojave Desert region of southern California. The diagram illustrates a working interpretation model that includes both basin-fill deposits (lake, stream, and floodplain deposits) and a geomorphic profile of stream channel terrace deposits on alluvial fans. This stratigraphic model is an essential component to map and interpret the changes to the landscape caused by movement along faults in the Mojave region. The offset of basin fill and especially alluvial deposits are an important component of unraveling fault motion and earthquake history in the region. It is the careful study of such deposits (using radiocarbon dating and other geochronologic dating methods) that fault movement history can be determined, and estimates for earthquake frequency, intensity, and potential impacts can be made.

10. Death Valley National Park Through Time Death Valley Today - 10,000 years ago to present Badwater As low as you can go; fault scarps, salt pan Death Valley dunes Desert sands Devil's Golf Course Salt deposits Furnace Creek Focus on water Harmony Borax works Early mining in Death Valley Racetrack Playa Mysterious sliding rocks Saratoga Springs Desert oasis Ubehebe Crater Maar volcanoes Quiet to chaos 65 million to 10,000 years ago (Cenozoic) Dante's View Basin and Range Amargosa Chaos Death Valley rocks sliced and diced Split cinder cone Cinder cone sliced by fault Artist's Drive Colors of nature Zabriskie Point Remnants of ancient lakes tracking Death Valley's extinct inhabitants Golden Canyon Ramble through the Furnace Creek Formation Shoreline Butte Pleistocene lakeshores The Earth Shook, the Sea Withdrew 250-65 million years ago (Mesozoic) Uplift and erosion Death Valley at the Equator - 570-250 million years ago (Paleozoic) Titus Canyon Tropical Seas Death Valley Dawn - 1.8 billion years to 570 million years ago (Precambrian) Badwater The oldest rocks - relics of the Precambrian world Mosaic Canyon Slot canyon, deformed and polished marble

11. Mineralogy LithianSaponite, is the most abundant mineral found in this area as it is a clay from the Montmorillonite group. It usually forms in hot springs environments where pyroclastic flows enter a alkaline lake. Named from the Greek word Sapo meaning Soap. Montmorillonite, is a phyllosilicate mineral. It is a soft sticky moist mineral despite the arid climate. It was formed by the Volcanic Ash and contact with the saline hot springs lake. (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2OSepiolite, is a clay mineral, made of a complex magnesium silicate. It comes from the German name “Meerschaum” for (sea foam) as it has a low specific gravity and is porous which allow it to float on the water. Questions: Lacking normal or abundant concentrations in Quartz and Calcite, which is usually found in most lakes, and river systems. Conclusions to this oddity are the unusually high concentrations of Ph. along with the source of and volume of water entering the basin could be an explanation as well as the evaporation would have caused a highly saline lake area.

13. What is a Hot Spring? GEOLOGY Geothermal heated ground water. Groundwater that travels through porous rock. This is water that has come in contact with mantle rocks that are under extreme heat. As the water is heated it rises and cools upon its descent to the surface.

14. Classifications of Springs • The Tecopa Hot Springs are primary hot springs. According to native traditions, the Tecopa hot springs would be considered a primary water source, embodied with the living power of Mother Earth. The water that surfaces is estimated to have been deep within the Earth for more than 1.5 million years ( according to our source at the Bureau of Land Management, Inyo County, California ). • Balneologists generally accept the following classification of mineral springs: • Cold Springs - temperatures below 77° F ( 25° C ) • Tepid Springs - temperatures ranging from 77 - 93° F ( 25°-34° C ) • Warm Springs - temperatures ranging from 93 F - 108° F ( 34° - 42°C) • Hot Springs - temperatures above 108° ( 42° C )

15. Tecopa Hot Sprngs In The Beginning

16. LIFE Could Tecopa have the answer to the presence of Life? Nope can’t go there, can’t do it, evolution doesn’t exist. I would be crazy if I tried to bring it up in a classroom presentation.

18. The Inyo County Tecopa Hot Mineral Springs are classified as Hot Springs. While the temperature of the water fluctuates between different sources, the water temperature usually measures between 116 - 118° F. The ambient temperature of the water in the summer months, however, can be as a high as 121 - 135° F. Balenology The scientific study of the therapeutic benefits of naturally occurring mineral waters. In the United States, this science is not very well known, and is even less seldom practiced Analysis of Mineral Water in PPM

19. Mineral Content/Ph Level • The Hot Springs Mineral Content • The legal classification of a mineral spring varies in different parts of the world. In General: • A mineral spring contains greater than 1000 mg/l ( PPM ) of naturally dissolved solids. • The Tecopa Hot Springs are classified as true mineral springs, and have dissolved solids measuring over 2000 mg/l ( PPM ), based on the assessment conducted at Delight's Hot Springs Resort. • The Hot Springs PH Level • Waters may be classified as acidic, basic, or neutral, according to the balance of hydrogen in the water. • Acidic waters are waters that measure below 7.0 on the PH scale.Neutral waters are waters that measure 7.0 on the PH scale.Basic/Alkaline waters are waters that measure above 7.0 on the PH scale. • The Tecopa Hot Springs are low sulfur, high sulfate alkaline hot springs, with a ph level between 7.4 - 7.6. The alkalinity is primarily the result of the K, Ca, Mg, and Na ions.

20. Hot Springs Therapy: Mineral Content • Bicarbonate • In Spain, a bicarbonate water is classified as such if the water contains more than 250 PPM of free carbon gas. However, springs that contain bicarbonate gasses ( sodium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, carbon dioxide, etc. ) may also be utilized for the observed benefits commonly associated with bicarbonate hot springs. • Bathing in bicarbonate water, the balneologists believe, assists opening peripheral blood vessels and helps to improve circulation to the body's extremities. • European balneotherapists also utilize bicarbonate waters for bathing to address hypertension and mild atherosclerosis. For these conditions, tepid to warm baths are utilized ( 86 - 100° F ). • Some researchers believe that bicarbonate baths also assist cardiovascular disease and nervous system imbalance. • The Tecopa Hot Springs contain 668 PPM bicarbonate content, although the bicarbonate content does not produce a "carbonated" effect such as the Chatel-Guyon Hot Springs in France.

21. Continued • Sulfur and Sulfates • Hot Springs rich in Sulfur, in France, Spain, and Japan, are used to address a wide variety of conditions, including skin infections, respiratory problems, and skin inflammations. • Hot springs rich in sulfates ( i.e. sulfur compounds ) have a far reduced "sulfur" effect as compared to Sulfur-rich springs. Such waters are often prescribed internally for liver and gastrointestinal conditions, as well as for some respiratory conditions with inhalation therapy, in European spas. • How do the Tecopa Hot Springs Rate? • The Tecopa Hot springs contain no free sulfur or sulfurous gas. The Tecopa Hot Springs have been measured to contain 497.5 PPM of sulfate compounds.

22. Continued • Chlorides • Saline hot springs are rich in sodium chloride. Mineral springs naturally rich in chlorides, in amounts between .5 - 3%, are considered by some researchers to be beneficial for rheumatic conditions, arthritis, central nervous system conditions, posttraumatic and postoperative disorders, as well as orthopedic and gynecological disease. • How do the Tecopa Hot Springs Rate? • The Tecopa Hot springs contain 371 PPM chloride content.

23. Continued • Other Mineral Research: • Benefits of Arsenic - While arsenic in larger doses is toxic in the human body, minute amounts may assist the body with plasma and tissue growth. Foot bathing in mineral waters with a high content of arsenic is used to address fungal conditions of the feet. • Benefits Boron - Boron builds muscle mass, increases brain activity and strengthens bones. • Benefits of Magnesium - Magnesium converts blood sugar to energy and promotes healthy skin. • Benefits of Potassium - Potassium assists in the normalization of heart rhythms, assists in reducing high blood pressure, helps to eliminate body toxins and promotes healthy skin. • Benefits of Sodium - Sodium and natural salts assist with the alleviation of arthritic symptoms, and may stimulate the body's lymphatic system when used in baths. • Alkaline water that is high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium may assist the body in cleansing through the skin.

24. Biological Diversity In spring and fall, vast flocks of migratory birds take advantage of the marshes and surrounding canyons, particularly Grimshaw Lake, a great birding locale and protected wetland.

25. Tecopa Poem Be in this world as if you are a traveler,A passerby, with your clothes and shoes full of dust.Sometimes you will sit under the shade of a tree,Sometimes you will walk in the desert.Be a passerby always, for this world is not your home

26. What Makes a Mineral Hot Spring a Mineral Hot Spring? • In the United States, there are no real standards to classify the properties of hot springs. However, in Europe and Japan, there are general standards that are widely accepted by balneologists. • The Hot Springs Source • There are two primary classifications of hot springs: • Filtration Hot Springs • A filtration hot spring is a geothermally heated mineral water that is initially fed by rain water that seeps into the Earth through faults and fractures. As it travels into the Earth, it becomes subject to increased energy from natural geothermal heat, and is exposed to gases and an often wide variety of minerals from rock and mineral deposits. The water adsorbs the minerals via leaching, is heated by the geothermal heat source, and then returns to the Earth's surface. • Primary Hot Springs • A primary hot spring is a geothermally heated mineral water, where direct volcanic activity plays a far greater role in the process of the hot springs formation. One of the fundamental physical distinctions between a filtration spring and a primary spring is the mineral and gas content of the water, such as radon and bromide. Primary hot springs are often "powered" by magma chambers which exist miles under the Earth's surface, as well as in volcanically active regions. 

27. Wulff, Andrew Dr. Western Kentucky University Geology, Geography Department March 1st, 2013 http://digital-desert.com/tecopa-ca/ http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/abioprob/originoflife.html http://whyfiles.org/2011/biology-critters-that-should-not-exist/ http://deathvalleychamber.org/444 Cited References: http://www.tecopahotsprings.org/thoughts.html https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pod6BBTji8A3XeJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzNHRmN240BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAMwZDBhNjMwNzdlZjgzOWM0OGVlYjVkYWQ1NDNhNzhkYgRncG9zAzE4BGl0A2Jpbmc-?back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DHot%2Bsprings%2Bdiagram%26_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DHot%2Bsprings%2Bdiagram%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26ri%3D166%26spos%3D24%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D18&w=275&h=400&imgurl=media-2.web.britannica.com%2Feb-media%2F29%2F95629-004-7EF6B7AB.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbuzz-master.com%2Fwp-includes%2Fhot-spring-diagram&size=16.7KB&name=%3Cb%3Ehot+%3C%2Fb%3Espring+%3Cb%3Ediagram%3C%2Fb%3E&p=Hot+springs+diagram&oid=0d0a63077ef839c48eeb5dad543a78db&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=%3Cb%3Ehot+%3C%2Fb%3Espring+%3Cb%3Ediagram%3C%2Fb%3E&b=0&ni=256&no=18&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11lq1oah7&sigb=14v52nd99&sigi=11tddsr5n&.crumb=P9IlBNRmcl4&fr=yfp-t-901 California Geological Survey, Geologic Data Map No. 2Compilation and Interpretation by: Charles W. Jennings (1977)Updated version by: Carlos Gutierrez, William Bryant, George Saucedo, and Chris Wills Graphics by: Milind Patel, Ellen Sander, Jim Thompson, Barbara Wanish and Milton Fonseca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecopa,_California http://www.indiana.edu/~g105lab/images/gaia_chapter_13/vent_communities.htm http://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/lake-tecopa-in-the-eastern-mojave-desert-history-essay.php http://digital-desert.com/mono-lake/geology.html http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/neotectonics/html/qstrat.html