Re: Making Tracks

Have you found anything of interest in the Sundance formation? I tried to
convince some students that there mammal fossils in them, but only young had
been found so they were known as the Sundance Kids.

Humourless Michael

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven M Smith" <smsmith@usgs.gov>
To: "Michael Roberts" <michael.andrea.r@ukonline.co.uk>; <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 4:49 PM
Subject: Re: Making Tracks

>
> After quoting my slightly hyperbolic word picture about rafting dinosaurs,
> Michael wrote:
> > Actually I find this totally convincing and I now consider myself to be
> YEC
>
> I'm glad to hear that my arguments are so cogent! Next time I guess I'll
> have to argue for the opposing viewpoint. <grin>
>
> I think that the quote I recently received from the AWAD (A Word a Day)
> list applies to my argument.
> "The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
> -Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)"
>
> As an aside, the dinosaur track picture is now even more complicated here
> in Denver. Overlying the Dakota Group sandstone that contains the
> previously described megatracksite layer are 8,000 feet of black marine
> shale (interpreted to be deposited by that Cretaceous mid-continent
> seaway). On top of that shale are more sandstones left behind as the sea
> slowly receded from the area. These sandstones (the Laramie Formation)
> also contain dinosaur tracks! Only this time the assemblage appears to be
> Hadrosaurian (duck-bills) and Ceratopsian dinosaurs. The vegetation
> included palm trees since we also have the imprint of palm fronds and
logs.
> One surface exposed in a clay mine (now part of a golf course) has a
> combination of hadrosaur prints, beetle tracks, and raindrop impressions.
> Lockley and company have also recently reported rat-sized mammal tracks
> from this same area. (See
> <http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2004/feb/upfront1_040216.html> for a
> picture of the mammal tracks or
>
<http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2607271,
00.html>
> for a popular account.)
>
> I'll leave it to your imagination to create the YEC picture of a
vegetation
> raft floating around with this assemblage of creatures! My incredulity
> overfloweth.
>
> Perhaps the next time ASA visits the Denver area, a field trip can be
> arranged to the Parfet Prehistoric Preserve adjoining the Golden Fossil
> Trace Golf Course. This area is also being developed (trails and site
> stabilization) by the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge volunteers to accommodate
> tours.
>
> Steve
> [Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and
are
> not to be attributed to my employer. The identification of which is
> obviously easier for me than for Michael <grin>!]
> _____________
> Steven M. Smith, Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
> Box 25046, M.S. 973, DFC, Denver, CO 80225
> Office: (303)236-1192, Fax: (303)236-3200
> Email: smsmith@usgs.gov
> -USGS Nat'l Geochem. Database NURE HSSR Web Site-
> http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/
>
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue Mar 30 12:47:41 2004