Please join us for the Michigan Basin Geological Society’s membership meetings for the 2022-2023 

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MBGS - Membership Meeting Wednesday October 12th, 7:00 PM

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​Location: Natural Science Building, Rm 204

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mi.

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Speaker: Dr. Chris Svoboda

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Topic: Fractional Crystallization and Crustal Contamination: Evolution of Late-Stage Magmas from the Porcupine Mountains in the 1.1 Ga Mid-Continent Rift

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Abstract:

The Mid-Continent Rift (MCR) is a geologic structure that outcrops in the Lake Superior region where a mantle plume-influenced continental rift failed to dismember the North American continent 1.1 billion years ago. This rifting was set in a broader plate tectonic framework where the continent moved rapidly from polar to equatorial latitudes during the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. Rocks exposed in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan form a stratigraphic sequence spanning multiple phases of MCR magmatism, from voluminous main-phase flood basalts to late-stage volcanics interbedded with sediments. These lavas are key to probing the crustal magmatic processes active in waning stages of this large igneous province. A basalt and rhyolite sequence lies conformably over the main-phase Portage Lake Volcanics that has isotopic signatures consistent with contamination by continental crust. The basalts in this sequence bear trace element signatures like latent phase magmas in the Mamainse Point Volcanic Group. They are interpreted as the final products of main phase volcanism where input from the mantle plume is greatly reduced. Younger late-stage lavas interbedded with the Copper Harbor Conglomerate also show isotopic evidence of crustal contamination. Trace element modeling suggests that these younger lavas incorporated different crust than the older post main-phase basalts. This difference is interpreted as a vertical change in the system where Porcupine Mountain magmas evolve. The late-stage lavas within the Copper Harbor Conglomerate may be evidence of the crustal magmatic processes involved in the transition from plume-influenced to passive margin continental rifting.

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Biography:

Chris Svoboda received his bachelors and doctoral degrees in Geological Sciences from Michigan State University. His doctoral studies focused on igneous processes spanning the crust and mantle, and numerical modeling of these processes. He now works as a geologist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in the Remediation and Redevelopment Division. He lives in Lansing, Michigan with his wife Allie, his daughter Olive, and their pets.

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Below are links to recordings of the past (3) MBGS meetings

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A 3-D Bedrock Geologic and Hydrostratigraphic Model of Southern Ontario

Date: April 13th, 2022

Meeting Recording:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/NSxlqWFWWpT3pJL9CRiKnhj7PXfyCr76VpIvMo8-bSNcGdS9M4E67BBP4BQGIN1m.jGh9-MLDuhx-Wu82

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Below are the 2 original presentations that Terry presented:

A Revised 3-D Geologic Model of the Bedrock of Southern Ontario and Progress on Development of a 3-D Hydrostratigraphic Model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0VZLNMxpKU&list=PLdapv5BeduhV3JoX6F4giIHGRgYI6Bkag&index=2

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A 3-D Bedrock Hydrostratigraphic Model of Southern Ontario

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgJmOHYZtak&list=PLdapv5BeduhXJZedclmAYiccOCcSuYsMW&index=20

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Articles referenced in the presentation:

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A Hydrostratigraphic Framework for the Paleozoic Bedrock of Southern Ontario

https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/GC/article/view/31465/1882527052

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A Three-Dimensional Geological Model of the Paleozoic Bedrock of Southern Ontario,  Groundwater Resources Study 19 Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8618

http://www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/pub/data/imaging/GRS019//GRS019_Report.pdf

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Lake Michigan Shorelines, Catastrophic Failure or Stable, That is the Question, Date: Jan 12, 2022
Meeting Recording:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/-Gr3efOHXLqk_SSFJqsMG9VpAk8sbQc9WWZDroawji1DYfjnD84IfzTSsc3XYh78.zXGywtGcpy1j0c_B

Grand Canyon MBGS Field Excursions, Date: Feb 9, 2022 
Meeting Recording:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/tsuSxIgrJHVChOxJ_DNG93ORQWEHYy3QWyydUky3SNrZ350kolgUBVX1Ms_7ZWA2.-Lk0MwdVkDxLzXGz

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MBGS ANNOUCES 2021-22 EZ MANOS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Madeleline Tan, Undergrad Student, University of Michigan, Advisor: Jeroen Ritsema Title: Seismic Receiver function analysis of the Michigan Basin
The Michigan basin is an intracratonic basin approximately 400 km wide (Howell and Van der Pluijm, 1999). It is nearly circular, reaching the largest depth to the cratonic basin sequence in present day Saginaw Bay region. Previous receiver function analysis indicates Moho depth beneath the Michigan basin reaches 53 km, thinning out beneath its flanks (Moidaki et al., 2013; Shen et al., 2013). Stein et al., 2015 posit the Moho depth is on average 45 km beneath the Michigan basin, owing to the combined result of crustal thinning, post-rift volcanism, sediment loading, and basin inversion (Watts et al., 2018). My project focuses on new seismological constraints of the crustal structure beneath Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region using P-to-s receiver functions calculated from the recordings of distant (> 4,000 km) earthquakes at seismometers in Michigan. We will use USGS seismometers in the central US and U-M seismometers near Lake Erie (courtesy of Professor Yihe Huang) to measure variations of the thickness of the crust and sediments within and outside the Michigan Basin. New seismic analyses of the structure of the crust beneath Michigan and surrounding states will help place the Michigan Basin in a broader tectonic context and to constrain dynamic scenarios of its origin. 

Mathew Bell, Graduate Student, Western Michigan University, Advisor: Dr. Peter Voice Title: Dam Failure – Hydrogeologic Consequences and Effects on the Tittabawassee and Tobacco Rivers and the groundwater systems in Southern Gladwin County, Michigan

In May 2020, a reservoir dam at the intersection of the Tittabawassee and the Tobacco Rivers collapsed resulting in a cascade of hydrogeologic and hydrologic changes in southern Gladwin County, Michigan. Along the two rivers, replacement water wells drilled since the event have shown that the water table has dropped up to 6 meters. Recent LiDAR imagery shows the water surface along the two rivers and the reservoir lake also exhibit a 6-meter drop compared to records prior to the event. A combination of water well records (Wellogic Database and more recent drillers reports) and integrating validated oil and gas well records were used to construct sections and maps of the bedrock and glacial surface and water table elevations (prior to- and post-event), for bedrock, and glacial geologic units. In order to better define the county bedrock surface, Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) passive seismic data was collected across the county study area to develop a regional contact. Well records and HVSR data better defines the bedrock surface in this region and will allow a better understanding of hydrogeologic connections between the glacial sediment cover and the underlying Paleozoic bedrock. Using calibrated passive seismic measurements, the bedrock surface is analyzed to determine the complexity of the bedrock surface and interaction with the glacial drift, which can determine if there are
separate glacial and bedrock aquifer systems. The bedrock surface mapping and cross sections can provide a context for how the groundwater from the glacial material interacts with the bedrock material below.

Geology in the News

This Interactive Map Shows Where Your Home Was on Earth 750 Million Years Ago   https://dinosaurpictures.org/ancient-earth#240

Unexpected Findings Result in New Origin Theory for Earth’s Water

Enhanced views of Earth tectonics

Antarctic Neutrinos Are Being Used to Weigh the Earth’s Core

New Survey Publication – An Updated Bibliography of Michigan Geology

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John Yellich and Peter Voice, Western Michigan University Department of Geological Sciences and Michigan Geological Survey

The Michigan Geological Survey is proud to announce a new publication: Michigan Geology: A Bibliography, the second volume in the Michigan Geological Survey Data Compilation Series. This updated compilation lists over 7,700 references from all known Michigan sources, including industry, professional associations and universities and includes publications from 1818 to present. This report documents 200 years of Geological Research in Michigan. The Bibliography is sorted into four general categories – Precambrian, Basin, Quaternary, and Other.
This updated version of the bibliography also includes a short section on Michigan Stratigraphic Nomenclature, as well as brief discussion of historical trends in publication frequency in Michigan.

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The report is free to download at the Michigan Geological Survey’s webpage: https://wmich.edu/geologysurvey/research/publications.

DOUGLAS HOUGHTON MEMORIAL

Douglass Houghton, Michigan’s first State Geologist, was honored on September 10, 2016 by
the placement of a State of Michigan Historical Marker commemorating his accomplishments. The
effort was led by Arlene Anderson‐Vincent, members of the Michigan Basin Geological Society,
Keweenaw County Historical Society and faculty at Western Michigan University and Michigan
Technological University. The dedication was incorporated into a MBGS field excursion led by
Professor Ted Bornhorst of Michigan Technological University and Lawrence Molloy, President of the Keweenaw County Historical Society. The two led a field excursion that covered the geology and history of sites from Houghton to Copper Harbor and wove a tale of the rise and fall of mining in the copper range. The field excursion included the dedication of the marker, which is located in Eagle River, Michigan at the Keweenaw County Historical Museum. The dedication had many speakers and a special appearance from Kyle Bagnall, who portrayed Bela Hubbard who told the story of Douglass Houghton’s 1840 expedition along Lake Superior. Douglass Houghton died in 1845 when the boat carrying himself and his crew capsized during a storm on Lake Superior near Eagle River.

Upcoming Events

October 9, 2022: MBGS Meeting 

October 9-11, 2020: Detroit Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show, Macomb Community College Expo Center

October 9-15, 2022: Earth Science Week, Earth Science Week | (earthsciweek.org)

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November 9, 2022: MBGS Meeting 

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November 5, 2022, JACKSON COUNTY HISTORIC COAL DISTRICT

FIELD TRIP LED BY DAVE WESTJOHN AND BENNY SEE, 

Estimated Cost $50 RSVP christensenc@michigan.gov

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December 5-7, 2022: Great Lakes PFAS Summit, virtual, 2022 Great Lakes PFAS Summit (michigan.gov)

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December 14, 2022: MBGS Meeting 

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December 20, 2022: MBGS Scholarship Applications Due. Mail applications to John Yellich (john.a.yellich@wmich.edu)
and title email “RE: MBGS Scholarship Application. Applications are available on the website at www.mbgs.org

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January 11, 2023: MBGS Meeting 

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February 8, 2023: MBGS Meeting 

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March 8, 2023: MBGS Meeting 

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April 12, 2023: MBGS Meeting 

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May 4-5th, 2023, GSA 2023 North-Central Section 57th Annual Meeting  Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/Events/Section_Meetings/GSA/Sections/nc/2023mtg/home.aspx

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May 10, 2022: MBGS Meeting- tentative

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May 19-21, 2023, 58th Midwest Friends of the Pleistocene field conference :The Glacial and Geomorphic Evolution of the Houghton Lake Basin Roscommon, Mi.

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EGLE Calendar of Training and Workshops
https://www.michigan.gov/egle/0,9429,7-135-3308_3333---,00.html

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Michigan State University, College of Natural Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Science,
Events https://ees.natsci.msu.edu/events/

Michigan Tech – Geoseminars ‐ http://pages.mtu.edu/~raman/SilverI/Geoseminar/Welcome.html

University of Michigan Earth and Environmental Science
Events https://lsa.umich.edu/earth

Western Michigan University, Geological and Environmental Sciences
Events https://wmich.edu/geology/events

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