Episode 1: Sandstone: From Sand Dunes to Canyons. This is the story of how giant sand dunes of an ancient sahara-like desert in Utah were lithified into sandstone, preserved dinosaur tracks, bones, and trees, and then were eroded into the spectacular canyons we see today.

1. Science Discovery Series Olympus High School Jeff Taylor Science Instructor

2. Who is Jeff Taylor? Wadi Gazelle, Sinai, Egypt All Pictures In This Presentation Taken By Jeff Taylor

3. Mr. Taylor Scientist Explorer Hiker My goal is to know something about everything

4. Always looking for unique and interesting places to help explain scientific concepts to my students. I always want to know WHY?

5. Jeff TaylorOlympus High School Courses: All Science at Olympus HS Health and Physical Education too Contact Information jtaylor@olympusfaculty.net 602-476-2141 Family: Wife Linda and 21-month daughter Hilina Detailing our travels and hikes on our blog: www.taylorlenz.blogspot.com Living out of our 22 ft trailer and spending the next 6 months in Desert Southwest.

6. Episode 1Sandstone: From Sand Dunes to Canyons Paria Canyon, AZ The Story of Lithification

7. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Sandstone Sandstone are layers of sand-sized particles that are cemented together. Sandstone can form from sand dunes, in rivers, lake shores, or former ocean beaches.

8. Sand Dunes Great Sand Dunes NP, CO Sand Dunes form where sand particles are blown in the wind and then pile up in a place where the wind slows down. In this case, the Rocky Mountains block the winds.

9. Here, winds slow when they hit those mountains, dropping off the sand That’s me 500 feet above the desert floor Kelso Dunes, Mojave N Pres, CA

10. Great Sand Dunes NP, CO Over 700 feet tall of pure sand! Climbing the Highest Dunes in North America

11. The view from the top!This was Utah 75 Million Years Ago Great Sand Dunes NP, CO Sand dunes up to 2000 feet deep!

12. Lithification Great Sand Dunes NP, CO Lithification means turning sand to stone. As rain trickles through the sand, it cements the pieces together to form stone Think of an example of lithification you might have created or seen!

13. Cements are Dissolved Minerals Minerals dissolved in water accumulate where water evaporates. As the crystals form, they bind sand grains together like cement. The particular minerals involved decides the cement strength.

14. Navajo Sandstone, Big Water, UT Fossilized Sand Dunes Can be determined by their cross-bedding. Cross-bedding are alternating layers that are tilted against each other.

15. Cross-Bedding The angled beds are the result of sand slide down the sides of the dune The angles change when wind direction changes and buries old dunes with new sand Kelso Dunes, Mojave N Pres, CA

16. Beverly Dunes, Vantage, WA Vegetation can also stabilize dunes Roots hold water and stabilize the dunes. Then sand blows over and buries the dune, preserving it

17. The Dive, Grand Staircase-Escalante, UT Navajo Sandstone These fossilized dunes formed in an ancient Sahara-like Desert some 75 million years ago

18. Today

19. How Was The World Different?

20. 90 Million Years Ago Area of Navajo Sandstone

21. 75 Million Years Ago Area of Navajo Sandstone

22. 65 Million Years Ago Area of Navajo Sandstone

23. On The Search For Dinosaur Tracks

24. Dinosaur Tracks Grand-Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Click Check Mark If You See It

25. Theropod Dinosaurs stepped in wet sand and then sand blew over and filled the impression

26. More Dinosaur Tracks

28. Dinosaur National Monument

29. Dinosaur Bones Dinosaur NM, CO

30. Bones Left in Place By National Park Service

31. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Fossilized Palm Trees

32. Here Is How It Could Happen Buried Palms in Sudan, Image courtesy of the UN Environmental Programme

33. Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, UT Petrified Wood Fallen trees that were buried by sand ended up being preserved as these petrified tree trunks.

34. Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, UT Water Deposited Sandstones Sandstone layers that are completely horizontal are usually formed at the bottom of lakes or the ocean.

35. Banff NP, Alberta Water Deposition When sediment flowing down a river meet a lake, they drop out and settle to the bottom to form a flat layer.

36. Lake Sediments Lake Powell, UT Here, changing lake levels leave horizontal beds of sediments. When buried, they will compact into stone.

37. Half Moon Bay, CA Ocean Beaches

38. Wahweap Creek, Glen Canyon NRA, UT River Deposited Sandstones

39. Ripple Marks Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, UT Ripple marks are a sign on an ancient stream or lake shore

40. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Red Sandstones Stained by iron oxide (rust) minerals

41. Blue Sandstones Stained by Copper Blue Basin, John Day NM, OR

42. Erosion Canyonlands NP, UT Rivers, rain, ice, and wind erode the sandstone and free the sand to form dunes once again.

43. Zion Canyon 2000 feet deep sand dunes cut by the river

44. Dinosaur NM, CO Does anyone want to guess the rate of erosion? Green River cutting into sand stone

45. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Soft Sandstones Some sandstones are so weakly cemented, that they “melt” when it rains and fall apart in your hands.

46. Wahweap Hoodoos, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Hoodoos When more resistant rock protects weaker rock below, columns can form. When the cap falls off, the towers “melt” away.

47. Buckskin Gulch, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT Flash floods carve deep narrow canyons into sandstone. Some storms will flood this canyon with water 80 feet high! Slot Canyons

48. Slot Canyon Spooky Gulch, Grand-Staircase Escalante NM, UT

49. Wind erosion is primarily responsible for natural arches. Arches Cobra Arch, Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, UT