#Volcanic ash

[without-ado]

Fagradalsfjall, Icaland 2021 l jvn.photo

[chasingrainbowsforever]

~ Purple and Red ~

[mindblowingscience]

If you've ever visited the fossil gallery of a natural history museum—or its gift shop, for that matter—you've probably seen the armored body remains (or exoskeletons) of an extinct group of animals called trilobites. These ancient marine arthropods lived in the world's oceans from 521 million to 252 million years ago. We know a great deal about the diversity, lifestyles and evolution of these iconic invertebrate fossils. More than 22,000 species of trilobite have been named. This is largely because the trilobite exoskeleton was made of a mineral called calcite, which fossilized very easily. However, fossils showing soft body parts of these creatures, such as the antennae and walking legs, are far rarer. Even when these features have been found, they may be obscured by flattening or partly hidden by sediment.

Continue Reading.

[mineralsrocksandfossiltalks]

Let's Talk About BENTONITE

There's nothing worse than minding your own business, walking along in the desert when all of a sudden your feet start to feel weighted down. It gets harder and harder to pick up your feet. The mud is sticky and pulling you into the ground. That's bentonite.

Bentonite is type of very soft, plastic clay made primarily of montmorillonite clay.

Montmorillonite is a hydrous, aluminum silicate in the smectite group (often you will hear bentonite and smectite used interchangeably).

Bentonite is formed by the alteration of volcanic ash when it comes in contact with water. Clays in general form from the chemical breakdown of feldspars (check out October's posts for more on feldspar!) and when ash gets thrown in the mix something very nasty occurs: swelling clays.

Bentonite increases greatly in volume when water is added...and decreases just as much when the water evaporates or gets absorbed in the groundwater system. This causes the popcorn texture you see in badlands topography.

Popcorn texture in Brushy Basin Member, Morrison Formation, near Evil Tree Bonebed. Sauropod rib found in it.

This can also cause structural damage. That is why the building around the Wall at Dinosaur National Monument had to be repaired a few years ago. Basically, the swelling of the bentonite split the foundation.

It also becomes very dangerous to drive on or walk on when it gets wet, becoming a slurry, sticky mess.

This is the main reason why we have to wait for summer to come before we head out to the dig site. We physically cannot get there until the Mancos Shale bentonite is dry enough to drive on.

Bentonite is not all bad though. It has some good uses too.

We actually use it to trap moisture in our skin and hair when we dry out. It's a natural sunblock and relieves burns and itching from bug bites. We even put it in Wendy's Frosty's to give them that smooth texture!

Bentonite is also used in agriculture as a natural pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide in fertilizers.

They also use it to coat drills in the oil industry to keep the drill bit lubricated, as well as coating well walls to keep them from collapsing. If you're a geek, like me, think Avatar, the Last Air Bender and the Fire Nation drill.

Hope you learned a little about bentonite today! Fossilize you later!

[safecastle-sale]

Volcanic Activity Around the World (2024)

This is a summary of volcanic activity around the world on February 24, 2024, based on a news report from Volcano Discovery.

Santiaguito: The volcano continues to erupt with strombolian activity, ejecting incandescent material up to 100 meters high.

Fuego: The volcano continues to erupt with ash plumes reaching up to 15,000 ft.

Popocatépetl: The volcano continues to emit moderate amounts of ash and gas.

Semeru: The volcano continues to erupt with ash plumes reaching up to 50,000 ft.

Dukono: The volcano erupted on February 24, 2024, ejecting ash up to 20,000 ft.

Sakurajima: The volcano continues to erupt with explosions and ash plumes reaching up to 5,000 ft.

Suwanose-jima: The volcano continues to erupt with ash plumes reaching up to 2,000 ft.

Manam: The volcano continues to erupt with ash plumes reaching up to 10,000 ft.

Lewotobi: The volcano continues to erupt with ash plumes reaching up to 5,000 ft.

Reykjanes: The Icelandic Met Office said an eruption is likely in this area.

Nevado del Ruiz: The volcano is emitting low levels of ash and gas.

Volcanic ash plumes can pose a hazard to aviation and can cause respiratory problems for people on the ground. If you are in an area affected by volcanic ash, it is important to follow the advice of local authorities.

Please note that this is just a summary of the information in the post. For more detailed information, please refer to the original source.

[warrior-cats-battle-cats]

I've been playing with animation lately. In Ibis.

Feat. my Warrior Cats: Scorched Earth character, Downward Drift of Volcanic Ash

The scene, for context:

The small tom was weary.

So, so many moons had passed, and loss still stung him. Haunted him. And with everything going on with Basilisk... Ash shook his head, ears lowered as he lay in the dying sunlight. This was his home. But was it really home? He'd heard tell of his mother's decline, of his brother -*his last brother*- dying.

Now, more than ever before, he felt alone. He felt alone, and scared, and *hurt*. The only comfort he found was in his mate and daughter, but even then...

Another head shake, and Ash sighed. He couldn't look weak, not now. The tribe seemed to be in shambles. So many cats, *too many* cats, supported the monster that commanded them.

*Lethal Basilisk.*

His name left an awful, rotten taste in the smokey tom's mouth. Oh, how he hated him. Hated him for taking away their happily ever after. If only he'd stayed gone! Then he and Burn would be one big happy family. Burn... Ash's heart swelled at the thought of his mate, and a small smile made its way to his face.

Once all this was over, once Basilisk was gone, they could finally start a family. They could *finally* have kits of their own. Butterfly would have siblings again.

It... Stung, though. Knowing that his mate had a litter with another. It stung more than he could put into words. Those kits that were supposed to be *his*. Ash could've puked when he'd learned of the affair.

But he didn't. He smiled and nodded, and then broke down when he was alone.

That had been so, so hard. But his mate was happy, and was still with him, so that was... Well, it wasn't okay, but it wasn't the end of the world. Maybe they shouldn't wait.

Yes, that sounds like a plan. Next they speak, Ash'll bring up kits. Basilisk be damned, the two needed kits, more than ever.

Only...

As chartreuse eyes flickered over to the bastard entering camp, he felt his heart drop, *stop*.

No, no, no nonononono-

Ash felt his heart shatter, his soul tearing so violently from him that not even a gasp could escape his throat. Without thinking, he shot to his paws, but merely stumbled forward. When Basi stood on his beloved, his world, Ash... Ash didn't know what to do. So badly, *so desperately*, did he want to lunge forward. He wanted to tear that bastard apart, but he *couldn't*. All he could do was stare, silence oh-so-loud in his ears.

*twirls hair, giggling like a school girl*

Lalala, traumatized characters, lalala~

[deityforged]

Absolutely devastated. No Japan trip for me.

[speedyz3]

Went digging through past photos for a post today. One of the most fun vacations I have been of. I got to see parts of Utah I had only dreamed of. The Bentonite Hills are was absolutely amazing.

[sofiaflorina2021]

Volcanic Ash on The Leaves of One of The Plants

Volcanic ash on the leaves of one of the plants in my grandmother's house. This is the result of the eruption of Ruang Volcano which is located in the Sangihe Islands, although I live in Manado City which is more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from this volcano.

Luckily I don't live near a volcano…actually I live near a volcano but it's an extinct volcano, it's Mount Klabat and it is the highest mountain in North Sulawesi Province, about 1,995 meters or more than 6,500 feet. It would be more exciting if it erupted again.

Taken on Wednesday, 1 May, 2024 at 10:18 with Samsung Galaxy A10s.

[cosmicsabian]

Τύφωνας ξυπνάει🌋🐉💨

By: Friend of Steve Firth

https://x.com/fasc1nate/status/1769103326086574533?s=46&t=phIcPWPJmXLJ7wJtmxw22Q

[lunar-goodness]

Found out today my grandma had ashes she saved from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. I asked my mom if I could have some for myself, I think it’s the coolest thing, it’s a tangible piece of history. I honestly don’t know why my grandma didn’t show me this herself when she was still alive.

The photographs show her (in the pink shirt) in Missoula Montana collecting the ash and some shots of how the area looked with the cloud of ash covering everything.

[without-ado]

Lava Rivers l bsteinbekk l Iceland

[camblorite]

Volcanic ash from the 1906 Vesuvius eruption

[stopdoopyphotos]

[universalambients]

Vesubius (79 AD) Ambient Music

[ghostlook]

by etnaboris on Flickr.A most spectacular daybreak at Etna Volcano, Sicily, 5 January 2012.