Natural Landscape Study
Natural Landscape Study: Western Brook Ponds, Newfoundland and Labrador
Western Brook Ponds is part of the Gros Morne National Park located in the western part of the province Newfoundland and Labrador. The Gros Morne National Park is world renowned for being one of the few places on earth in which geologists can studied the upper mantle directly! It also illustrates the concept of plate tectonics, the evolution of ancient mountain ranges and justifying why Canada has the most diverse land formations on the planet. The National Park was designated by the UNESCO (the United Nations education, scientific and cultural organization) as a world heritage site because of its significance to the scientific community.
Western Brook Ponds was formed by two notable geologic events over millions of years. The initial formation occurred (during the Precambrian era) when the supercontinent Pangaea began to break apart due to a collision of two continental plates (creating the Appalachian Mountains). As the supercontinent spilt apart, steep stress fractures formed along the surface and were filled with molten rock, the magma eventually forming dykes that are now residing along the cliff of Western Brook Ponds. The continent then continued to drift further and naturally experienced weathering and erosion which allowed limestone to form from the sediments of sand and silt. Currents caused the sediments to deposit deeper into the water forming sandstone. Weather phenomenon’s such as earthquakes and storms trigged submarine and surface landslides. This deposited limestone from the continental shelf to the continental slope, through subduction these rocks cemented together to form Limestone breccia, the current stone that supports the surrounding cliffs. The second major geologic force that formed Western Brook Ponds is glaciation and deglaciation. Glacial activity carved out the Ponds out of the surrounding plateau through the process of ice-segregation and
Western Brook Ponds is part of the Gros Morne National Park located in the western part of the province Newfoundland and Labrador. The Gros Morne National Park is world renowned for being one of the few places on earth in which geologists can studied the upper mantle directly! It also illustrates the concept of plate tectonics, the evolution of ancient mountain ranges and justifying why Canada has the most diverse land formations on the planet. The National Park was designated by the UNESCO (the United Nations education, scientific and cultural organization) as a world heritage site because of its significance to the scientific community.
Western Brook Ponds was formed by two notable geologic events over millions of years. The initial formation occurred (during the Precambrian era) when the supercontinent Pangaea began to break apart due to a collision of two continental plates (creating the Appalachian Mountains). As the supercontinent spilt apart, steep stress fractures formed along the surface and were filled with molten rock, the magma eventually forming dykes that are now residing along the cliff of Western Brook Ponds. The continent then continued to drift further and naturally experienced weathering and erosion which allowed limestone to form from the sediments of sand and silt. Currents caused the sediments to deposit deeper into the water forming sandstone. Weather phenomenon’s such as earthquakes and storms trigged submarine and surface landslides. This deposited limestone from the continental shelf to the continental slope, through subduction these rocks cemented together to form Limestone breccia, the current stone that supports the surrounding cliffs. The second major geologic force that formed Western Brook Ponds is glaciation and deglaciation. Glacial activity carved out the Ponds out of the surrounding plateau through the process of ice-segregation and
Bibliography: "Parks Canada - Gros Morne National Park - Hiking." Parcs Canada | Parks Canada. Government of Canada, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. . Parks Canada - Gros Morne National Park - Park Management." Parcs Canada | Parks Canada. Government of , n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2012. . "Parks Canada - Gros Morne National Park - The Story in Stone." Parcs Canada | Parks Canada. Canadian Government, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. . http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6197/6121227080_3a70f1ea8c_z.jpg http://www.dpeck.info/pictures/america/newf-c00-map.jpg Physical Geography: Natural Landscape Study