Latest news with #DepartmentofGeology
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Listening to rocks at the University of Madras
Did you know the Department of Geology at the University of Madras welcomes school students to take a tour of the rocks at its museum? Various types of rock — metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks among them — gathered from various parts of India are on display. One can also get up close with a dinosaur fossil and ammonites. The museum also houses samples of semi-precious stones found naturally or mined. 'Discovering marine fossils is a special experience, many of them have been sourced from our field works at various sites in Tamil Nadu include the Ariyalur region,' says Suresh Gandhi, Professor and Head of the Department of Geology, University of Madras. During special occasions such as Micropaleontology Day and Environment Day, the Department sends out invitations to neighbouring schools to visit the museum and have a first-hand experience of the geological treasures. 'Besides this museum by the Department of Geology, we also have the Department of Applied Geology where one can learn about geological evolution. Students are welcome through the year, they just need to notify us in advance,' says the professor. Careers in geology In Chennai, the University of Madras and Anna University are the only two institutions that offer a postgraduate programme in Geology. This year, the entrance examination for M. Sc Geology by the University of Madras will be held on July 14. Professor Suresh says the number of opportunities in the field of geology has grown over the years. 'One can appear for the UPSC examination with geology as an elective, which is preferred by many as it is easy to grasp. Most of the oil fields recruit geologists and they are also needed for ground water studies,' he says. For more details, call professor Suresh at 9443806534.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Following Ancient Volcanoes, Scientists Track Mysterious Supereruption
An undersea volcano erupting in the Pacific Ocean. A team of geologists led by the University of Maryland and the University of Hawaiʻi finally connected one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Earth's history with its source deep beneath the Pacific Ocean. The Ontong-Java Plateau is a massive, submerged seafloor platform located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Several kilometers thick lava flows cover an area roughly the size of Alaska. The erupted volume is several times larger than the famous Deccan Traps in India. During the Cretaceous, around 116 and 90 million years ago, one of the largest volcanic eruption in Earth's history formed the plateau, but the exact site and source of the volcanism eluded scientists. For years, scientists wondered whether the 70-million-year-old Louisville hotspot—an area in the southern Pacific Ocean where hot and chemically distinct material from deep inside Earth rises to the surface to create volcanoes—formed both the underwater mountain chain bearing its name and the Ontong-Java Plateau. Attempts to link the two major geological features failed to provide a definitive answer because scientists were searching at the wrong spot, as a new study suggests. "We had to sample deeply submerged volcanoes from a different long-lived hotspot track to find evidence from tens of millions of years ago that suggested our models for the Pacific plate needed revision," explains study first author Val Finlayson, an assistant research geochemist in University of Maryland's Department of Geology. Finlayson and her team made their first breakthrough when they discovered a series of underwater mountains near Samoa that were much older than expected for volcanoes in the area. By analyzing the age and chemical makeup of ancient rock samples taken from the area, they were able to reconstruct how the Pacific plate moved. The results show that the between 80 and 100 million years ago the Pacific plate rotated slightly. 'We can track these 'footprints' across time and space. The footprints get progressively older as you move away from an active hotspot, similar to how your own footprints will fade away in the sand as you walk. But you can still tell that these prints belong to the same source. Thanks to this new evidence, we were able to revise current models of Pacific plate motion and gain a better understanding of how the seafloor has moved over millions of years,' Finlayson explains. With the new directions, the team was able to finally link the Ontong-Java Plateau to the Louisville hotspot despite the missing 20 million years. The hotspot was active for much longer than the available rock ages suggest. 'Much of the physical evidence for a connection between Louisville and Ontong-Java has disappeared because part of the Louisville hotspot track was subducted, or pushed, under tectonic plates in the Pacific region." Finlayson's team now plans to apply their improved models to better understand other ancient volcanic features scattered across the ocean floor and above its surface. A 'We've solved one mystery, but there are countless more waiting to be unraveled. This finding offers us a more accurate history of the Pacific and its volcanic activity and helps us understand more about the dynamics and style of volcanism that occurs there,' Finlayson said. 'Everything new we learn about the Earth's tumultuous past helps us better understand the dynamic planet we live on today,' concludes Finlayson. The study,"Pacific hotspots reveal a Louisville–Ontong Java Nui tectonic link," was published in the journal Nature. Additional material and interviews provided by the University of Maryland.
Express Tribune
03-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Mysterious Korangi fire remains uncontrolled after six days
A raging fire near Korangi Crossing sends flames soaring into the sky, leaving authorities scrambling to determine the cause. PHOTO: Jalal Qureshi /EXPRESS Listen to article A fire ignited during the excavation of a borehole in Korangi Creek, Karachi, is still burning, six days after the incident. The fire broke out following the drilling of a 1200-foot borehole. Efforts to put out the blaze were halted on Saturday due to the severe heat, making it unsafe to continue the firefighting operation. The authorities have since collected samples of water and sand from the area for chemical analysis, which will help determine the type and size of the gas present in the underground reservoir. On the other hand, a geologist has highlighted the potential for large underground gas reserves in Karachi's Korangi Creek area. Dr. Adnan Khan, Associate Professor at the University of Karachi's Department of Geology, referred to 56 years of data from nearby oil and gas exploration wells, suggesting methane gas and possibly coal deposits in the area. He explained that the fire was triggered by increased temperatures during drilling, which released trapped methane gas, a highly flammable substance. Methane's explosive potential increases when mixed with air, and experts caution that the current gas emissions at the site exceed 15%, requiring urgent precautions. Dr. Khan pointed out that Korangi Creek's 25-million-year-old rocks contain natural water reserves and methane, which, combined with the area's geological features, could indicate significant hydrocarbon reserves. A 2020 Chinese study identified gas and coal layers in Korangi Creek, further supporting the possibility of valuable underground resources. However, the presence of structural traps, faults, and fractures in the area also allowed gas to rise to the surface, causing the fire. He warned that the fire could persist for weeks, posing hazardous risks to the surrounding population due to continuous carbon dioxide emissions.
Express Tribune
03-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Gas emissions indicative of reserves in Korangi Creek
A geologist has expressed the possibility of large underground gas reserves in the Korangi Creek area, urging the need to extinguish the fire that has been burning for five days and initiate gas exploration activities at the site. Associate Professor at the University of Karachi's Department of Geology, Dr Adnan Khan, told The Express Tribune that 56-year data from wells drilled in the Indus Delta region for oil and gas exploration, points to the potential presence of methane gas at the site where water boring led to gas emission and the outbreak of fire. He added that there is also a possibility of coal deposits at the site. He further stated that the Korangi Creek area has 25 million-year-old layered rocks with natural water reserves beneath them. The drilling aimed to access these underground reserves, but the methane gas trapped within the rocks' fissures was released, causing a fire due to the increased temperature during drilling. The fire has continued to burn due to gas pressure. Methane gas is flammable, with a flash point of -188 degrees Celsius. During the boring at Korangi Creek, the underground temperature rose to 30-40 degrees Celsius, which ignited the methane gas. According to experts, if 5-15% of methane mixes with air, it can become explosive. The current gas emission exceeds 15%, making precautionary measures imperative. Methane gas can form underground through two processes. The first is the biological process, where microorganisms break down organic matter at shallow depths, producing methane gas over millions of years. The second process occurs at greater depths and higher temperatures, where hydrocarbons undergo cracking to form liquid hydrocarbons, which then transform into methane gas. Oil and gas exploration companies have reported potential hydrocarbon reserves in the Korangi Creek area, based on data collected from subsurface rocks. A Chinese study, published in 2020, also identified the presence of gas and coal reserves in the Korangi Creek area, revealing that the area has three layers of rocks where gas reserves can be found. These rocks, known as Myosin, are 20-25 million-years-old and contain underground sweet water reserves and gas deposits. Beneath the Myosin rock layer, lie the Paleocene and Eocene rocks. The older the rocks, the more hydrocarbon reserves they contain. Drilling data from Korangi Creek and the Indus Delta revealed a high percentage of Total Organic Material (TOC), ranging from 3 to 3.5%, with a kerogen type III, indicating the promising possibility of methane gas reserves and coal seams. A Chinese research group's four-year study on the Indus Delta found that oil and gas exploration activities near Karachi's coast were unsuccessful due to the absence of structural traps, which are rocks that prevent hydrocarbons from rising. The research identified structural traps in Korangi Creek, along with faults and fractures, that allow gas to move upward. The recent gas emission in Korangi Creek suggests that the water boring process may have punctured a fracture, releasing trapped gas, which then rose to the surface due to high gas pressure. The increased temperature then ignited the gas, causing the fire. Dr Adnan Khan stated that the authorities need to measure the gas pressure at the site to estimate the reserve, which requires extinguishing the fire with special chemicals and foams. Dr Adnan Khan warned that the fire could continue for several weeks due to its intensity and gas pressure, urging relevant authorities to promptly address the issue. Though Methane dissipates into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and moisture, the continuous emission of carbon dioxide from the fire poses potential hazardous risks to the surrounding population such as unconsciousness and fatalities.
