Geology Open Night

Geology Open night lectures are usually on topics in the geosciences related to the current research of the faculty, staff and students at SUNY Stony Brook. These presentations are intended for:

• those interested in new developments in the sciences

• earth science high school students and teachers

• undergraduate and graduate students in geosciences

• professional geologists

The Glacial Landscape and Natural History of Glacial Lake Missoula and the Channeled Scablands

Michael Sperazza

In the early 20th Century geologists viewed geologic processes in a very Darwinian way, as very slow changes which occurred over very long periods of time.  This is the detective story of two geologists, working independently in two different states, who used the sedimentary record to uncover the history of the landscape and show that the landforms we see today can be shaped by large catastrophic events.  The glacial Lake Missoula and Channeled Scablands story covers the western part of the US, from western Montana to the Pacific Ocean.  Now, after 100 years of 'knowing' the story of the catastrophic flood events, researchers are using new interpretations and methods to retell the history of our western landscape.

Dr. Michael Sperazza is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences and part of the faculty in the Sustainability Studies Program at Stony Brook University.  He holds degrees in sedimentary geology and physical anthropology both from the University of Montana.  Dr. Sperazza's research interests include paleoclimatology and glacial reconstructions of the Pleistocene/ Holocene boundary in western Montana.  He is also working on paleoclimate studies and how these changes have impacted human evolution in the Turkana Basin, Kenya.

Late Wisconsinan Geology of Long Island

Gilbert N. Hanson

 If it were not for the glaciers, Long Island would not exist. Streams from the melting, advancing glaciers deposited sands and gravels in front of the glaciers and the advancing glaciers pushed the underlying Cretaceous and Pleistocene sediments into a series of arcuate structures that now make up the Ronkonkoma and Harbor Hill moraines. There is evidence that the glacier(s) advanced to the southernmost parts of Long Island.

 Subglacial streams scoured much of the North Shore of Long Island leaving numerous tunnel valleys. After the glaciers left Long Island some 20,000 years ago there was a period of extremely cold temperatures, a periglacial climate, until about 15,000 years ago. The area would have been a desert tundra slowly changing to a spruce forest, and then pine forest as the area warmed.

During the time of periglacial climate ephemeral streams were forming south of the Ronkonkoma Moraine. The remnant valleys formed by these streams are now recognized as dry valleys with streams in the lower ends. The water in these streams are reoccupying the dry valleys as a result of water table rise associated with sea level rise.

Dr. Hanson is a distinguished service professor in the Department of Geosciences who has been interested in the geology of Long Island for the last couple of decades. Much of the research has been undertaken by earth science education students and earth science teachers as well as  geoscience masters students.