A very memorable Saturday looking at Ice Age clues on the floor of Grand Coulee. USGS geologist Brian Atwater is best known for his Cascadia Great Earthquake research. Filmed on May 22, 2021.
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@adem57623 жыл бұрын
What a legend, Brian Atwater, retired and now working on glacial geomorphology in his spare time.
@guiart15533 жыл бұрын
All you geology fans...I am watching all the A to Z episodes again and I am getting so much more the second time around!
@elizabethkarmellacomedian38723 жыл бұрын
I did that about a month ago as well.
@complimentary_voucher3 жыл бұрын
Same!
@imaseeker1003 жыл бұрын
Can you point me to these?
@larsbee2 жыл бұрын
it sounds so boring .... can't stop watching 🤣🤣🤣
@101rotarypower3 жыл бұрын
WOW, I could watch Brian go on and on, he seems so excited he jumps around looking for the next clue postulating how the puzzle pieces could fit together. Thank you Nick, thank you Brian!
@guiart15533 жыл бұрын
Still a kid at 70! What a guy!
@charleslaird8703 жыл бұрын
Just imagine being a young geologist assigned to help him on a project. Wow. This is a wonderful video that truly needs to be preserved.
@deantheot72963 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing this outing and BIG THANK YOU to Mr. Atwater for giving more clues to what HE see's when looking at a lake shore deposit. Most interesting! Thanks Nick
@erfquake13 жыл бұрын
This is all amazing insight; geologist-to-geologist banter. This is gold, seeing how much they both enjoy their profession.
@KathyWilliamsDevries3 жыл бұрын
An hour of bliss!
@sidbemus46253 жыл бұрын
Thank you Nick.Thank you Brian.A beautiful day in the sage....with water and ROCKS.....
@Sven-_Trials3 жыл бұрын
Blows my mind on how complicated ice age deposits are!
@StarfireReborn Жыл бұрын
Brian Atwater Is The Reason I Was Having Field Trips Through The Columbia River Gorge In High School... Observing Destruction & Construction Of Layers, Post Tsunami & Ongoing Uplift Speculations. My Teacher Was Amazing. Geology Is Amazing.
@garynickel6483 жыл бұрын
The biggest take away from the class today is the power of observation, GREAT WORK
@BawlmawrBob3 жыл бұрын
“No, we both have old knees. We’ll need those knees to get back.” Ha!
@biffnarzilla46493 жыл бұрын
Brian's like a kid in a candy shop. He clearly enjoys what he's doing.
@kidmohair81513 жыл бұрын
both of them actually
@sdmike11413 жыл бұрын
What an irrepressible soul! You can’t fake that kind of passion. What a treasure of a human! Thanks Nick for sharing him with us.
@MellnikMary3 жыл бұрын
Wonderful experience for us! Thanks.
@jeremyharstad79513 жыл бұрын
I sure hope we get to see more videos of Nick and Brian together like this! That was excellent!! Thank you so much for this!
@dancooper85513 жыл бұрын
Dr. Atwater is a genius! Every geology student taking a class that involves field study should watch this. Thank you Brian and Nick!!
@michaelhusar36683 жыл бұрын
Agree 100%, watching Dr. Atwater in real time explain what's going on on that cliff is amazing. Show this to get students motivated prior to doing field work. You could send 1000 different geology majors to this site, and most would be clueless. I just see dirt, Dr. Atwater sees and explains thousands of years of geology.
@eunicelcastilloeunicelarac94213 жыл бұрын
Wow! Nick, you are in rarified company!
@thirteenthtone3 жыл бұрын
What a storyteller!
@mikebjornstad58553 жыл бұрын
Thanks for taking us townies along with you.
@mattcwatkins2 жыл бұрын
When my head isn't smoking, gears are turning in my head watching this. I find myself Googling so many basic geology terms like varve, intrusion, gypsum precipitation, injection, sills, diamicttite (sp?), coulees, etc. Thanks for letting me hang over the shoulder of two masters of their fields.
@markbrideau5883 жыл бұрын
Yet another great glimpse of a Field geologist at work. Very interesting to see both the evidence and interpretations.
@SP_33333 жыл бұрын
Washington state is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing these field trips w/us Nick. Brian's input is fantastic. Appreciate you both so much.
@okiejammer27363 жыл бұрын
OMG. I am reading FULL RIP 9.0 (Sandi Doughton) and the 2nd chapter starts with the name: BRIAN ATWATER. Believe me, folks. After you read the 1st chapter, this man's name, BRIAN ATWATER, comes into full focus. You GET it, why Nick Zentner mentions this scientist in his videos. Jiminy! Total Respect and Gratitude to you both. And let's hope Cascadia slumbers into millenia.
@davidkarkoski34373 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the fun walk with geologic interpretations. A lot more interesting than going by yourself and looking at something and not understanding it
@johnwinskie79113 жыл бұрын
Thanks Nick & Brian - very instructive!
@longcastle48633 жыл бұрын
Listening to a scientist think out loud... Wonderful and very generous of him.
@sharonseal91503 жыл бұрын
My ears perked up at the Mt St Helens ash layers 14,000 to 15,000 BP. Goes along with the Native American Spokane Flood story. I had previously speculated Glacier Peak had been erupting.
@wandamosley90493 жыл бұрын
Thanks for another opportunity to learn!
@illbee33953 жыл бұрын
Thank you Nick and Brian
@johnkraft72133 жыл бұрын
This reminds me of dad in the field. Giving a convincing story of what's going on and at the end, when you think you have a complete story, out came the " or maybe that's not what happened" !
@MrFmiller3 жыл бұрын
It’s amazing watching and hearing Brians thought processes and methodology. I’m delighted to have had him share his vast experience, knowledge and enthusiasm with us. It gives me some insight as to how sediment is interpreted. I’m grateful for you sharing the experience.
@tick_magnetedschaper56113 жыл бұрын
I thought I a good handle on this stuff and Brian just blew my mind. Big THANKS to Brian and Nick for showing me just how little I actually know. Very exciting!
@FiddleyBits3 жыл бұрын
It doesn't get any better than this!!! A new Scablands story in the making. Absolutely stunning!! Thank you so much!!
@crowesarethebest3 жыл бұрын
Spectacular field trip. Thank you.
@okiejammer27363 жыл бұрын
Isn't this a profoundly beautiful planet!😊
@kevincorbin62733 жыл бұрын
Brian and Nick are amazing individuals, they have way too much fun playing in the mud
@cyclicalcycler9933 жыл бұрын
Just wow! Brian is an absolute badass!
@philbox45663 жыл бұрын
Oh that was such a rare treat spending time with Brian and following along with his thinking as he digs around in the field. Awesome.
@woop2235 Жыл бұрын
What an interesting man is Brian Atwater😉 He carries a lot of knowledge and valuable information for the young ones that are up and coming 👍🏽❣️
@ricksanderson4640 Жыл бұрын
Nick, I want back to watch the 1 hour mark and it’s really mind blowing to hear Brian discuss that Bretz had agreement about the prior cutting of Moses coulee. Thanks for pointing this out
@Rachel.46443 жыл бұрын
OMG, fascinating and beautiful, and engaging. What surprises me is the continual questioning of possible scenarios, (which is somehow reassuring)! 👏🏼 New word: Diamict ... 😊 Thank you!
@janicemartin15803 жыл бұрын
Wow! I am breathless trying to keep up with Brian Atwater. What an interesting day at the 'beach'. Thanks Nick and Brian, for sharing.
@deepquake93 жыл бұрын
Wonderful outing! Great set of geologists!
@yaserhussain81133 жыл бұрын
Very much to learn from this field trip. Thank you for this amazing video.
@Rachel.46444 ай бұрын
My nose is on my screen, looking at Brian's scrapings. Dang, it's fascinating. What a total blast this is. Brian's enthusiasm is off the charts. Wow.
@Champstarrable3 жыл бұрын
Instant classic. Thanks for documenting and sharing Brian Atwater in his element.
@sharonhoward49573 жыл бұрын
Man he has the fever! I didn’t want it to end! Especially when you know he is going to keep talking! Great video!
@steel11823 жыл бұрын
Really interesting layers of TIME. …neat stuff .. thanks to you both !
@catbritz9765Ай бұрын
Thank you for the videos with Brian Atwater, he is amazing, a pleasure to listen to!
@badmoon86633 жыл бұрын
Love this series of field geologists at work. Looking at evidence and trying various stories to explain what is going on.
@PeteV802 жыл бұрын
This is so great. I wish other disciplines did this as well. So open, transparent, accessible.
@tonylea6713 жыл бұрын
This video really makes me wish I'd been a geologist. What a great, charming guide!
@ericpark29113 жыл бұрын
I really like this guy, fun to watch. He really enjoys what he is doing and it shows. Makes it fun for the viewer. I hope to see him again in a future video. Thanks Nick for sharing.
@JenniferLupine3 жыл бұрын
Fascinating to see Brian at work discovering and interpreting! Very exciting! Thanks Nick! 👌👍
@justmine64983 жыл бұрын
Just awesome. Thank you both so much. Love this keep it coming Nick.
@AvanaVana3 жыл бұрын
It’s not hard to get those flood deposits up at pangborn, etc if the land is depressed as Atwater mentions, from glacial isostatic loading! They should re-run those simulations with a glacial isostasy loading parameter and use the mantle deformation rates to calculate timing, based on the necessary hydrological conditions to create the deposits. Or at least to establish bounds on timing, then maybe you can get some answers on when the ice retreated from grand coulee, for instance. Wow, some really beautiful sedimentology there, hidden in the shadow of such an impressive rock. Love those varves overlying the beautiful ripples. The varve/mud injectites speak to the instantaneous nature of the flood deposits IMO. so much sediment deposited so quickly on unlithified, wet sediment loads it, and causes the saturated sediment trapped below to flow as an overpressured liquid up into the bed above, and also is caused by dewatering structures. Another explanation for that diamict (if it’s not a till) landslide/debris flows caused by destabilization of the land after flood scouring. But if there’s drop stones loading sediments underneath then it likely is glacial. And if it’s glacial, then that seems to imply ice advance, and lots of icebergs... Also the coulee could have started to get cut during a previous glacial maximum, and there may have been cycles of glacial outburst floods during that time that then got scoured completely away and filled by the Missoula floods of the LGM ;) Video stops right at the tillite money shot! Haha. Really appreciate this video, Nick. So much to read here, apologies for getting excited with this long comment.
@swirvinbirds19713 жыл бұрын
I always wondered about this... I know they are having problems getting enough water to fill the high points. I also wonder if those high points are from the earliest floods when the floor of the Scablands wasn't as carved out like the later floods.
@AvanaVana3 жыл бұрын
@@swirvinbirds1971 yeah could be
@tadpolefarms631 Жыл бұрын
Brian Atwater - the Energizer Bunny has 'nothing' on this man. Simply amazing his knowledge and ENERGY.
@lawndog62183 жыл бұрын
Thank you Nick,always waiting for a new field video.
@Dripfed3 ай бұрын
Re-visiting this after the Ice Age Floods A-Z series is a must. As Nick says in his lecture aeries, this was the lightbulb moment for Moses Coulee and revisiting Bretz work, and the Spokane ice sheet. Nothing beats field geology for getting at the truth.
@raylancaster58863 жыл бұрын
Well, I caught parts of that, sure enjoyed it and didn't want it to end. Thank you
@p.d.nickthielen66003 жыл бұрын
Loved this discussion
@GregInEastTennessee3 жыл бұрын
A fantastic video with so much information, I'll have to watch it 3 or 4 times. But it just kind of faded out. I assume your battery died. Hopefully you brought two and there will be a continuation of this great field trip. Thanks for doing this and sharing it with us. And a special thanks to Brian Atwater for his expertise. It looked like you were having the time of your life. :) Be well.
@warrenosborne60443 жыл бұрын
I continue to learn from Nick, and guest geologists. Thank you.
@cawsonwillislide5204 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant! 3rd time watching this, will watch again, had to say Thank You. Nick and Brian, your time and knowledge are so valuable. To see environment that could be gone tomorrow, priceless.
@AllYouJesusAmy3 жыл бұрын
Wow.! Ur at one of my fave places.! Love steamboat rock.! So beautiful there.!
@TheDevice93 жыл бұрын
This is just an extraordinary piece Nick. Thanks to my having hung out with you so much the last year or so, I understand just enough of this to really appreciate how cool it is. The thing I like best about geology is trying to understand the landscape and picture the events over time that formed it. I'm not so good at remembering the names of things, but love the big story. When I look at something, I want to know why. I would never get to participate in an outing like this in real life without you bringing me along. My humble thanks to you and Brian for this treat. I hope you will discuss this further some time as I always have questions....which is why this is so cool because I'm looking at this stuff while having it interpreted by experts in real time. And... always remember, you might need those knees to get back. Good advice.
@briane1733 жыл бұрын
I'm kinda like you in that regard -- I'm into the MACRO-geology, not the micro-stuff. What Dr. Atwater and Nick dive into is very nuanced minutiae that add up to this big picture that I'm _most_ interested in. Within the micro is the evidence, within the evidence is the whole of the story. _That's_ what I'm into, not the parts that make up the whole, but the whole itself.
@jdean18513 жыл бұрын
GREAT STUFF!!! Cheers from Lewiston, Idaho"
@KrisWood3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for posting this, Nick. Utterly delightful to watch him and listen to him. His enthusiasm is infectious.
@Rocket39Smoke14Ай бұрын
Where the "Older - Bigger, Younger - Smaller" theory was re-imagined. Thank you, Brian Atwater.
@rwnelson513 жыл бұрын
Overwhelmingly insightful and to "tag along" on a field trip with such knowledge, passion and drive; to learn.... Thank you Brian. Thank you Nick!!
@robmagee1003 жыл бұрын
Absolutely fascinating
@jeffaxel1813 жыл бұрын
Fantastic! Reminds me of boating on Lake Roosevelt and observing those very same sediment exposure types. I wish you guys would get on a boat and cruise the Lake Roosevelt shoreline for a video, especially up the Spokane Arm. There are massive lakebed rip ups of the old Lake Columbia up there on the south shore near Porcupine Bay. As I recall, they were something like 6 feet or more high. Just imagine turning a swirled cinnamon roll on its side and looking straight at it. They were wonderful whorls of Missoula sand and Columbia clays. Also a giant sequence of rhythmites a good 20 feet high from a massive growing sandbar during one of the floods just east of Porcupine Bay where the lake gets really narrow.
@jamesparker68763 жыл бұрын
It is all new to me. Thanks to the knowledge and experience of Brian Atwater, and Nicks reflections regarding Brian's explanation. I have gained a greater picture of what may have happened in the distant past. I could spend all day looking at these sediments. Oh well, ran out of battery.
@glennsohm66433 жыл бұрын
Been out of touch for awhile but came across this episode. Nick...so interesting...thanks!
@beebester41062 жыл бұрын
Wow wonder place great day to be out! Great too see such enthusiasm and Mr. Atwater is doing great so full of energy.
@altheacraig29043 жыл бұрын
I have tried to tell some people about what Brian and Nick are telling us about the history of WA's geology and they seem to have no idea of the REAL history. I am 84 pushing 85 and love learning all of what they are telling me and all of you. I watch everything that Nick puts on my computer.
@laureneolsen86243 жыл бұрын
We enjoyed this episode so much. Brian is amazing !
@GratefulNachos3 жыл бұрын
Wow! I could listen to Brian talk all day long.
@PaulHigginbothamSr3 жыл бұрын
Brian is a detail man. A technician. He let's other deeper thinkers explain his findings. He seems confused, but not. Other enlightened beings will come along and if he details enough they will enlighten us to the area history. His information is too dense to interpret. Like Nick he is asking the question, no answers just questions that show the Missoula floods were not in any way as simple as Nick was explaining 4 years past.
@gordonormiston32333 жыл бұрын
Brian has such an active mind, finding excitement in most everything he comes across. Be it new exposure of sediments or a hawk getting mobbed he finds a great joy in everything. It must have been a most interesting and enjoyable field trip for Nick. I’m very jealous!
@revolknhoj3 жыл бұрын
I could watch this all day ! Thank you for taking us along
@ryker900travels73 жыл бұрын
WOW..Just keeps getting better!!
@charliebartholomew1564 Жыл бұрын
back again w/nick and Brian Monday, July 17, 2023: never gets old; still v/enjoyable: next will be Richard Waite /GSA and Bretz begins his stories via nick
@charliebartholomew15643 жыл бұрын
So nice to see Nick with his buddies and makes me feel like they are our friends too. Thanks Brian for taking the time to make this video so enjoyable mostly because you are such a gentleman like all the USGS geologists are while teaching me something new and reminding me of previous publications I need to review again. Have a happy 60th birthday coming up );
@wiregold89303 жыл бұрын
What a phenomenal presentation. The skill of the videographer, field technique and observations from a maestro, set along the mighty Columbia. I feel really insignificant now.
@oscarmedina13033 жыл бұрын
What a wonderful field trip. Brian is quite a treasure. Thank you for taking the time to shoot this video and for sharing it with us.
@lonthrall56133 жыл бұрын
Thanks for putting this together and sharing it with us!
@jonnywatts29702 жыл бұрын
Lol geologists are awesome! I get excited over things no one else does too!
@DailyEventsWorldwide3 жыл бұрын
Love your work
@zazouisa_runaway43713 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thanks a lot for sharing such memorable time!
@vf7vico3 жыл бұрын
an amazing day to be a fly on the wall -- first rate fascination, intrigue!
@yukigatlin93583 жыл бұрын
The deposits of 1foot thick layer of unsorted rocks could come from local landslides?? Landslides possibly caused by a pool of water breaching on top of iceberg??--from Gene Oh, WOW amazing experiences you guys brought to viewers, Brian and Nick! Thank You!! I love Brian's enthusiasm to go and still going head on to solve mysteries of Ice Age Floods, SO cool!!!
@stabbrzmcgee8253 жыл бұрын
Wow this was fun. Good camera work too, giving us very good looks at the cuts.
@michaelciccone21943 жыл бұрын
This is absolutely fantastic! Geology has been interest since I was a kid.
@annehopkins33932 жыл бұрын
At 30:00, Brian Atwater's lecture on his philosophy about numerical ages ... while "prone" on a 45 degree slope 🤣🤣. Love!
@jeffbaran80362 жыл бұрын
Great show with Brian. Many thanks
@Langonica3 жыл бұрын
This field video expanded so much in its questions, as much as the hypothesis. The idea of the transience of varves through major, or even minor, events is so, so interesting. Mystery Diamect. Drop Stones. I also love the incongruity of the thought of long geologic time interrupted by events spanning less than a single decade. Thank you for sharing with us enthusiasts, as well as your students.
@Langonica3 жыл бұрын
I especially love Brian Atwater's... "Moving on..." mentality. Conveys so much, in such precious time. It's the excitement I get amped by.
@keithstudly60714 ай бұрын
Amazing! I just have to laugh when I see Brian so excited at the prospect that he has a new clue that he can identify. Also some grins when he starts to make a story about what he's found but then stops short and says someone else needs to examine it who knows more than he . He really is having too much fun pointing clues out to Nick.