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FHSU Geosciences Photography Contest
The FHSU Geosciences Department is pleased to announce the winners from our second annual Earth Sciences Week photography contest.
Overall Best Photo
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Daniel Bernasconi |
| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
May 28, 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
39deg 39.15 'N 110 deg 1.55' W
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Location: North of Helper Utah
As of the year 2000, coal fired power plant produce more then 50% of the energy used in the United States. However this energy comes at cost. The EPA has found that pollution from power plants cuts short the lives of 24,000 Americans by 14 years on an annual basis. Power plant pollution is also responsible for 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks each year. In Kansas alone, more then 300,000 children live within 30 miles of a power plant. In the year 2002, Kansas power plants produced more then a ton of mercury emissions. The Plant shown in the image is the Carbon plant in Carbon county Utah. It was built in 1954 and three deaths have been directly linked to this plant. In the year 2002, this one plant alone produced more then 1.5 million tons of CO2. These gasses are not only harmful to humans, but also damaging to the atmosphere and are a major contributor in global warming. For specific information on power plants near you, check out http://www.cleartheair.org/dirtypower/
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Ecology
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Daniel Bernasconi
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
August 3, 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
37deg 15.67' N 86 deg 50.46' W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Location: Near Mammoth Cave Kentucky
The symbiotic relationship between the fungus and it surroundings is vitally important. Fungi are different then plants because fungi cannot produce their own food; they must absorb nutrients from their surroundings. This is extremely beneficial in nature because fungus play a major role in decomposing organic matter such as dead logs, or animal excrement. Without fungi, many woodland areas would be piled completely full of dead organic material. Fungi are seldom found alone because once a fungus begins to grow, its spreads by producing long strands of that grow along the surface or under the soil then reproduce into more fungi. These strands are also what the fungi use to absorb the necessary water and nutrients from their surroundings. Unlike plants, fungus do not need light to grow and enjoy moist conditions, therefore wooded areas are prime targets for fungus to grow. Fungus does not just grow on plants however; these same dark moist areas are replicated on the human body and can lead way to athlete’s foot and yeast infections.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Gloria Duffey
Salina, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
6/22/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
N 34 deg 46.54' E135 deg 04.94' |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Japan has many beautiful gardens such as this one in Kyoto. The ecological system is quite evident with the many varities of plants and other life in and around the waters of these gardens, which are designed to remain luscious, green and colorful year round.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Mary Settle
Ellis, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
5/16/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
39-21'41 N, 104-36' 06W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
A single tree grows from a rock in a Colorado.
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Geology
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Daniel Bernasconi
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
May 23, 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
40deg 58.27' N 109 deg 51.29' W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Location: Blue Mountain Anticline/Monocline
An anticline can be formed when lateral pressure from the sides is imposed, or when pressure from below pushes the overlying rocks upward into a shape that resembles the shape of a capitol letter ‘A’. At this scale, the anticline is so large it is difficult to see the far side plunging back down into the surface so it may be referred to as a monocline. In this case, Blue Mountain is only one in a series of anticlines and synclines in the northeastern part of Utah, where pressure was applied from north or south and caused the rocks to fold into a series of giant waves.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Lea Nondorf
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
9/1/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
44.590183 N,104.7148 W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
This is a photograph of Devils Tower located in northeastern Wyoming. The tower is actually intrusive igneous material that was exposed after the erosion of overlying sedimentary rocks, and it is composed of the igneous rock phonolite. Most scientists agree that this intrusive material was either an eroded remnant of a laccolith,a volcanic neck from an extinct volcano, or a stock. Devils Tower stands around 865 feet high and was established as the nation’s first National Monument in 1906.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Shannon Showalter
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
2004 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
39 deg16' N 104 deg 15' W |
| DESCRIPTION:
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Monument rocks -Take US Hwy 83 south at Oakley, Kansas exit from I-70, driving south 20 miles. Turn east onto gravel road at the sign, go 4 miles, then 2 miles south from the “T” intersection.
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Pollution
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Daniel Bernasconi |
| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
May 28, 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
39deg 39.15 'N 110 deg 1.55' W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Location: North of Helper Utah
As of the year 2000, coal fired power plant produce more then 50% of the energy used in the United States. However this energy comes at cost. The EPA has found that pollution from power plants cuts short the lives of 24,000 Americans by 14 years on an annual basis. Power plant pollution is also responsible for 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks each year. In Kansas alone, more then 300,000 children live within 30 miles of a power plant. In the year 2002, Kansas power plants produced more then a ton of mercury emissions. The Plant shown in the image is the Carbon plant in Carbon county Utah. It was built in 1954 and three deaths have been directly linked to this plant. In the year 2002, this one plant alone produced more then 1.5 million tons of CO2. These gasses are not only harmful to humans, but also damaging to the atmosphere and are a major contributor in global warming. For specific information on power plants near you, check out http://www.cleartheair.org/dirtypower/
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Linda McHenry
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
10/12/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
38 degrees 87' N 99 degrees 32' W |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Plastic shopping bags tangle in sunflowers. As sunflower seeds drop to the ground, they will receive nutrients from the ground as well as polyethylene from the bag. Some experts estimate that one bag can take up to 1,000 years to break down.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Gloria Duffey
Salina, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
6/22/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
N 34 deg 92.65' E 135 deg 51.41' |
| DESCRIPTION: |
With 127 million plus people living in a small geographic area, the Japanes people are extremely clean and neat, being very concious of the effects of human life on the environment. You will not find so much as a cigarette butt lying around in this highly populated country. Lack-of pollution is what you will see in this photograph. Is it possible? Yes. The Japanese have proven that it is.
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Water
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Randy Leer
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
6/4/2005 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
26 deg 1.83' N 128 deg 40.78' E
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| DESCRIPTION: |
This artesian well is a contributing water source into the Hiji River. This river produces the Hiji Falls, believed by the Okinawans to be “the waters of long life”, contributing to their reputation for having a longer average life span than the rest of the world. Located a short distance north of the Monsoon Line, the wet season produces abundant and frequent rains, and at time typhoons. The layers of conglomerate sedimentary rock, was probably part of the river bed thousands of years ago.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Brad Penka
LaCrosse, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
2/1/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
N 38 deg 32' 01.3" W 99deg 19' 01.0" |
| DESCRIPTION: |
An ice storm occurred during the preceeding night with temperatures dropping to near zero degrees. The clouds had cleared by late afternoon of the next day. The ice deposited on the branches acted like a prism breaking the light into a rainbow of colors.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Linda McHenry
Hays, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
9/16/2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
38 degrees 87' N 99 degrees 32' W
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Precipitation collects on a Manhattan Euonymus (Euonymus kiautschovicus). One drop begins its descent to the ground. These rain drops make up a tiny yet crucial part of the hydrologic cycle.
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Weather
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Connie Duffey
Salina, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
10/37/06 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
N 38 deg 01.3' W 99 deg 09.0'
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| DESCRIPTION: |
An ice storm in western kansas has coated the trees, barbed wire, and blades of grass with a glossy shine. The branches of this Locust tree have begun to sag under the weight of the ice. Ice storms such as this can be damaging to trees as limbs can be broken by the weight of the ice.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Brad Penka
LaCrosse, KS
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| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
July 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
N 38 deg 01.3' W 99 deg 01.0' |
| DESCRIPTION: |
A storm system developed in the late afternoon over Ellis County. The storm continued to build and by 5:30 p.m. had stalled over the northwestern part Rush County producing several areas of rotation. About one hour after this photo was taken, the storm produced a brief tornado that touched down northwest of LaCrosse.
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| PHOTOGRAPHER: |
Daniel Bernasconi |
| PHOTOGRAPH DATE: |
August 8, 2007 |
| GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: |
35 deg 45.62' N 83 deg 57.95' W |
| DESCRIPTION:
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Location: Clingman’s Dome in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Elevations in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643 feet and topography drastically affects local weather. Temperatures can easily vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top. There are several types of fog, but here in the park, the most common type of fog is radiation fog, where the cold heavy air drains downhill and collects in valley bottoms, this may be more commonly known as valley fog. As well as the valley fog, often the mountains will be draped with low-lying stratus clouds. The park is drowned in fog more the 80 days of the year and for this reason, contributes to its name.
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We would like to thank all of our participants for their submissions. We look forward to seeing great pictures again next year. If you would like to see all of the photographs submitted for judging click here.
Photos were accepted for judging in the following categories: Geology, Pollution, Weather, Water, and Ecology.
Judging was based on the following criteria.
1/3 on the ability of the photograph to capture interest and illustrate the category concept
1/3 on the scientifically accurate description of the feature of the photograph
1/3 on the composition and aesthetics of the photograph
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