GC3WA60 Dots and Stripes (Earthcache) in New Hampshire, United States created by rainbowtree

This cache has been archived.

rainbowtree: DO NOT post a log to this cache, even backdated. Your log will be immediately deleted.
A special thank you to those who completed all the requirements as requested -and- added A B C to your log.

GC3WA60 ▼

A cache by rainbowtree Message this owner

Hidden : 9/3/2012

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: other (other)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:

1. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. Observe the rock directly in front of you as you travel down the path. ... a. Describe the color/shape/size/uniformity of the particles embedded in this rock. ... b. Does this rock contain xenoliths or phenocrysts? Explain your reasoning.

2. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. Observe the rock to the left. ... a. Describe the color/shape/size/uniformity of the particles embedded in this rock. ... b. Does this rock contain xenoliths or phenocrysts? Explain your reasoning.

3. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. How were these boulders transported to this site – man/glaciers/other? You decide. Explain your reasoning.

OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in finding and creating this earthcache by adding ABC to your log.

A. Post a picture at or near the posted coords. This picture is your log signature verifying that you were at the earthcache.

B. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.

C. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you ... prose / story / poem / picture. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.

DO NOT POST PICTURES OR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ROCKS. IT WILL TAKE AWAY THE DISCOVERY ASPECT FOR OTHER CACHERS. YOUR LOG WILL BE DELETED and YOU WILL HAVE TO RESUBMIT IT.

View of Bridges from cache location.
These bridges were built without using any mortar.

IGNEOUS ROCKS
-Igneous rocks are called fire rocks and are formed either underground or above ground.
-Underground, they are formed when the melted rock, called magma, deep within the earth becomes trapped in small pockets. As these pockets of magma cool slowly underground, the magma becomes igneous rocks. The longer it takes for the magma to cool, the more time there is for crystals to grow. Therefore, these intrusive rocks have large crystals.
-Above ground, they are formed when volcanoes erupt, causing the magma to rise above the earth's surface. When magma appears above the earth, it is called lava. Igneous rocks are formed as the lava cools above ground. Because the magma cools quickly, the crystals do not have time to grow. Therefore, these extrusive rocks have tiny crystals.

XENOLITHS
-Xenoliths are rock fragments of metamorphically altered country rock that gets caught in the cooling magma or lava. As the magma cools, the igneous rock forms around the rock fragments. To be considered a true xenolith, the included rock must be identifiably different from the rock in which it is enveloped. Xenoliths may be uniform or irregular in both size and shape.
-They are important because by studying xenoliths geologists can learn about the origin and evolution of the host rock. When an igneous rock contains a xenolith, geologists know that at some point the magma or lava that cooled to form the igneous rock was in contact with that foreign rock. Xenoliths are also important because they often allow geologists to sample and study rocks which are difficult to access.
-Mantle rocks are not generally exposed at Earth’s surface, so xenoliths of mantle rocks are important for learning about the composition of Earth’s mantle. Some xenoliths come from very deep within the Earth. Diamonds are famous and economically valuable xenocrysts that formed at high pressures and temperatures very deep within the Earth, and are brought to Earth’s surface as xenocrysts.

PHENOCRYSTS
-Phenocrysts are mineral crystals in igneous rock that stand out because of their large size. They began growing early in the cooling history of the rock, before the fine-grained groundmass crystallized around them. Or they may have arrived by gravity, either floating to the top or sinking to the bottom of a magma chamber. These crystals are relatively the same size and shape.

RESOURCES
Thanks go to my reviewer (geoawareCA) for explaining what we were observing.
Thanks go to lan46 for pointing out the rocks and asking about them.
Wikipedia
http://bio-geo-terms.blogspot.com/2006/01/xenolith.html
http://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2011/05/18/geology-word-of-the-week-x-is-for-xenolith/
http://geology.about.com/od/more_igrocks/ig/phenocrysts/

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

ABGR: Lbh ner ybbxvat sbe gjb ebpxf pybfr gbtrgure. Bar unf fgevcrf rzorqqrq va gur ebpx naq gur bgure unf qbgf rzorqqrq va gur ebpx. Gur vapyhfvbaf va bar ebpx ner juvgr. Gur vapyhfvbaf va gur bgure ebpx ner oynpx.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)