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Ooide - Oolith EarthCache

Hidden : 7/20/2015
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
5 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:

Oolith, the pea rock

Hello dear cachers,
be aware of ice bears hear, do not walk without an armed guide or your own weapon.


Here at this position you find a funny-looking rock: stones consisting of little spherical particles, like fish-eggs.



Overview



Oolith stone



These spheres were created in very shallow, warm and carbonate containing water. The carbonate crystallised around initial tiny cores like sand cores, splinters of see shells etc. With increasing weight the particles sank down to the bottom but were still in movement: they rolled over the sea bottom driven by currents. As long as they still roll they grow and got a spherical shape.

Such a core is called ooide. If these ooides were cemented together by carbonate or silicate they form rocks called oolith.

The size of the ooides here is between 1 and 3 mm with a very narrow distribution: from a special size they are not able to roll by smooth currents and they stop to grow.

To log this cache, look around carefully and answer the following questions via our profile page:

  • Imagine that erosion destroyed the spheres, not the cement. What would this rock look like?
  • Can you find such rocks here?
  • If this is possible, do you have any idea why the cement may be stronger?
  • Add a foto from nearby that proofes your visit. Please do not spoil geological features!


After your mail you can log directly, we will contact you if anything is wrong. Please do not spoil the answers in your log.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)