These are work-in-progress clips from a series of 5-10 minute vignettes we are producing that cover the geologic history of Colorado at each major point on the geologic time scale.
This scene is excerpted from the Colorado Geology: Devonian-Mississippian video (in progress). These trees are the Progymnosperm Archaeopteris, and the forest floor includes Racophyton. Major soils did not develop until the first trees evolved on land.
Animation by Joseph Rogers and Leo Ascarrunz. Special thanks to Ian Miller and James Hagedorn (DMNS) for their input.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 380Ma
This animation shows the State of Colorado about 60 million years ago during the late Paleocene. The high mountains associated with the Laramide Orogeny are annotated, as well as the approximate locations of the known rivers.
The video demonstrates two concepts: (1) the distribution of high mountains of Colorado had some similarities to the high areas today, and (2) Colorado had a more extensive flora during the late Paleocene (60 Ma).
Map is based on the reconstruction of the Laramide highlands by Tweto (1980). Distribution of flora is based, in part, on the input of Kirk Johnson. A special thanks to Vince Matthews (retired State geologist) for technical input.
Animation by Joseph Rogers, James Adson, and Paul Weimer.
Geologic age: 60Ma
This scene is an excerpt from the "Colorado Geology: Devonian-Mississippian" video (in progress). Attercopus fimbriunguis (~385 million years), present in the Devonian Period, was considered one of the first spiders.
Animation by Joseph Rogers, James Adson, Leo Ascarrunz, and Jay Austin.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 385Ma
This is the preliminary version of a video that demonstrates the maximum distribution of the glaciers Colorado at 20,000 years ago. The animation is a fly-around of the state showing the distribution of the ice, its presence in the high valleys, and the adjacent high peaks. Key geographic features and towns are annotated
The video demonstrates three concepts: (1) the high mountains of Colorado had extensive glaciers,and (2) glaciers are a major source of erosion in the high mountains
The distribution of the glaciers is from Jack Reed, USGS, Lakewood, Colorado. Video is created by James Adson, Joseph Rogers, Ludvig Rhodin, and Paul Weimer.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 20ka
This scene is an excerpt from the "Colorado Geology: Devonian-Mississippian" video (in progress). Marine life during the Devonian is shown here including fish (Eusthenophon) crinoids, and trilobites. The Devonian is known as "the age of fishes" due to the greatest diversity of families. Eusthopheron was one of the first lobe fishes.
Animation is by Leo Ascarrunz and Jay Austin.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 380Ma
This is scene an excerpt from the "Colorado Geology: Ordovcian-Silurian" video (in progress). Marine life during the Ordovician is shown here including, crinoids, trilobites, and nautiloids.
Animation is by Leo Ascarrunz and Jay Austin.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 450Ma
This video demonstrates the distribution of the glaciers in the Gore Range in central Colorado at 20,000 years ago. The video starts with two block diagrams: (left) shows the area about 20,000 years ago when substantial glacial ice was present, and (right) how the area appears today. The animation then does a fly-around of the Gore Range showing the distribution of the ice, its presence in the high valleys, and the adjacent high peaks. The final scene shows the melting of the glaciers between 20,000 and 13,000 years.
The video demonstrates three concepts: (1) the high mountains of Colorado had extensive glaciers, (2) glaciers are a major source of erosion in the high mountains, and (3) how quickly the glaciers melted during the latest Pleistocene.
The distribution of the glaciers is from Jack Reed, USGS, Lakewood, Colorado. Video is created by James Adson, Ludvig Rhodin, Joseph Rogers, and Paul Weimer.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 20ka
This animation is an excerpt of the "Colorado Geology: Ordovician-Silurian" video (in progress). Cooksonia were one of the first vascular plants to evolve on land during the Middle Silurian. They were about 1 to 3 cm in height. Note that no Cooksonia fossils have been found in Colorado. The animation is used to illustrate the early evolution of plant life.
Animation by Joseph Rogers and Leo Ascarrunz. Special thanks to Ian Miller, James Hagadorn, and Kirk Johnson (all DMNS) for their technical input.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 430Ma
The Yule marble is the state rock of Colorado. This animation shows a block diagram of the Paleozoic strata that were intruded by the Treasure Mountain Dome ~20 million years ago (i.e. an igneous body). The Mississippian Leadville Limestone was metamorphosed by the heat from the intrusion, and was transformed into marble. During the last 10 million years, the area was eroded, and the marble was exposed on the surface.
Animation by Leo Ascarrunz, Joseph Rogers, Jay Austin, and Paul Weimer.
Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 20Ma