Last updated: June 20, 2024
Article
NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Geodiversity refers to the full variety of natural geologic (rocks, minerals, sediments, fossils, landforms, and physical processes) and soil resources and processes that occur in the park. A product of the Geologic Resources Inventory, the NPS Geodiversity Atlas delivers information in support of education, Geoconservation, and integrated management of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of the ecosystem.
Introduction
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA) is located in Glacier Bay and the Fairweather Range approximately 70 km (43 mi) northwest of Juneau in the Hoonah–Angoon Census Area and Yakutat Borough, southeastern Alaska. Originally proclaimed as Glacier Bay National Monument on February 26, 1925, the park unit was re-established as a national park and preserve on December 2, 1980 (Anderson 2017). Encompassing 1,328,093 hectares (3,281,789 acres), GLBA protects a rugged wilderness decorated with coastal mountains, glaciers, ice fields, temperate rainforests, scenic coastlines, and deep-sheltered fjords. The United Nations designated GLBA a World Biosphere Reserve (1986) and a World Heritage Site (1992) for its rich diversity of natural resources (Anderson 2017). Visitors to GLBA can enjoy a wide range of activities that include backpacking, birdwatching, camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, mountaineering, and rafting.
Geologic Setting
The geology of GLBA reflects a dynamic geologic landscape situated above the collision zone between two tectonic plates. The park and preserve’s extreme topography and active seismicity is driven by interactions between the North American continental crustal plate and Pacific oceanic crustal plate. The North American–Pacific plate boundary is marked by the Fairweather–Queen Charlotte Fault system that cuts across the western edge of GLBA. Plate tectonic processes cause the denser Pacific oceanic plate to subduct under the less dense North American continental plate, slowly adding terranes (fault-bounded landmasses that include island arcs, oceanic plateau, or continental margin fragments) to the western margin of North America. The region of GLBA is composed of four geologically unique terranes with a complex history of origin, juxtaposition, deformation, intrusion, and faulting (Brew 1988). The bedrock assemblage of GLBA consists of layered sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, and metavolcanic rocks spanning in age from the Silurian to the Quaternary (Brew and Kimball 1984; Brew et al. 1995). Although a long history of tectonism has uplifted the mountains at GLBA, glaciers have dramatically sculpted the landscape and produced a variety of features that include outwash plains, drumlins, eskers, and fjords.
The Geologic Resources Inventory produces digital geologic maps and reports for more than 270 natural resource parks. The products listed below are currently available for this park, check back often for updates as many maps, reports, and posters are still in progress.
- Scoping summaries are records of scoping meetings where NPS staff and local geologists determined the park’s geologic mapping plan and what content should be included in the report.
- Digital geologic maps include files for viewing in GIS software, a guide to using the data, and a document with ancillary map information. Newer products also include data viewable in Google Earth and online map services.
- Reports use the maps to discuss the park’s setting and significance, notable geologic features and processes, geologic resource management issues, and geologic history.
- Posters are a static view of the GIS data in PDF format. Newer posters include aerial imagery or shaded relief and other park information. They are also included with the reports.
- Projects list basic information about the program and all products available for a park.
Source: Data Store Saved Search 2878. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
A NPS Soil Resources Inventory project has been started for Glacier Bay National Park and can be found on the NPS Data Store.
Source: Data Store Saved Search 2949. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
Related Links
-
Glacier Bay—Fossils
Related Articles
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Loading results...
Tags:
geodiversity geologic geologic forces geologic resources geologic feature geologic time geologic layers geologic history geologic formations geology geological geological maps geologist geology talk geology hike geology science and learning geologists geology close up geologic resources inventory geoheritage geohazards geomorphology geoscientists in parks geoscientists-in-the-parks geological survey geothermal geothermal activity geotour geotourism geothermal processes & features fossils paleontology caves karst glaciers geoheritage sites earthquakes landslides mining
National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas
The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on geoheritage and geodiversity resources and values within the National Park System. This information supports science-based geoconservation and interpretation in the NPS, as well as STEM education in schools, museums, and field camps. The NPS Geologic Resources Division and many parks work with National and International geoconservation communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available.