Lakehead University Geology - Journal Yearbook (Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada)

Page 17 text:

Dr. Edward Mercy, B.Sc., Ph.D , D.I.C, Academic Background; Lecturer in Geology, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, England, Lecturer in Geology, later Senior Lecturer in Geology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Professor of Geology and Chairman of the Department, Lakehead University, 1967-1976 Professor of Geology at Lakehead since 1976. I was granted sabbatical leave by the University for the academic year 1976-77, a welcome break after nine years of administration. The purpose of a sabbatical leave is to relieve the faculty member of his teaching and admin- istration functions and so enable him to renew his primary scholarly interests. Many use the time to develop and strengthen their research work, others write the book they have been thinking about for years. My need was overwhelmingly to catch up on my reading. It is a truism that scientific knowledge is expanding at an explosive rate and that scientists are becoming more and more specialized. In my own field of geochemistry the explosion of knowledge and understanding has been triggered by the great advances in analytical capability brought about by the new science of electronics, without benefit of which my generation did their research work. I am now aware that I can do no more than keep abreast of the new knowledge by reading and dedicated study. It is a major task to separate the dross, of which the system encourages more than is at all reason- able, from the reality of truly new work and insight. My earnest hope is that by continuing study and appraisal my teaching functions, surely the most important aspect of a university professor, may be done at the highest pos- sible level of attainment.

Page 16 text:

Dr. John S. Mothersill. B.Sc.. B.Sc.. Ph.D. Background; Exploration Geologist for Standard Oil (N.J.) Senior Geologist for Mobil International Oil Co. Exploring for petroleum in Turkey, Nigeria, France and Colombia, 1956-64 Associate Professor, Lakehead University, since 1966 Dean of Science at Lakehead since 1975. During June, four Alpine piston cores were taken of the sedimentary sequence in the main post-glacial basin of Thunder Bay from a Deep Diving Systems drilling barge. The locations of the cores were picked so that in- creasingly thicker post-glacial sections would be encountered from the basin margin toward the basin centre. All four cores consisted of the underlying glacial varved section. Seven hundred and eighty— four oriented, two— cm samples were taken from along the length of three of the cores (at 3 cm intervals throughout the post-glacial section and at 10 cm intervals throughout the varved section). The declination, inclination, intensity and susceptibility of magnetization and Q ratio (intensity susceptibility) of each sample was determined using paleomagnetic equipment at the University of Edinburgh. These data were plotted by computer programme and the declination direction variations were correlated for the two thicker post-glacial section cores. For the post- glacial section, five major swiggs occur in declination; the inclination variation is in the order of 35 ; and the susceptibility shows two slight but significant shifts. The uppermost susceptibility shift appears to cor- respond to the time of the Nipissing phase based on radiocarbon age deter- minations. Substantial decreases in the intensity and susceptibility of magnetization were noted for the sediments at the base of the post-glacial section. Paleomagnetic directions also were determined after the samples were cleaned in a peak field of 200 oersteds to get rid of any extraneous NRM directions. The declination and inclination determinations of the cleaned samples correspond almost identically with the results obtained from the un- cleaned samples. Radiocarbon analyses are being carried out on fifteen samples from two of the cores to determine the age of the declination and inclination swings and susceptibility shifts. This age-dated paleomagnetic column will be used for time-parallel correlations throughout the northern and western Lake Superior area. Post-glacial sediments in this basin should provide a continuous or near continuous sedimentary record to assess sed- imentation rates and climate changes. Presently, sedimentation rates are being assessed by; a) determinations, b) the variability of the organic C N content of the samples after treatment with sulphurous acid using a Perkin- Elmer CRN Analyzer and c) grain-size variability using the Micromeritics Sedigraph 5000 method. These data are presently being compiled. During the summer, a report in methodology for determining asbestos fibre counts Irl water was finalized in conjunction with co-workers from sev- eral other laboratories in the province. The method will be recommended to the Ministry of the Environment (Ontario) as the standard method for determining asbestos fibre counts in water.

Page 18 text:

Dr. Manfred M. Kehlenbeck, B.A., M.S., Ph.D. Academic Background; Visiting Professor, University of New Brunswick 1969-70 Teaching Fellow, Queen ' s University 1970-71 Assistant Professor, Lakehead University 1971- Chairman of the Department of Geology, Lakehead University since 1976. The western part of the Superior province is composed of a series of subprovinces which have become better known as belts. Among these structural subprovinces are the Quetico, Shebandowan, and Wabigoon belts. In the area north of Thunder Bay these belts are well exposed, and the rocks within them have been the substance of my research interest for the past six summer seasons. Although my interests range widely, I have become Increasingly more concerned with the spatial and temporal relationships of the rock types of adjacent belts. The Quetico Belt in particular, has held my fascination because it is bounded on the south by the Shebandowan belt and on the north by the Wabigoon belt and therefore offers a perfect target to study the relationships between three adjacent belts. Structurally the Quetico belt is characterized by linear and, to a lesser extent, planar elements which produce a dominant east-west grain. These same structural elements in the adjacent belts appear more varied in attitude except near boundaries with the Quetico belt where a zone of transition forms the changeover to the dominant east-west trend of the Quetico belt. Studies of the lithologies exposed in different belts have shown that essentially similar rock types occur in all the belts. The metamorphic history differs between belts so that the rocks tend to appear different at first glance. Relative abundances of rock types also vary from belt to belt as well as within a single belt. It appears certain that the structural characteristics are among the important criteria by which we can divide the western Superior province into subprovinces or belts. What now appears essential is to establish a tectonic framework which will explain the reasons for the observable structural differences in portions of the Archean crust. i;