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Field Trips

RDH talking on Penrose FT 2014

RDH speaking at a field trip stop during the Penrose conference held in his honor in 2014.

Field trip stop at the Copper Creek fault

Exposure of a major thrust fault on I-75 about 50km (30mi) northwest of Knoxville, TN. The participants here were a mixture of graduate students from several U. S. universities and professionals from at least four countries. The fault is located at the top of the thick limestone bed that diagonally crosses the photo. Northwest is to the left.

Field geology has been an integral part of my life since graduate school. The best place to learn geology is in the field, and I regard the region within a two-hour drive of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus as one of the best places in the world to learn any kind of geology. Therefore, I have spent and continue to spend large amounts of time taking students, professionals, and even non-geologists to the field to show them the relationships between structures and deformation, rock units, metamorphism, and igneous activity for them to learn and also for me to learn from their comments. My students and I also have led numerous regional field trips for the Carolina Geological Society, Georgia Geological Society, and one Alabama Geological Society field trip, Geological Society of America sections, and we participate in field trips led by others in this and other regions throughout the US and the rest of the world when opportunities arise.

Field trip in the Valley and Ridge

Undergrad structural geology and graduate tectonic classes field trip in the Valley and Ridge near Oak Ridge, TN.

Small thrust fault at Moore's Gap

Exposure of a small thrust fault in multicolored Cambrian shale and sandstone located ~55km (~35mi) northwest of Knoxville, TN. Students measure the displacement of marker beds to estimate the displacement of the fault.

Selected Field Trip Guidebooks

  • Hatcher, R.D., Jr., and Milici, R.C., 2015, Sequatchie Valley structure and stratigraphy, in Holmes, A.E., ed., Diverse Excursions in the Southeast: Paleozoic to Present: Geological Society of America Field Guide 39, p. 169–196, doi:10.1130/2015.0039(06).
  • Merschat, A. J.*, Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Byars, H. E.*, and Gilliam, W. G.*, 2012, The Neoacadian orogenic core of the southern Appalachians: A Geo-traverse through the migmatitic Inner Piedmont from the Brushy Mountains to Lincolnton, North Carolina: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Field Trip Guidebook 29, p. 171–217, doi: 10.1130/2012.0029(06).
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2012, Blue Ridge Foothills Field Trip: Field Trip Guidebook for Cutting Edge Workshop on Teaching Structural Geology, Geophysics, and Tectonics in the 21st Century, 28 p.
  • Huebner, M. T.*, and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., eds., 2011, The geology of the Inner Piedmont at the northeast end of the Pine Mountain window: Georgia Geological Society 16th Annual Field Trip, v. 31, no. 1, 136 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2010, Southeastern Tennessee-western North Carolina Blue Ridge: Goldschmidt 2010 Conference Field Trip, University of Tennessee, 61 p.
  • Higgins, M. W., Crawford, R. F., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2008, Alternative interpretations of the Talladega Slate belt: Alabama Geological Society 45th Annual Field Trip Guidebook, 59 p.
  • Labotka, T. C., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., eds., 2006, Field Trip Guidebook, Geological Society of America Southeastern Section Meeting, 194 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Merschat, A. J.*, eds., 2005, Blue Ridge geology geotraverse east of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, western North Carolina: Carolina Geological Society Annual Field Trip Guide, 133 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2005, ORICL field trip guide: Geology in SE Tennessee, SW North Carolina, NE Georgia, and NW South Carolina; from the upper crust to the lower crust, across large faults and sutures, spinning a tale of three mountain chains in one: Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning Field Trip June 10–11, 52 p.
  • Merschat, A. J.*, and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., eds., 2004, Trans Appalachians internides geotraverse: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 17th International Basement Tectonics Conference Field Trip Guide, 111 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2004, Southeastern Tennessee-western North Carolina Blue Ridge scenery and tectonics: Ancient Laurentian margin and recycled billion-year old crust, 550 million year old ocean crust and mantle, and the 6,000±ft spine of the eastern U.S.: Field trip guide for Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning Field Trip August 5–6, 2004, 40 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Whisner, J. B.*, Thigpen, J. R.*, Whitmer, N. E.*, and Whisner, S. C.*, 2004, Southern Appalachian foreland fold-thrust belt: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 17th International Basement Tectonics Conference Field Trip Guide, 29 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2003, North Carolina Blue Ridge tectonics and scenery: Early Paleozoic crust and mantle, rifted Laurentian margin, recycled pre-Appalachian crust, and the 6,000±ft spine of the eastern U.S. American Geological Institute Executive Committee Meeting Field Trip Guide, 30 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 2003, Northeastern Tennessee and northwestern North Carolina geology: Billion-year-old rocks, far-traveled slabs of crust, a mantle fragment, and the Grandfather Mountain window: Field trip guide for Oak Ridge Instuitute for Continued Learning Field Trip June 12–13, 2003, 20 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Bream, B. R.*, eds., 2002, Inner Piedmont tectonics focused mostly on detailed studies in the South Mountains and the southern Brushy Mountains, North Carolina: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, North Carolina Geological Survey, 145 p.
  • Carter, M. W.*, Geddes, D. J.*, Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Martin, S. L.*, 1995, Stratigraphic and structural relations in the western Blue Ridge of southeastern Tennessee, in Driese, S. G., ed., Guidebook for field trip excursions, Southeastern Section, GSA: Knoxville, Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Department of Geological Sciences, Studies in Geology 24, p. 91–128.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Miller, C. F., and Lamb, D. D.*, 1995, Deformation processes related to emplacement of the Rabun Granite in the eastern Blue Ridge, Georgia and North Carolina, in Driese, S. G., ed., Guidebook for field trip excursions, Southeastern Section, GSA: Knoxville, Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Department of Geological Sciences, Studies in Geology 24, p. 39–56.
  • Hatcher, R. D. Jr., and Davis, T. L.*, eds., 1993, Studies of Inner Piedmont geology with a focus on the Columbus Promontory: North Carolina Geological Survey, Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, 113 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Costello, J. O.*, 1991, Stop 6. Recumbent folds, cleavage, and overprinted faults and other brittle structures at Chilhowee Lake, in Kish, S. A., ed., Studies of Precambrian and Paleozoic stratigraphy in the western Blue Ridge: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, p. 133–134.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Costello, J. O.*, and Broadhead, T. W., 1991, Stop 2. Carbonate in Walden Creek Group—Sandsuck Formation, in Kish, S. A., ed., Studies of Precambrian and Paleozoic stratigraphy in the western Blue Ridge: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, p. 124–126.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Hopson, J. L.*, 1989, Geologic map of the eastern Blue Ridge, northeastern Georgia and the adjacent Carolinas, in Fritz, W. J., Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Hopson, J. L.*, eds., Geology of the eastern Blue Ridge of northeast Georgia and the adjacent Carolinas: Georgia Geological Society Guidebooks, v. 9, scale 1:100,000.
  • Fritz, W. J., Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Hopson, J. L.*, eds., 1989, Geology of the eastern Blue Ridge of northeast Georgia and the adjacent Carolinas: Georgia Geological Society Guidebooks, v. 9, 199 p.
  • McConnell, K. I.*, and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, Geology of the Sauratown Mountains window, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 78–86.
  • Butler, J. R., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, Grandfather Mountain window and vicinity, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 73–77.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Larson, K. W.@, and Neuman, R. B., 1989, Western Great Smoky Mountains windows: The foothills duplex, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 49–60.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, Structure of the western Valley and Ridge and eastern Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 40–48.
  • Hooper, R. J., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, The geology of the east end of the Pine Mountain window and adjacent area, central Georgia, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 11–20.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, Tectonic setting of the southern Appalachians, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, p. 1–10.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Thomas, W. A., eds., 1989, Southern Appalachian windows: Comparison of styles, scales, geometry, and detachment levels of thrust faults in the foreland and internides of a thrust–dominated orogen: 27th International Geological Congress Field Trip Guidebook T167, 93 p.
  • Hooper, R. J., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1989, The geology of the east end of the Pine Mountain window, and adjacent Piedmont, central Georgia: Geological Society of America Southeastern Section and Georgia Geological Society Guidebook, 37 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1988, Sauratown Mountains window—Problems and regional perspective, in Hatcher, R. D., Jr., ed., Structure of the Sauratown Mountains window, North Carolina: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, p. 1–19.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., ed., 1988, Structure of the Sauratown Mountains window, North Carolina: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, 104 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1986, Chunky Gal Mountain and Glade Gap, in Neathery, T. L., ed., Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, v. 6, p. 261–263.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Milici, R. C., 1986, Ocoee Gorge, Appalachian Valley and Ridge to Blue Ridge transition, in Neathery, T. L., ed., Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, v. 6, p. 265–270.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1986, Saltville fault at Sharp Gap, Knoxville, Tennessee, in Neathery, T. L., ed., Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, v. 6, p. 137–138.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., and Butler, J. R., 1986, Linville Falls fault at Linville Falls, North Carolina, in Neathery, T. L., ed., Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, v. 6, p. 229–230.
  • McSween, H. Y., and Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1985, Ophiolites (?) of the southern Appalachian Blue Ridge, in Woodward, N. B., ed., Field trips in the southern Appalachians: University of Tennessee Department of Geological Sciences Studies in Geology 9, p. 144–170.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., McConnell, K. I.*, and Heyn, Teunis*, 1983, Preliminary results from detailed geologic mapping studies in the western Sauratown Mountains anticlinorium, North Carolina: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, 11 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr. and Butler, J. R., 1979, Guidebook for southern Appalachian field trip in the Carolinas, Tennessee and northeastern Georgia: International Geologic Correlation Program Project 27, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 117 p.
  • Milici, R. C., Hatcher, R. D., Jr., Wiener, L. S., and Merschat, C. E., 1978, A structural transect of the southern Appalachians, Tennessee: 1978 Guidebook, Tennessee Division of Geology, Report of Investigations 37, p. 5–52.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1976, Introduction to the geology of the eastern Blue Ridge of the Carolinas and nearby Georgia: Carolina Geological Society Guidebook, 53 p.
  • Hatcher, R. D., Jr., 1974, Introduction to the tectonic history of northeast Georgia: Georgia Geological Society Guidebook 13–A, 59 p.
* Graduate student
@ Undergraduate

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