CRIMEAN FIELD GEOLOGICAL CAMP, FIRST YEAR (1st CRIMEAN)

First Crimean Field Camp is organized for the MSU Geological Faculty first year students. It is traditionally held in the first half of June. Professors and researchers from Dynamic Geology Department of Geological Faculty and Russian Academy of Science Institute of Geology are leadind the students.

This page was made to tell everybody interested about the 1st CRIMEAN. The page is aimed on MGU prospective and 1st year students, as well as on professors and students from other universities, if they're interested in organization of their own field camps (good example is our cooperation with Geological Dept. of Komi Republic University). We understand that this overview is not complete without your help. If you have ideas, photos, stories about 1st CRIMEAN feel free to write us.

It was known for the long time, that the theory obtained in geology classes should be supported by field observations. Introductory geology classes in MGU had field parts for a long time. First one-day field trips were made in 1907 with the help of academician A.P.Pavlov; he also made the first hand-out about geology of the vicinities of Moscow. Short field trips of this kind are held now by numerous colleges and universities. As usual, depending on time and finance abilities, these short trips take place close to the city where the college is situated. Thus, Irkutsk students have their field trips on Lake Baikal, students from Ural Region go to Ilmensky National park, Moscow students study the city vicinities.

MGU geology students have their field camps in Crimean Peninsula since 1958. Since that time Crimea was discovered by Moscow Gubkin Oil and Gas College, St.Petersburg, Dnepropetrovsk, Kiev, Kharkov universities. MGU field camp welcomed international guests: student groups from Poland, Estonia, visiting faculty members and students (both undergrads and graduates) from Israel, the Netherlands, Italy, Iran, Iraq and other countries

Until 1991 1st CRIMEAN for tectonics, stratigraphy, sedimentology, and paleontology students was beginning from the 6-7-days bus trip from Moscow to Crimea (PEREYEZD). It was a unique geological overview of the Eastern-European Craton; students studied various objects from Oka River terraces to Donbass salt mines. It's a pity, that finansial situation makes PEREYEZD temporarily impossible. For the same reason the 1ST CRIMEAN itself is smaller (both time- and spacewise) today. Nevertheless, we hope that this page is made about the 1st CRIMEAN FIELD CAMP, not about it's memory.

The main goal of the field camp is to show students how geological processes work now and what we can learn about them in the past. Specificity of these processes is that their activity is not the same everywhere. Current geological processes can be observed only in some specific areas (volcanic activity of Kamchatka, glacial processes in the Caucasus Mtns.) or in some specific time (earthquakes, landslides). So the main goal of any geological field trip is to find a place, where we can observe results and traces of geological processes if we cannot observe them firsthand. That's why Crimea was chosen for the field camp.

Crimean mountaneous terrains are the place for a variety of gravitational processes - landslides, tali, rock falls. Strong winds on high platos create different eolian forms. Crimean Main Ridge is built of limestone and hosts classic karst objects. Canyons and valleys are wide spread on the peninsula. Wave abrasion can be widely observed. Seismic activity of the region is recorded in fractured rocks and buildings. Ancient (Jurassic) volcanic products can be observed and studied.

Field trips are organised to show students the whole variety of Western Crimea unique geology. Students have their first "real work" experience: records, sampling, bed position and fractures measurements, etc. 1st Crimean finale includes field material exam (based on students' records and sample collections), final report, and Intro to Geology class exam.

BIG CRIMEAN CANYON
 

Big Canyon in one of the most spectacular site in Mountaneous Crimea. Erosional work of running water and 300-meter limestone walls are studied here.

SOUTHERN DEMERDZHI
 

Eolian processes carved fancy (even eerie in the Valley of Spirits) sculptures on the sploes of this massif. Huge blocks at the mountain foot are the result of Big Crimean Earthquake of 1894.

CHATYR-DAG PLATO
 

Chatyr-Dag is a "testing ground" for karst processes. Caves, sinks, pit-holes are filling every acre of the plato. Field trip includes visit to "Marble Cave", which is preserved in its original state.

  CHUFUT-KALE CAVE CITY
 

This field trip goes to cave city which was build in XIV century in cuesta plato of the Second Crimean Ridge. Human impact on geological processes is studied here along with gravitational processes and cuesta geomorphology.

SHKOLNY OPEN MINE AND KRASNAYA GORKA (RED HILL)
 

As usual it's the first field trip. One of the main geologist brainwork - making the map based on observation of separate outcrops - is taught here. Some weathred bench-forms are also observed.

PETROPAVLOVSKY OPEN MINE
 

Uniquely preserved Jurassic basalt lavas (incl. pillow lavas) are studied here.

KASTEL MTN. AND LAZURNAYA BAY
 

In this field trip Kastel mtn. granite intrusive body is studied. The next object is fold-fault deformations of Tauric Suite. The sweet prize for those who went through desert at the top and jungle at the bottom is the multicolored pebble beach and warm sea-water of Lazurnaya Bay (don't forget to look at wave erosion forms... well, who cares ;-).

Freestyle English translation - M.Cherny.

Special thanks to students of group 126 (1998).

Photos by A.B.Kirmasov, T.L.Korolyok, A.A.Klochko, A.Lazareva, E.Bedina, Z.Minubaeva and unknown authors.

The general idea of the page is borrowed from K.A.Krylov and V.A.Galkin (all rights reserved).