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USGS October Evening Public Lecture- Free

Thursday, October 27th, 2016, 7:00 p.m. PDT USGS, Rambo Auditorium, Bldg. 3

Thursday, October 27th, 2016, 7:00 p.m. PDT or Watch Live Online
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Menlo Park, California

Rock falls in California's Sierra Nevada

Pursuing explanations for exfoliation and seemingly spontaneous fracture of rock

by Brian D. Collins, USGS Research Civil Engineer, Landslide Hazards Program

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Exfoliation is a process by which layers of rock erode from the surface of landscapes.
  • In California's Sierra Nevada, exfoliation in steep granite cliffs is common, sometimes leading to potentially hazardous rock falls.
  • New research sheds light on how, where and when rock falls may occur from exfoliation, and the effect daily heating cycles may have on exfoliation itself.
  • Recent rock fall studies by the USGS and National Park Service provide sound basis for risk reduction actions in Yosemite National Park.

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