Images

Graphite schist from the Roanoke Rapids terrane in southeastern Virginia.  Economic deposits of this critical mineral may exist in this relatively unexplored region, which has not been adequately mapped at scales larger than 1:250,000. 

Staurolite weathering out of schist along the eastern edge of the Roanoke Rapids terrane in southeastern Virginia.  Is this greenschist-facies schist part of the suprastructural Roanoke Rapids terrane, or part of a heretofore undefined higher-grade infrastructural terrane to the east? 

An outcrop of quartzite within the Roanoke Rapids terrane near Coleman Lake.  Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U-Pb geochronology on detrital zircon grains within this unit (conducted by the USGS LA-ICPMS Lab in Denver) will provide critical and precise geochronologic age control as a geologic framework model is developed and compiled

An outcrop of blue quartz-bearing granite within the Roanoke Rapids terrane.  Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb geochronology will precisely determine the age of this rock (conducted by the USGS-Stanford SHRIMP Lab in Menlo Park) and will provide critical geochronologic age control as a geologic framework model is developed and complied for the east

A lab technician holds up the finished product after processing: an almost pure slide of pollen.

In the sample preperation room, a lab technician weighs sediments samples before placing them in a warming oven to dry.

Seen in this image is the acetolysis set up. Acetolysis is used to remove the genetic material from inside the pollen, which allows the scientists to better identify and count the pollen.

This image was taken through the eyepiece of a microscope. Pollen is mixed in with a few larger pieces of organic material.

Scientists look at a pollen palynomorph using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Michael Toomey, Jessica Rodysill, and Tom Sheehan collect sediment cores from Lake Drummond, located within the Great Dismal Swamp. The cores were obtained using a vibracore, which was mounted on a platform between two canoes. 

Scientists collect cores on Lake Drummond, located within the Great Dismal Swamp.

Photograph of Lake Drummond, which is located within the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia. USGS scientists recently collected peat and lake core samples from the swamp to help reconstruct natural environmental conditions over the past 12,000 years.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Scientists are collecting core samples from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia to understand natural conditions before centuries of ditching, draining and harvesting. This is a collaborative project between the USGS and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.