Preliminary geologic evaluation of the Chena area, Alaska

It seems fitting at this session of the Alaska Science Conference, the first to be held in the Fairbanks area, to give a preliminary summary of the practical results of a geologic investigation of the Chena area east of Fairbanks. The work was done by the Geological Survey in 1950. One important objective of the study was to consider some of the geologic problems affecting development of the land for commercial and agricultural use -- especially to outline the parts of the area that are subject to possible ground subsidence and differential settling because of melting of ground ice masses in permafrost following clearing of the land for agriculture and for construction.