A Geological History of Washington County

Downeast Maine has a complex geoscientific history, ranging from major tectonic collision and rifting events hundreds of millions of years ago to the most rapid ocean warming occurring anywhere presently. We will discuss the formation of the rocks under our feet, before transitioning into volcanism in Downeast Maine, and the opening of the Bay of Funday- the hard rock history. Then, we'll discuss the shoreline of the Passamaquoddy Bay and the impacts of glaciation on Moose Island and inland- the geomorphic history. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the interplay between the warming of the Gulf of Maine, glacial rebound, sea level rise for the future of Maine's coast, and how these processes will continue to shape the land we live on.

Samuel Marcus is a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying fault mechanics. He is primarily interested in the studies of earthquakes and glaciers, as well as community science based approaches to both research and science communication. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and a proud alum of the University of Maine Outing Club, in spite of having no formal ties to the University of Maine.