The Rocky Mountains create one of the most breathtaking landscapes found in America, and learning how this massive structure was formed will be one task that an Augusta State University professor and his students will soon undertake.

On Aug. 2, Dr. Christian Poppeliers, assistant professor of physics, and four ASU students will travel to Dagger Mountain in Big Bend National Park, Texas, to spend two weeks collecting magnetic data that will help them determine the geological origin and history of the area. Using a magnetometer, the team will gather information that will include the location of fault lines that crosscut the mountain as well as the faults’ last movements.

This will be the first time that ASU conducts research in the area, says Dr. Poppeliers, but this journey will be a part of his ongoing study of the national park’s region.

“The unique aspect of this work will be the detail to which we will be working” says Dr. Poppeliers. “No one has collected geophysical data at this high degree of resolution in this area. Because of the high resolution of this dataset, we hope to answer some important details about the history of the Rocky Mountains in this region.”

Dr. Poppeliers and his students will present their results at the Geological Society of America’s convention in Houston, Texas, this December.

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