Geology of Los Angeles
Los Angeles boasts as one of the major cities in America. It is located on the pacific plate bordering the big bend of the SA fault. The city falls within the active fault of Western transverse Ranges. This means topographical changes are occurring around the city. Los Angeles in the past has experienced some natural disasters ranging from earthquakes to storms. Landslides and floods characterize some of the major disasters associated with the city.
Several fossil deposits have been discovered around the city. Gradual classification and analysis of fossils date back to 1900. One of the well-known areas with fossil deposits is the La Brea Tar Pits. The pits or called Salt Creek are a source of more than 194 species of animals. The geological characteristics of the oilfields form a tourist attraction site.
The tar pits are formed when oil deposits flow through fault fissures. With hot ground rocks, the high light part of the oil evaporates leaving the thick tar. The thick tar consolidates in pools forming the asphalt deposits. In the early years, asphalt remains were used in roofing and laminating fishing boats. During the excavation of the tar, animal bones or remains were discovered. The pioneer scientist to work in the tar field was Prof. J C Merriam. The University of California has capitalized on working on the archaeological site. The deposits recovered from the site are displayed at the Page Museum.
Animal remains have shown that life around Los Angeles in the past 40 thousand years ago has not changed. Herbivorous and carnivorous remains found on the La Brae pits resemble those in the current state. Archaeologists have come up with generalizations of life then. These animal remains ended up here when they went hunting. The prey being chased by the predator got trapped by thick tar and died.
Some of the fossils on display at the museum include smilodon californicus and C lupus furlong. Smilodon is one of the most common animals that were found in the pits. It is one of the saber-toothed predator animals of the cat family. The number of bones found there has gone beyond thousands thus representing thousands of a number of them in existence many years ago. Professor Merrian was one of the first archaeologists to discover it together with his students in the early 1930s.
C lupus furlong is another fossil on display at the museum. The study of its remains has shown that the animal is classified in the group of gray wolves. The gray wolf is botanically called Canis lupus. It is recorded that in the period of Pleistocene, C lupus shared this zone with the group known as C dirus. C dirus is called in the layman’s language as a dire wolf. These remains form a great part of the Museum at the heart of Los Angeles.
The geological formation of Los Angeles has changed over time. Topographical features present today represent artificial and natural makings. With disasters and human activities over time, natural features have become extinct. The exploitation of oil deposits at the La Brae pit led to the discovery of animal fossils deposits. Early scientists from the University of California made an impact and initiation of what is seen on display at Page Museum. Geological activities in Los Angeles take various directions depending on the catalysts and natural calamities.