Over 1,000 miles away from Springfield, Missouri, Sarah Sommer is researching rocks that are 493 million years old.
Located on the border of Utah and Nevada, the Great Basin serves as a perfect desert location for geologists to study bedrock, miles away from civilization.
Sommer, who’s studying geology at Missouri State University, recently received $500 from the Edward C. and Caroline Beaumont Grant for her thesis research. This grant is part of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation Grants-in-Aid program.
Originally from Billings, Missouri, she spent the first two years of college at Ozarks Technical Community College, where after two years, she transferred to MSU. Sommer obtained her bachelor’s degree in geology in 2022 and pursued her graduate degree.
Dr. Kevin Evans, professor of geology in MSU’s School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability, informed Sommers about this research opportunity at the Great Basin and she decided to take it on. Evans serves as her research advisor.
“Receiving this grant means I can combine my passion for the outdoors with my career interests,” Sommer said. “Without it, I wouldn’t be able to explore this area and study what makes it special.”
When she completes her master’s degree, she plans to work toward her PhD.
Exploring the Great Basin
What is special about the Great Basin is there are two ancient changes in sea level. While another student is looking at an older interval where there was a rapid sea level drop, Sommer is studying an area where there was a rapid sea level rise.
Although they are working on different projects, they camp together in the desert, testing various sites in the area.
Sommer is conducting gamma ray testing on the rocks. This type of testing measures the decay of certain minerals in the rocks. This data is used to create a curve that helps correlate various sections through boundaries in the rocks.
Additionally, Sommer studies the carbon and oxygen isotopes, which reflect changes in global sea levels. The rocks were underwater at the time, allowing a lot of fossils to be visible within the sediment.
Evans previously studied the Great Basin, making him the perfect mentor for the students.
“I’m working on rocks that are roughly 493,000,000 years old,” Sommer said. “It’s been studied quite a bit, but never at the scale I’m working on.”
Out in the field
Camping out in the desert is much different than your everyday camping trip. There are no campsites, so the team camps far out in the middle of nowhere, where it could take hours to reach the nearest gas station.
“It’s awesome!” Sommer said. “I get to be almost fully self-reliant and push myself to do more and learn.”
Due to the travel distance, the team members typically spend about three weeks out in the field. During this time, they survey about seven sections of the Great Basin. Each section is surveyed for three to four days.
Because of this, they must pack thoroughly, ensuring they have all the food, water and tools required.
“A lot of people ask why we don’t just take public transit,” Evans said. “The reality is it simply doesn’t exist.”