New PBS 45 & 49 production
reports on geological findings of CSU, UA researchers
In the early 1920s, construction began on a new city center complex
that we now know as Tower City in Cleveland Ohio. At the time, engineers
were faced with building a 52-story tower, which would become the
tallest building outside of New York City. Not having the kinds
of tools we use today to determine how to support such a structure,
they used what was available to them: deep earth core samples. These
samples were taken from the exact site of the building, as well
as other areas in the vicinity. The samples were meticulously labeled
and charted, and helped the engineers to locate the bedrock layer
of sediment upon which the building would rest.
Recovered only recently by a team of local geologists, paleontologists
and glaciologists at Cleveland State University and The University
of Akron, these samples hold the region’s geologic record of
events over a 20,000-year period.
Dirty Little Secrets: Foundations From the Past, a PBS 45
& 49 production, reports on the joint scientific project underway
by scientists at UA and CSU. The team’s research includes looking
at how old the various layers are; studying variations in waters
levels of both Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River; and determining
what clues the vegetation holds about climate, water temperatures
and the greenhouse effect.
The 1920s core samples were kept by the Cleveland Union Terminal
Company (the company that was building the new tower), and were
then passed on to what is now the Tower City Archives. In 1999,
the archivists decided they no longer needed to retain these samples,
and they were donated to Mike Tevesz, professor at Cleveland State
University. Tevesz put together a multi-disciplinary team to study
the samples to see what information they could uncover in regards
to the history of the Cleveland area and its relationship to Lake
Erie. In addition, the results of these studies also will reveal
information regarding the glacial activity of the area and help
in the prediction of future weather patterns.
“It’s a real scientific treasure,” said paleontologist
and research team leader Tevesz. “As you go down the sediment,
you go back in time. It’s like turning back the pages of history.”
Among the experts featured in Dirty Little Secrets are Michael
J. Tevesz, Ph.D., Professor, Cleveland State University Dept. of
Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences; John Szabo,
Ph.D., Professor and Chair, The University of Akron Dept. of Geology;
William C. Barrow, Cleveland State University Special Collections
Librarian; Nate Fuller, Geologist, State of Ohio Dept. of Natural
Resources, Division of Geological Survey, Lake Erie Geology Group;
David Ball, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Cleveland State University;
Kristine Bradley, Graduate Student, The University of Akron Dept.
of Geology; and Mark Tumeo, Interim Dean, Cleveland State University
College of Graduate Studies and Research.
|
