This is a geology virtual field course.
You will be transported to the south of France, to the south east corner of the Massif Central. The Gorges d'Héric is cut into the massif of le Caroux. The gorge offers the best natural section through the gneiss dome making visible spectacular augen gneisses among rugged beautiful scenery.
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References and acknowledgments
- Many thanks to Nicolas Tormo for generously permitting the use of his material and photographs
- Thanks to Janet Thorn, who has helped with proof reading, and to
- Roger Suthren who has provided guidance throughout.
ARTHAULD,F, MATTAUER,N, PROUST,F, (1966), La structure et la microtectonics des nappes hercyniennes de la Montagne Noire, Colloques "etages tectoniques", Neuchatel, p. 231-243
BARKER,AJ, 1990, Metamorphic textures and microstructures, London UK Chapman and Hall
BRGM 2003, Info Terre (website) http://www.brgm.fr/ (much of the site is either dual language or has an "English button")
BRGM is the equivalent in France of the British Geological Survey, so one would expect it to be authoritative, especially in electronic media conscious France, and so it is. There are many 20 page articles on their research projects on a broad range of topics and lots of info such as listings of publications including geological maps. There are news and current affairs sections. The site is well organised and attractive. Animations and gimmicks are few and restrained. The title pages have many boxes and stripes leading to a rather spotty appearance. However, a good and useful site.DEMANGER, M,1999, Une histoire geologique de la Montagne Noire (1ere partie) Centre de la recherches du Patrimonie de Reumontagne ou bulletin de liaison 1997 de la Soc. Castraise de Science Nat. pp. 23-91
HALLBIRT,T 2002 Bienvenue au Pays de l'Orb et du Jaur (website) http://www.vivrehautlanguedoc.fr/le_parc/orb_jaur.htm
A tourist information site with a difference. It's actually part of a group of sites created by local photographer-electronic PR supremo Thomas Hallbert. He is certainly a genius with a Coolpix. His close ups of insects and his dramatic Gorges panoramas certainly leave you wanting more, as the photo gallery is only too short. There are spherical pics, VR sequences mixed in with more prosaic local info and commercial come-ons. The sites work well and use navigational techniques well. The standard of the content such as the photographs is supreme, and of a higher class then that of the layout which is a little overripe and hasn't quite the class of the photos. You need (downloadable) plugins to see some of the material.
The communications end of the group is at http://www.idaeus.com/MALUSKI, M, COSTA, C, ECHTLER, H,1991, Late Variscan tectonic evolution by thinning of earlier thickened crust. Ar40 Ar39 study of the Montagne Noire, southern Massif Central, France. Lithos, 26 289-304
NICHOLAS,A, BOUCHEZ,J L, BLAISE,J, POIRER,J P, 1997 Geological aspect of deformation in continental shear zones, Tectonophysics, 42, p 55-73ss
SPRY, A, 1969, Metamorphic Textures, Oxford, UK, Pergamon Ltd,
TORMO, N 2003, Bienvenue de la Montagne Noire (website) [site no longer available, 2013]
Nicolas Tormo's site (in French) is large and comprehensive. It will interest Geologists, climbers and prospective visitors not only to the Gorges, but to the rest of the Montagne Noire as well. The climbing section constitutes all of the known data of the climbs of the area and is well illustrated with many good photographs, some of which are used in this site. M. Tormo is very imaginative and all will be amused by the lively presentation with lots of movement including a very helpful moving contents strip.TSCHUILLING R, 1960, Le Dome gneissique de l'Agout (Tarn et Hérault), Mem. Soc. Géol. Fr., 91, p 58
VAN DEN DRIESSCHE J , BRUN, J-P 1989, Une modèle cinématique de l'extension paléozoique superior dans le Sud du Massive Central. C R Acad. Sci. Paris, 309,2, pp 1607- 1613
VAN DEN DRIESSCHE J, BRUN, J-P 1991-1992, The Tectonic evolution of the Montagne Noire, French Massif Central: a model of extensional gneiss dome, 2n Ed, Geodinamica Acta (Paris) 5, 1-2, 85-99 (figs 2,3)
This pagewas written by Paul Proudman, Geology, School of Biology and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane Campus, Headington, Oxford, OX3 OBP UK
Last Modified: 25 June 2003. Minor editing by Roger Suthren, March 2013. More about these pages
