IESO Question Paper 2009

IESO 2009
(Theory)
The 3
rd
International Earth Science Olympiad

Mentors Signature:
Written Test
16 September 2009
Taipei, Taiwan

Student Name: Nationality:
3rd IESO Written Test
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To seldom speak is the essence of nature. Why the winds and storm do not last whole
day? Because the earth that manifests the winds and storm is constantly changing.

Laozi Tao Te Chin 4
th
Century BC

In the south, there was a man of extraordinary views, named Huang Liao, who asked
Shi how it was that the sky did not fall nor the earth sink, and what was the cause of
wind, rain, and the thunder's roll and crash. Shi made no attempt to evade the
questions, and answered him without any exercise of thought, talking about all things.

Zhuangzi Tian Xia 4
th
Century BC.

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Instructions:
1. Please write your name and nationality in English on the cover page.
2. The time alloacted for this examination is three hours.
3. Please write your answers legibly. Illegible answers will be counted as
incorrect.
4. Please keep your answers short and focus on the key points.
5. Please write your answers only on the white test booklet provided.
6. You may respond to questions either in English, your native language,
or a combination of both.
7. Read the entire question group carefully before starting to answer.
Each question has a point value assigned, for example, (1 pt).
8. For some questions, you will be asked to provide your answers on the
figures. Please do so carefully.
9. Any inappropriate examination behavior will result in your withdrawal
from the IESO.

Formulae for references:
m-M = -5+5log(d); 1 parsec (pc) = 3.26 ly;
where m is apparent magnitude, M is absolute magnitude and d is distance measured in pc.

Stefan-Boltzmann Law E =T
4
,
where is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant and T is temperature in K.
3 / 35
Atmosphere and Hydrosphere (total of 35 pts)
1. The figure below is the surface weather map for the region of western North Pacific at 00
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, same as the Greenwich Mean Time), 25 October 2004.
Please answer the following questions:

(i) The contour lines on the map are produced by analyzing which of the following
meteorological variables? (1 pt)
(A) Altitude (B) Pressure
(C) Temperature (D) Humidity
(E) Wind speed
Answer:
(ii) The weather system labeled as X (in green color) in the above figure should be
which of the following? (1 pt)
(A) An extra-tropical cyclone (B) A continental anticyclone
(C) A tropical cyclone (D) A migratory anticyclone
(E) A front
Answer:
(iii) The wind direction at point A should be close to which of the following? (1 pt)
(A) Easterly wind (B) Southerly wind
(C) Westerly wind (D) Northerly wind
(E) The wind is calm at point A
Answer:
(iv) Among the five locations labeled from A to E in the map, which should have the
strongest wind of all? Please write down the letter of that location. (1 pt)
Answer:
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2. Which of the following gases in the atmosphere has the largest variations in spatial and
daily-time scales and has strong impact on local weather? (1 pt)
(A) CO
2
(B) CO (C) H
2
O (D) O
3
(E) He
Answer:
3. What is the most likely reason why typhoons are rarely observed over the ocean near the
Equator? (1 pt)
(A) Sea surface temperature is too high (B) Pressure gradient is too weak
(C) Coriolis force is too small (D) Convection is not strong enough
(E) Wind is too weak
Answer:
4. Regarding the mean value and the range of annual temperature cycle, please answer all the
true/false questions below. For your information, a world map is provided below and the
locations of the cities mentioned in the questions are also marked.

(i) The annual temperature range in the northern hemisphere, as a whole, is larger than
that in the southern hemisphere. True or false (T/F)? (1 pt)
Answer:
(ii) The annual mean temperature at Moscow (56N, 38E) is lower than that at Cairo
(30N, 31E). True or false (T/F)? (1 pt)
Answer:
(iii) The annual temperature range at Denver (40N, 105W) is smaller than that at
Lisbon (39N, 9W). True or false (T/F)? (1 pt)
Answer:
(iv) The average temperature in July at Honolulu (21N, 158W) is slightly lower than
that at Johannesburg (26S, 28E). True or false (T/F)? (1 pt)
Answer:
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5. Which time of a day in the lower troposphere has the highest possibility for clear air
turbulence to occur? (1 pt)
(A) Morning (B) Noon (C) Afternoon (D) Evening (E) Midnight
Answer:
6. The figure below shows the globally-averaged vertical profile of atmospheric pressure
from the sea level to 50 km in altitude. Please answer the questions below:

(i) The term pressure on the horizontal axis is equivalent to which of the following? (1
pt)
(A) Force divided by area (B) Mass divided by area
(C) Density multiplied by temperature (D) Mass multiplied by distance
(E) Weight divided by volume
Answer:
(ii) Which of the following pressure layer has the greatest altitude difference (i.e.,
thickness)? (1 pt)
(A) 1-10 hPa (B) 101-110 hPa (C) 501-510 hPa
(D) 510-1010 hPa (E) 1001-1010 hPa
Answer:
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(iii)In the static atmosphere, the change in pressure with height is governed by the
hydrostatic equation, expressed as p = gz, where g is the gravitational
acceleration in m/s
2
(g = 9.81 m/s
2
), is air density in kg/m
3
, and p and z are
pressure difference in Pa and thickness in meter at two fixed altitudes. If the averaged
air density from the 1000 hPa to 500 hPa (where 1 hPa = 100 Pa) is about 0.910
kg/m
3
, please apply this equation to find the height of the 500-hPa pressure level.
Please show your calculation. (2 pts)
Answer:

7. If the temperature for the air released from a bicycle tire hole is T
1
and the temperature of
air around this bicycle is T
2
, which temperature is lower? (1 pt)
Answer:

8. If lots of dust is blown into the atmosphere during a volcano eruption, how will it change
the atmospheric temperature in the local area surrounding the volcano due to the dust
effect? (1 pt)
(A) Increase (B) Decrease (C) Remain the same (D) Not certain
Answer:

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9. The figure below depicts the time variation of annual global mean surface temperatures
(black dots) from 1850 to 2005. The long term variation of global average surface
temperature includes decadal variation (smooth blue curve) and linear trends (straight
lines). The right hand axis shows estimated actual temperature. The left hand axis shows
temperature anomalies relative to 1961-1990 average. Please answer the following
questions.

(i) Linear warming trends (C/year) in global average surface temperature for the last 25,
50, 100 and 150 years are shown as yellow, orange, purple and red lines, respectively.
Which period has the greatest linear warming trend? (1 pt)
(A) the last 25 years (B) the last 50 years
(C) the last 100 years (D) the last 150 years
Answer:
(Source: IPCC AR4, 2007)
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(ii) Please calculate the linear warming trend (C/year) in global average surface
temperature for the last 50 years (1956-2005), the last 100 years (1906-2005) and
their ratio (the last 50 years /the last 100 years). (2 pts)
Answer:

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10. The figure below shows the distribution of sea level pressure in January averaged for 40
years (climatology) over the tropical Pacific. Surface wind, ocean currents and sea surface
temperature (SST) are closely related in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Please answer the
following questions. (Refer to the following figure for questions 10(i), 10(ii), and 10(iii)

(i) Please plot the direction of trade wind at point labeled as and equatorial current
at point labeled as in the above figure.
( Please use the symbol for trade winds, and the symbol for
equatorial currents ) (2 pts)
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(ii) Trade winds are related to the surface pressure gradient. Figure below displays the
time series of sea-level pressure at Darwin (12S, 131E) and Tahiti (17S, 149W).
Please write down the surface pressure gradient and the speed of the trade wind
between Tahiti and Darwin in January 1998, 1999 and C (climatology) in descending
order (example: 1998 > 1999 > C). (2 pts)
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
Jan May Sep Jan May Sep Jan May Sep
1997 1998 1999
S
e
a

L
e
v
e
l

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
h
P
a
)
Darwin
Tahiti

Answer: Surface pressure gradient : > >
Trade winds : > >

(iii) In January of which year, 1998 or 1999, is the SST over the eastern equatorial
Pacific Ocean warmer? (1 pt)
Answer:

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Equator
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
11. The following figure shows the long-term average temperature profiles from the surface
down to the depth of 2,000 m compiled at two stations Station A in the western
equatorial Pacific Ocean at 140E and Station B in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean at
120W. Which of the following statements is true? (2 pts)
(A) Profiles compiled at Station A and B can be presented by X and Y respectively.
(B) Profiles compiled at Station A and B can be presented by Y and X respectively
Answer:
0 10 20 30
Temperature (
o
C)
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
X
Y
X
Y

12. A strong ocean current flows northwards in the Northern Hemisphere as shown in the
figure below. Which one of the arrows is correct? (1 pts)
(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D
(E) E
Answer:

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13. Mesoscale eddies in the ocean can be detected by satellite altimeters. The color figure
below shows contours of the sea surface dynamic topography at an area in the western
North Pacific Ocean. The contour interval is 5 cm. Generally speaking, the surface flow
field of these eddies can be depicted based on geostrophic equilibrium. Please draw
arrows () to indicate the directions of surface currents at the six white dots in the figure
below. (3 pts)
130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
Longitude (E)
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
L
a
t
i
t
u
d
e

(
N
)
215
220
225
230
235
240
245
250
255
260
265
270
275
280
285
290
295
Sea Surface Dynamic Topography (cm)

14. It is known that the salinity of the Mediterranean seawater is always higher than that of
the Atlantic Ocean.
(i) The relation among evaporation (E), precipitation (P) and river runoff (R) for the
Mediterranean can be expressed by (2 pts)
(A) E > P + R (B) E < P + R (C) P > E + R (D) R > E + P
Answer:
(ii) Which of the following flow patterns between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean is correct? (2 pts)
Answer:
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(A)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000

(B)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000

(C)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000

14 / 35
(D)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000

(E)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
500
1000

15 / 35
Astronomy (total of 20 pts)
15. The diameter of the Moon is about a quarter of that of the Earth, and the diameter of the
Sun is about 100 times of that of the Earth. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is about
400 times of the distance from the Earth to the Moon. At each astronomical event, which
of the following bright shapes will be observed? Choose one suitable item from A to D.

(i) solar eclipse (0.5 pt)
Answer:
(ii) lunar eclipse (0.5 pt)
Answer:
(iii) In the future, people will be able to watch a solar eclipse on the surface of the moon.
Which of A to D patterns would the shape of the Sun be observed on the moon?
(0.5 pt)
Answer:
(iv) Under the condition of (iii), what phenomenon is seen then from the Earth? (0.5 pt)
(A) Solar eclipse (B) Lunar eclipse (C) Earth eclipse
Answer:
16. At the present time, the energy of the Sun is generated by thermonuclear fusion reactions
in the central core. The thermonuclear processes convert four nuclei X into a heavier
nucleus and also produce energy. What is the nucleus X? (1 pt)
(A) Hydrogen (B) Helium (C) Oxygen (D) Carbon (E) Uranium
Answer:
17. If the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot is 1500 K cooler than the solar
photosphere (its temperature ~ 5800 K) outside the sunspot, let B1 be the energy flux out
of the umbra and B2 be the energy flux from the area surrounding the sunspot. What
will be the ratio, B2/B1? (1 pt)
(A) 0.004 (B) 1.35 (C) 0.74 (D) 3.31 (E) 223
Answer:
18. Circle the leap year(s) in the following list. (0.5 pt)

(A) (B) (C) (D)
1890 1972 1998 2000 2002 2100
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19. There are four celestial objects shown in the following pictures. Arrange the size of
objects from the smallest to the largest. Fill your answer in A, B, C and D. (1 pt)
( ) < ( ) < ( ) < ( )
(A) Pleiades Star Cluster

(B) Andromeda Galaxy

(C) Sun

(D) Saturn

20. Continued from the preceding question, arrange the objects according to their distances
from the Earth in the ascending order. Fill your answer in A, B, C and D. (1 pt)
( ) < ( ) < ( ) < ( )
21. If we observe the planets through a telescope on the Earth, which planets images will
appear to be similar to the lunar phase, . Circle the planets. (1 pt)

Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
22. The celestial coordinates of Vega are R.A. 18
h
36
m
56.2
s
and Dec +38 47 1. Assume
the Sun passes the meridian at noon (12:00:00), on which date will Vega transit the
meridian at midnight (00:00:00)? Note that the vernal and autumnal equinoxes in 2009
are March 20 and September 23, respectively. (2 pts) (Show calculation with your answer)
Answer:
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23. The following photo shows the lunar surface of the side facing the Earth. Four surface
features are marked and they are Mare Imbrium, Crater Tycho, Crater Copernicus and
Montes Apenninus. Apply the cross-cutting principle to estimate the ages of these surface
features. Determine the relative age of these features from old to young. (1.5 pts)

(A) Crater Copernicus > Mare Imbrium > Montes Apenninus > Crater Tycho
(B) Crater Tycho > Crater Copernicus > Mare Imbrium > Montes Apenninus
(C) Mare Imbrium > Montes Apenninus > Crater Copernicus > Crater Tycho
(D) Montes Apenninus > Crater Copernicus > Mare Imbrium > Crater Tycho
(E) Montes Apenninus > Mare Imbrium > Crater Copernicus > Crater Tycho
Answer:
24. Any object as large as a star will collapse under its own weight unless some other force
stops it. The Sun has maintained its appearance for a long time. Under what condition is
the interior of the Sun in balance? (1 pt)
(A) The interaction of the atoms prevents the gravitational collapse.
(B) The repulsive forces between ions prevent the gravitational collapse.
(C) The strong forces in nuclei prevent the gravitational collapse.
(D) The thermal pressure prevents the gravitational collapse.
(E) The magnetic field prevents the gravitational collapse.
Answer:
The moon
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25. The synodic period for outer planets can be determined by the time interval between two
successive oppositions. Based on observations, the synodic period of the Mars is about
779.9 days. The Earths revolution period is 365.2564 days. What is the revolution period
of the Mars in days ? (2 pts) (Show calculation with your answer)

26. Nowadays, astronomers believe that the solar system formed from a cloud of interstellar
gas and dust about 4.6 billion years ago. The pictures below show the representative
stages in the phases of the formation. Arrange the order of the pictures to demonstrate
the formation process. (2 pts)

Figure (a). The Sun became hotter and drifted
the gas from the inner region, leaving
heavier debris revolving in orbits.

Figure (d). The protosun has begun to
shine, with a flattened disk of gas
and dust surrounding it.

Figure (b). The planets have been accreting in
their orbits.

Figure (e). The protosun formed at the
center and the cloud rotated faster.

Figure (c). A cold, slowly rotating cloud
began to contract under its own gravity.

Figure (f). The planets were formed and
orbit the Sun.
Answer: ( c ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( f )
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27. The following diagram gives the predicted positions of the four moons relative to Jupiter.
The number 1, 2, 3 and 4 indicate the tracks of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto
respectively. The width defined by the two lines marks the visual disk of Jupiter. The
E and W give the east and the west as view from the Earth. The ordinate marks the date.
Now, we have a photo of Jupiter and its moons taken in 2008 October but the date is
unknown. Use the predicted diagram to allocate the four moons and to estimate the date
for photography.

Answer: The photo was taken at the night of 2008 Oct. ( ) (1 pt)
The satellites are a: ( ) ; b: ( ) ; c: ( ) ; d: ( ) (1 pt)
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28. The apparent magnitude of a star is a measure of how bright the star appears to be. This
depends on its luminosity and distance. On the other hand, the absolute magnitude of a
star is the brightness defined that if the star were 10 parsecs (pc) from the Earth, which is
independent of the stars actual distance. The table presents apparent magnitude and
distance of four stars. Calculate their absolute visual magnitude (give the answers in two
decimal places, e.g. the format XX.XX) and answer the following questions.
(i) Use the data in the table to find out which star is actually the brightest? (0.5 pt)
Answer:
(ii) Among these stars, which star has a luminosity about 100 times brighter than the Sun?
(0.5 pt)
Answer:
(iii)
Star apparent visual magnitude distance(pc) absolute visual magnitude
A 2.1 29.75
B 0.5 42.94
C 0.8 19.94
D -0.7 95.09
Sun -26.7 4.83
(Each answer in the table is 0.25 pt)
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Geosphere (total of 45 pts)
29. We have four mineral specimens. All four are Mohs scale standard minerals, both topaz
and apatite are absent. Hardness tests show that: (1) only one out of the four is harder than
topaz, and (2) only one is softer than apatite. Furthermore, the above two are both
isometric crystals. Among the four specimens, the one softer than apatite is ______. (1 pt)
(A) calcite (B) gypsum (C) fluorite (D) quartz (E) talc
Answer:
30. What is the major greenhouse gas trapped in the frozen soils of the tundra and continental
shelf sediments? (1 pt)
(A) methane (B) carbon dioxide (C) water vapor (D) ethane (E) nitrogen
Answer:
31. Based on the geochemical equilibrium of the Earth system, the increase in burial rate of
organic matter in the sediments could most likely result in ______. (1 pt)
(A) a reduction in the Earth's atmospheric N
2
and an increase in CO
2
levels
(B) an increase in the Earth's atmospheric N
2
and reduction in CO
2
levels
(C) a reduction in the Earth's atmospheric CO
2
and an increase in O
2
levels
(D) an increase in the Earth's atmospheric CO
2
and a decrease in O
2
levels
(E) a reduction in both CO
2
and O
2
levels
Answer:
32. When the strength of rock material is greater, it tends to fracture or break more easily;
conversely, when the rock is softer, it tends to bend and change its shape more easily.
Based on that, assume the outer layers in a, b and c have the same strength and are under
the same stress conditions for every sample. Please rank the strength for deformation of
the following geological structures (a, b and c) from low to high. (1 pt)

(A) a-b-c (B) b-a-c (C) c-b-a (D) a-c-b (E) b-c-a
Answer:

a b c
22 / 35

33. Circle the specimen(s) that is/are from vertebrate organisms? (2 pts)
(A)

(B)

(C) (D)

(E) (F)

34. What type of material or celestial body gives us the most information in order to estimate
the bulk chemical composition of the Earth? Choose the most suitable one from the list
below. (1 pt)
(A) comets (B) Mars (C) Moon (D) meteorites (E) oceanic crust
Answer:
35. Which one of the following terms best describes the structure illustrated? (1 pt)
(A) upright fold
(B) antiformal anticline
(C) synformal syncline
(D) fault propagation fold
(E) normal fault
Answer:
23 / 35

36. The figure below shows a type of landform which consists of sand. What is the most
likely prevailing local wind direction? (1 pt)
(A) from low right to upper left (B) from upper right to lower left
(C) from upper left to lower right (D) from lower left to upper right
(E) no prevailing wind direction can be identified.

Answer:
37. The photographs below were taken from a low-lying basaltic island in the subtropical
zone. On this island, horizons A and B in the soil profile are characterized by
reddish-brown color. Which is the most important factor for such a soil to develop? (1 pt)
(A) plant type (B) climate (C) relief (D) sea breeze

Answer:
(A)
(B) (C)
(D)
Horizon A &
Horizon B
24 / 35

38. The figure below shows the typical hill slopes developed on a massive mudstone bedrock.
Two major processes could have contributed to erosion in this area and one of them is
sheet wash. Please identify the other major process. (1 pt)
(A) debris flow (B) rockfall (C) rill erosion
(D) channel cutoff (E) river bank erosion

Answer:

39. Which type of rock is most commonly found at a mid-ocean ridge? (1 pt)
(A) granite (B) rhyolite (C) dacite (D) basalt (E) sandstone
Answer:
40. The figure below illustrates the empirical relationship between the earthquake magnitude
and the rupture area (RA) along the fault plane. Assume that the rupture of the May 12,
2008 Wenchuan, China earthquake (M=8) occurred within a rectangular plane with a
maximum depth of 15 km and a dip angle of 30. Estimate the rupture length on the
surface if the fault plane penetrated the ground surface. (Show your work in the space next
to the figure; 3 pts)

Answer:
25 / 35

41. Assume that you are travelling along the northern margin of the Sahara Desert where
vegetation cover is poor and the bedrock is exposed and readily observed (see photograph
below). This rugged topography is characterized by many small ridges (indicated with
arrows). Please draw a cross section to show the relationship between the lithology and
topography. Use M for mudstone and S for sandstone to label the rocks. (2 pts)

p pa al lm m t tr re ee es s
Answer:
26 / 35

42. Which one of the following is a primary structure? (1 pt)
(A)fold axial plane

(B) fault

(C) mineral stretching lineation

(D) joint

(E) flame (loading) structure
Answer:

43. What is likely to occur (Highly probable H or Least probable L) in a low oxygen
atmosphere environment older than 2 billion years ? (1 pts)
(i) Photosynthetic prokaryotes
(ii) formation of banded-iron formations

27 / 35

44. The following map shows the surface horizontal velocity obtained from GPS
measurements. The vector length at each point is proportional to the magnitude of the
velocity, and the arrow indicates the direction of movement. Please answer the following
questions.

(i) Based on the spatial variations of velocities, which stress environment setting is
correct? (1 pt)
(a) A: compressive, B: extensional, C: shearing
(b) A: shearing, B: compressive, C: extensional
(c) A: extensional, B: shearing, C: compressive
(d) A: compressive, B: shearing, C: extensional
Answer:

28 / 35

(ii) According to the surface velocity, please roughly estimate the strain rate between
points 1 and 2. Please show your calculations and give your answer in scientific
notation in 2 significant figures. (Hint: the unit for strain rate is per year) (3 pts)

(iii) Assume higher strain rate indicates higher earthquake activities. Which area C, D, or
E in map has the highest earthquake activity? (1 pt)
Answer:

45. We know the pattern of radiated seismic waves depends on the fault geometry. The
polarity (direction) of the first P-wave arrival varies between seismic stations at different
direction from an earthquake. Figure (a) illustrates this concept for a strike-slip earthquake
on a vertical fault. The first motion is either push, for stations located such that material
near the fault moves toward the station, or pull, where the motion is away from the
station. The downward first motion indicates that the P-wave is radiated from a region
where the focal source is being relatively compressed, as shown in the lower-right
quadrant in Figure (a).

Compressional
Compressional Extensional
Auxiliary
plane
Fault plane
Epicenter
Figure (a)
Pull
Push
Extensional
29 / 35

Figure (b) shows 3-component seismograms recorded at a station 85 km away from the
epicenter. They are east-west, north-south and up-down, respectively. Please answer the
following questions according to Figures (a) and (b).
(i) Which description listed below is correct? (2 pts)
(A) First direct P wave is radiated through the extensional quadrant and the first direct
S wave is radiated through the compressive quadrant.
(B) First P wave is radiated through the compressive quadrant and the first S wave is
radiated through the extensional quadrant.
(C) Both first P and S waves are radiated through the extensional quadrant.
(D) Both first P and S waves are radiated through the compressive quadrant.
Answer:
(ii) Please infer the location of the recording station with respect to the epicenter in terms
of the first motions. (2 pt)
(A) North north west (B) South south west
(C) North north east (D) South south east
Answer:
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

(
1
0
-
4

c
m
)

Figure (b)
2
1
0
1
-2
2
1
0
1
-2
2
1
0
1
-2
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
30 / 35

Sand
Silt
Answer: Clay
46. Choose the most characteristic rock/mineral from the list below (4 pts)

a. quartz b. biotite c. hornblende d. rutile e. garnet
f. orthoclase g. calcite h. halite i. beryl j. diamond
k. basalt l. gabbro m. andesite n. granite o. rhyolite
p. shale q. marble r. slate s. chalk t. chert

(i) ______ Pure substance; two elements; common mineral; hexagonal prismatic
crystal.
(ii) ______ Subduction; eruptive rock; volcano; island arc.
(iii) ______ Continental crust; felsic; batholith; coarse texture.
(iv) ______ Metamorphic; carbonate; limestone; recrystallization.

47. The table below shows the results of grain size analysis of five soil samples.

Sample A B C D E
Clay (%) 80 30 50 10 20
Silt (%) 10 40 15 20 65
Sand (%) 10 30 35 70 15

(i) Use the information in the table to complete the soil texture diagram below for A, C
and D samples. Plot your answer as dots () and label with sample name (A, C, D).
(2 pts)

(ii) Which sample has the highest porosity? (1 pt)
Answer:
31 / 35

48.
(i) Hydrographs below describe discharge conditions before and after urbanization in a
drainage basin. In the following figures lag time should be noted in both
hydrographs. Please indicate the lag time in both of the following hydrographs
using appropriate symbols. Label them LT. Use appropriate symbols to show the
lag time and the label of LT (i.e., Lag time) should be added, too. (2 pt)

(ii) Identify the hydrograph which illustrates the condition of the drainage basin before
urbanization. (1 pt)
Answer:

(iii) Refer to the figures above and complete the following table using + to represent
higher, longer or larger, to represent lower, shorter or smaller and 0 to represent
irrelevant. (2 pts)
Table
Variables before urbanization after urbanization
Rainfall intensity
Lag time
Flood magnitude

Time
Flood stage
Time
Flood stage
Discharge (m
3
sec
-1
)
Rainfall (mm)
(A) (B)
32 / 35

49. Connect the fault types with the correct figures. (2 pts)

Normal fault
Thrust fault
Dextral transverse fault
Sinistral transverse fault
33 / 35

50. The figure below shows the variations of deuterium isotope (D), the atmospheric
concentrations of the CO
2
, CH
4
, and N
2
O derived from air trapped within ice cores from
Antarctica. The shading indicates the interglacial warm periods. The lowest panel shows
the globally distributed
18
O records of benthic foraminifera, a proxy for global ice
volume fluctuations. Downward trends in the benthic
18
O curve reflect increasing ice
volumes on land. Stars of different colors are the N
2
O, CH
4
, and CO
2
concentrations in
the atmosphere in the year 2007. (1 ka = 1000 years ago; 0 ka = 1950 AD) (Source: IPCC
AR4, 2007).

(i) Over the last 650 ka, when did the CH
4
content exceed the current level? (1 pt)
(A) 400 ka (B) 125 ka (C) 330 ka (D) 315 ka (E) none of these
Answer:
(ii) The magnitude of
18
O is directly proportional to the ice volume on land (note the
scale on graph is inverted). When was the most recent time that the ice volume on
land was maximum? (1 pt)
(A) 420 ka (B) 220 ka (C) 125 ka (D) 20 ka (E) 0 ka
Answer:
Time (ka)
34 / 35

(iii) The most likely cause for the glacial-interglacial cycles shown in the figure above is
______. (1 pt)
(A) fluctuations in
18
O of benthic foraminifera
(B) fluctuations in the Earth's orbit
(C) fluctuations in plate movements of the northern landmasses
(D) fluctuations in plate movements of the southern landmasses
(E) burning of fossil fuel
Answer:

35 / 35

IESO 2009
(Practical)
The 3
rd

Mentors Signature:
Practical Test - Astronomy
18 September 2009
Taipei, Taiwan

3rd IESO Practical Test
1 / 11

]__j_j

___])
Laozi Tao Te Chin 4
th
Century BC

[|j[j__________
___|_
__
Zhuangzi Tian Xia 4
th
Century BC.

2 / 11

Instructions for the practical test (Astronomy):
Please write name and nationality in English on the cover page.
The time allotted for this examination is 1.5 hours.
Write your answers legibly. Illegible answers will not be graded.
Keep your answers short and focus on the key points.
Write your answers on the white test booklet provided. There is no separate
answer sheet.
You can use the calculator provided to perform the calculation.
You may respond to questions either in English, your native language, or a
combination of both.
Read the entire question group carefully before starting to answer.
For some questions, you may be asked to provide your answer on the figures.
Please do so carefully.
Any inappropriate examination behavior will result in your withdrawal from
IESO.

3 / 11

1. The rotation of the Sun
There are sunspots on the solar surface. They can be used to calculate the rate of the solar rotation,
based on a sunspots motion on the surface. The following figure shows the sunspots during June
30 - July 6, 2006 taken from the SOHO satellite images (listed in the following table). The
longitude is marked on the solar disc.
Date Time(h:m) Date Time(h:m)
6/30 17:36 7/04 18:05
7/01 19:02 7/05 17:36
7/02 17:36 7/06 20:12
7/03 17:36

4 / 11

(1) Lets set June 30, 00:00 to be day 0.000, i.e. t = 0.000 for June 30, 00:00. Record t in
Table 1. (0.6 pts)
(2) Measure the longitude of the sunspot for each date marked, and record in Table 1. (1.2 pts)
Table 1
Time t(days) Longitude Time t(days) Longitude
6/30 17:36 0.733 -42.2 7/04 18:05
7/01 19:02 7/05 17:36
7/02 17:36 7/06 20:12
7/03 17:36

(3) Using the data in Table 1, plot longitude (in degrees) vs. time (in days) on the
graph paper on the next page. (4.2 pts)
(4) Draw a line of best fit on the graph.
(i) Calculate the slope of the line of best fit (straight line). (2 pts)
Answer:
(ii) Calculate the rotation period of the Sun. (2 pts)
Answer:
Note: Include the correct unit in both answers.
5 / 11

6 / 11

2. Telescope operations
Go to the telescopes that are already set up and look for the specification of the telescope and
two eyepieces.
(1) Complete the following Table. (1.2 pt)
Telescope Eyepieces
Aperture cm Type Focal length Magnification
Focal length mm mm
Focal ratio (f/) mm
** A judge will grade how you operate the telescope.
(2) Step-by-step operation (3.8 pts)
(3) Observing the Sun (3 pts)
Warning: You must not look at the Sun through a telescope or a finder
scope without the solar filter! Otherwise it will cause severe
damage to your eyes or permanent blindness.
If it is rainy or cloudy, find any distant building, then adjust the telescope to point to
the distant building, and adjust the focus to see it clearly.
(4) Taking a photo of the Sun (2 pts)
When you have finished the above procedure, raise your hand, and the judge will let you return to
your seat.
7 / 11

3. Calculating the Earths precession
The Earth rotates as a top and Earths axis of
rotation traces out a cone with an angle shown

in

Figure

1. That means the Earths axis is moving
along a circle. This is called precession. The
celestial pole rotates about the fixed pole of the
ecliptic with a circle of radius about 23.5

and a
period of about 25,800 years.
Figure 1
Figure 2 (and a transparent sheet) is the region near Polaris. Figure 3 and Figure 4 are the star
tracks around Polaris on the nights of March 10, 1980 and May 20, 2009, respectively.

Figure 2

Star A
Star B
8 / 11

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g
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r
e

3

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h
e

r
e
g
i
o
n

o
f

P
o
l
a
r
i
s

a
t

M
a
r
c
h

1
0
,

1
9
8
0
.

3
r
d

I
E
S
O

P
r
a
c
t
i
c
a
l

T
e
s
t
9

/

1
1

Figure 4 The region of Polaris at May 20, 2009.
(1) Determine the position of the North Celestial Pole and mark it on
(i) March 10, 1980 (Figure 3) (2 pts)
(ii) May 20, 2009 (Figure 4) (2pts)
(2) Overlap the transparent sheet (Figure 2) with Figure 3, and mark the position of the
North Celestial Pole determined in Figure 3 on the transparent sheet using a marker
pen. (1 pt)
(3) Overlap the transparent sheet (Figure 2) with Figure 4, and mark the position of the
North Celestial Pole determined in Figure 4 on the transparent sheet using a marker
pen. (1 pt)
(4) Measure the interval, x, between the positions of the North Celestial Pole in 1980
and 2009 on the transparent sheet.
(i) x = ( ) mm (1 pt)
(ii) Use thex to calculate the Earths precession ( ) mm/year. (1 pt)
[show your calculation]

10 / 11

(5) The angular separation of star A and star B in Figure 2 (or transparent sheet) is 6195.
Use this information to calculate the scale of Figure 2, ( ) arcsec/mm.
(1 pt)

(6) Use your results from the previous questions to calculate the Earths precession,
( ) arcsec/year. (1 pt)

11 / 11
The 3
rd

Mentors Signature:
Practical Test-Atmosphere
( Part I )
18 September 2009
Taipei, Taiwan

1 / 9

]__j_j

___])
Laozi Tao Te Chin 4
th
Century BC

[|j[j__________
___|_
__
Zhuangzi Tian Xia 4
th
Century BC.

2 / 9
Instructions for the practical test (Part I of Atmosphere):
1. Please write your name and nationality in English on the cover
page.
2. The time allocated for this examination is 40 minutes.
3. Please write your answers legibly. Illegible answers will be
counted as incorrect.
4. You may respond to questions either in English, your native
language, or a combination of both.
5. Read the entire question group carefully before starting to answer.
6. For Problem 5, show all the calculations for the answers on the
question paper.
7. Any inappropriate examination behavior will result in your
withdrawal from the IESO.

3 / 9

Display of Satellite and Radar Loops.
An example of satellite-picture loop is shown below.

An example of radar-picture loop is shown below.

The radar picture above is observed by the Wufenshan radar station in northeastern
Taiwan.

Click here to start the Practical Test
4 / 9
Practical Test (Part I)

Purpose: To understand the precipitation and wind patterns in different weather
conditions using satellite and radar pictures.

Below are three infrared satellite pictures associated with the same three weather
conditions (cold front, typhoon, and monsoon flow of southwesterly wind).

120
E
30
N
20
N
130
E
(A)
120
E
30
N
20
N
130
E
(A)
120
E
30
N
20
N
130
E
(H)
120
E
30
N
20
N
130
E
(B)
120
E
30
N
20
N 130
E
(I)
120
E
30
N
20
N 130
E
(C)
120
E
30
N
20
N 130
E
(I)
120
E
30
N
20
N 130
E
(C)

The radar echo occurs when the electromagnetic wave emitted by a weather radar is
reflected by raindrops. Stronger radar echo or reflectivity usually corresponds to
larger raindrops. Below are three horizontal radar reflectivity maps associated with
three weather conditions which include cold front, typhoon, and monsoon flow of
southwesterly wind. The intensity of radar refractivity or echo (Z; in units of dBZ) is
indicated by the color scale below and the range rings are for radius of 75 km and 150
km. The location of the radar site is indicated by the triangle symbol.

75
150
75
150
(D)
75
150
75
150
(D)
75
150
75
150
(E)
75
150
(F)

Using Doppler radars, we can also detect the raindrop motion along the radar beam (or
radial) direction based on the Doppler-shift effect. To be specific, the radial velocity
detected by a Doppler radar is negative if raindrops move toward the radar; on the other
hand, the radial velocity detected by a Doppler radar is positive if raindrops move away
from the radar.
5 / 9
The relationship between true velocity and radar-detected radial velocity is shown in the
following picture. The true velocity is indicated by the green arrow. The positive (negative)
radial velocity detected by the radar is indicated by the red (blue) arrow.

6 / 9
Below are three radar-observed radial velocity maps associated with the same three
weather conditions (cold front, typhoon, and monsoon flow of southwesterly wind).
The value of radial velocity (V
r
; in units of m s
-1
) detected by the radar is also indicated by
the color bar.

75
150
75
150
75
150
75
150
(G)
75
150
75
150
(H)

Click here for the bigger Fig.(G) Click here for the bigger Fig.(H) Click here for the bigger Fig.(I)

Please answer the following questions:

1. Using Figure (A) to Figure (I), complete the table below using appropriate figure codes
A to I for different weather conditions. (18 pts)

Typhoon Cold front
Monsoon flow with
Southwesterly wind
Satellite picture
Radar reflectivity picture
Radar radial velocity picture

2. For Points X, Y, and Z on Fig. (I), which one is the most likely location for the
circulation center? You can use the enlarged version of Fig. (I) to answer this question.
(6 pts)
Answer:

7 / 9
3. Use Fig. (I) to determine the values of the radar-observed radial velocity (V
r
) at Points
X and Z. You can use the enlarged version of Fig. (I) to answer this question. (10 pts)
Answer:

4. Use Fig. (I) to estimate the radius of maximum wind from the typhoon center. You can
use the enlarged version of Fig. (I) to answer this question. (6 pts)
Answer:

5. The horizontal winds around a typhoon can be decomposed (vector analyzed) into the
tangential wind (V
T
) and radial wind (V
R
) components. Below are the typical
tangential and radial wind components around a typhoon over the Northern
Hemisphere.
V
T
V
R
V
T
V
R

Assume that the radial inflow speed (V
R
) toward the typhoon center averaged along the
dashed circle is 30 percent of that of radar-observed radial velocity (V
r
) at Point Z on
Fig.(I) For simplicity, the geometry of typhoon circulation can be approximated by a
cylinder with radius R and vertical depth h. Assume that air density inside the
cylinder remains a constant value of 0.6 kg m
-3
.
8 / 9

The inward mass flux across the cylinder lateral surface (the gray surface in the above
diagram) by the radial inflow can be expressed as

h R V M
R in
) 2 ( =
,

where is density,
R
V is radial inflow speed, R is radius, and h is the height. Fig. (I)
shows the typhoon circulation with horizontal area indicated by dashed circles.
Calculate the mass flux (M
in
) across the cylinder lateral surface by the radial inflow in
units of kg s
-1
( 14 . 3 = ). For your calculations, use a radius of 30 km, a vertical
height of 8 km. (10 pts)
Answer:

9 / 9
The 3
rd

Mentors Signature:
Practical Test-Atmosphere
( Part II )
18 September 2009
Taipei, Taiwan

1 / 8

]__j_j

___])
Laozi Tao Te Chin 4
th
Century BC

[|j[j__________
___|_
__
Zhuangzi Tian Xia 4
th
Century BC.

2 / 8
Instructions for the practical test (Part II of Atmosphere):
Please write your name and nationality in English on the cover page.
The time allotted for this examination (Part II of Atmosphere) is 40
minutes.
Please write your answers legibly. Illegible answers will be counted as
incorrect.
Please keep your answers short and focus on the key points.
Please write your answers only on the white test booklet provided.
You may respond to questions either in English, your native language,
or a combination of both.
Read the entire question group carefully before starting to answer.
For some questions, you will be asked to provide your answers on the
figures. Please do so carefully.
Any inappropriate examination behavior will result in your withdrawal
from the IESO.

3 / 8
2009 IESO Practical Test
(Atmosphere, Part II)
Atmospheric Humidity Measurement and Calculation (50 pts total)

Water vapor (H
2
O) in our atmosphere leads to cloud formation and precipitation in the
hydrological cycle. It is also an important greenhouse gas. Therefore, the ability to measure
the amount of water vapor (i.e., atmospheric humidity) accurately is very important. In this
practical test, you will use a psychrometer to measure the humidity and answer a total of 6
related questions.
You will need to complete the following tasks: [Task A] measure dry-bulb and
wet-bulb temperatures and calculate the wet-bulb depression, [Task B] calculate the
actual vapor pressure from your data, and [Task C] express your result as different humidity
variables. All of the methods and variables involved will be explained as you follow the
procedure described below.

[Task A] Measure dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures (T and T
w
) and calculate the
wet-bulb depression (D, and D = T T
w
) using a psychrometer.

A psychrometer (shown in Fig. 1) is a common
instrument used to measure humidity. It consists of
two identical thermometers, one measures the
dry-bulb (actual) temperature (T) and the second is
wrapped in a porous wick (i.e. threads of cloth).
When in use, the wick of this second thermometer is
moistened and exposed in air stream, and its reading
is called the wet-bulb temperature (T
w
). Please
follow the steps below to measure T and T
w
(see Fig.
2): During this process, great care should be taken to avoid any influence on the readings by
your presence. Also, be careful that the dry-bulb thermometer must remain dry.

Step 1: Open the small container at the bottom, and drip (add) water with the pipette to fully
Figure 1
dry-bulb thermometer
wet-bulb thermometer
wick
Figure 2a Figure 2b Figure 2c
4 / 8
moisten the wick inside (Fig. 2a). Then close the cap.
Step 2: Pull and rotate the handle outward to 90 degrees. Swing the psychrometer gently (for
about 10 rounds) to increase airflow (Fig. 2b). Now the web-bulb temperature (T
w
)
should drop gradually.
Step 3: When the wet-bulb reading becomes steady, read both the dry-bulb and wet-bulb
temperatures (T and T
w
, both in C, Fig. 2c).

Question 1 (exercise): (20 pts)
Please repeat steps 1 to 3 three times and complete the table below (Table 1). Then,
calculate the mean values of T and T
w
, and use them to determine the web-bulb depression D
(where D = T T
w
). Please use C for all units, and take the readings to one decimal place. (2
pts each reading of T and T
w
, 4 pts for D)
Answer: Table 1: Result of psychrometer measurements (all in C).
First reading Second reading Third reading Mean
T
T
w

D

Question 2: (6 pts)
From your measurements, it should be clear that T
w
< T (i.e., D > 0). Which of the
following processes do you think is responsible for this result?
(A) Freezing (B) Condensation (C) Deposition
(D) Melting (E) Evaporation (F) Sublimation
Answer:

[Task B] Find the saturation vapor pressure (e
s
) at T
w
and calculate the actual vapor
pressure (e).

Humidity is measured by the vapor pressure (e) which is the partial pressure of water
vapor in the air. The value of e (in hPa, where 1 hPa = 100 Pa) can be determined from the
following equation:
D e e
sw
= , Equation (1)
where e
sw
is the saturation vapor pressure (in hPa) at web-bulb temperature T
w
, D is the
wet-bulb depression (in C), and is a constant at 0.66 hPa K
1
at sea level.

5 / 8
Question 3: (6 pts)
Please find e
sw
from Table 2, and calculate the actual vapor pressure (e) using Equation
(1). Note that the saturation vapor pressure (e
s
) is only a function of temperature, as shown in
Table 2. Show your method and calculations clearly. Please include units in your calculation,
and give your answer to one digit below the decimal (1 decimal place).
Answer:

Table 2: Saturation vapor pressure over water (from Smithsonian Meteorological Tables)
* Example of how to read Table 2: For instance, to find out the saturation vapor pressure at 17.3C, go to the
row labeled 17 and the column labeled .3, so e
s
= 19.74 hPa.

6 / 8
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10

10 20 30 40
Temperature (C)
V
a
p
o
r

p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
h
P
a
)

Curve of saturation
Question 4: (6 pts)
Assume that point A represents the initial state and point B represents the final state of
the cooling process of the air measured by the wet-bulb thermometer. In Fig. 3 below, please
plot the locations of points A and B with crosses (x). Then, draw an arrow connecting them to
indicate the cooling process. Please label both points and the direction of the arrow clearly.

Figure 3: The cooling process of air measured by the wet-bulb thermometer.

[Task C] Convert the humidity into mixing ratio (r) and relative humidity (RH).

Several other variables can also indicate atmospheric humidity, such as mixing ratio (r)
and relative humidity (RH). You will need to use the information provided below to calculate
r and RH. Show your method and calculations as clearly as possible. Include all appropriate
units.

Question 5: (6 pts)
The mixing ratio (r) is the ratio of the mass of water vapor to that of dry air. It is
therefore dimensionless. The relationship between r and vapor pressure (e) is:
e p
e
r
=

Equation (2)
where p is 1013.25 hPa, and is the ratio of the molecular weight of water vapor to that of dry
air ( = 0.622). In the space below, please calculate r and express it in units of g kg
1
(grams
per kilogram). Give your answer to one digit below decimal (1 decimal place).
Answer:

7 / 8

Question 6: (6 pts)
The relative humidity (RH) is the ratio of actual vapor pressure (e) to the saturation
vapor pressure at the actual temperature (e
s
). It is expressed as a percentage (%) and
% 100 =
s
e
e
RH . Equation (3)
In the space below, please use Equation (3) to calculate RH (in %), and give your answer to
one digit below decimal (1 decimal place).
Answer:

8 / 8
The 3
rd

Mentors Signature:
Practical Test Geosphere
18 September 2009
Taipei, Taiwan

1 / 13

]__j_j

___])
Laozi Tao Te Chin 4
th
Century BC

[|j[j__________
___|_
__
Zhuangzi Tian Xia 4
th
Century BC.

2 / 13
Field survey is one of the essential activities in geological and
physical geographical studies. Depending upon research purposes,
geologists and/or geographers would select field sites to investigate. After
site selection, researchers would: sketch the topography, observe the
sedimentary structures, classify the rocks consisted in the strata, identify
the fossils they observed, measure the strike and dip of the strata, and the
structures and label them on the geological map. They would use all these
data to interpret and reconstruct the geological history.
Instructions:
1. Please follow the instructors instruction when traveling between stops
for your and others safety. The rocks will be slippery and potentially
dangerous. Please move with caution. Absolute No Running!
Absolute No Reading while Walking!
2. You will be visiting a geological sanctuary. We urge you not to
damage or take away geological material during your field
investigations
3. In this practical test, you will be a geologist and a geographer studying
a small area.
4. There are six stops (1 to 6).The sequence of visit to the six stops is not
important, as long as all six sites are visited.
5. You will have 15 minutes at each site for making your observations.
6. Please record your observations and answers on your test sheets.
7. No discussion among students.
8. Please keep your test sheets carefully. If you lose any of them, there
will be no score will be granted for that section.
9. Hard hats are provided at STOPs 4 and 6 because possible injury.
Please wear a hard hat at these stops and return it later.
10. Please read questions 1 and 2 first. Do not answer them until you
have visited all six stops. You will need to get a whole picture of
this area to understand the geology and structure of the area.
3 / 13
1. What is the most likely depositional environment of the strata of this Bitou Cape
area? (1 pt)
(A) freshwater lake environment
(B) desert and arid basin environment
(C) fluvial environment
(D) coastal environment
(E) deep marine environment.
Answer:

2. Please look at your map on the last page. Consider the strike and dip data
provided along with your own measurements. Assuming that all the strikes and
dips were measured on the same continuous plane, what is the most likely
macro-scale geological structure of the Bitou Cape area? (1 pt)
(A) anticline
(B) syncline
(C) volcanic crater
(D) normal fault
(E) reverse fault.
Answer:

4 / 13
STOP 1
3. What is the most likely depositional environment for the sedimentary structure
observed within the red frame at this outcrop? (1 pt)
(A) riverine environment (B) lacustrine environment
(C) deep sea with turbidity current (D) intertidal zone.
Answer:

4. Please locate your current position using the GPS provided, and record it below at
(i). Refer to the map (last page). Using the GPS position you obtain, select the
correct spot from spots I to V. Record this answer at (ii) below.

(i) GPS readout (1 pt):

(ii) Circle the correct spot (1 pt): I, II, III, IV, V

5. Please measure the dip direction and dip angle of the assigned bedding surface at
STOP 1 and plot them within the corresponding white circle on the map. Ticks
around the white circles are 10 apart. Symbol indicates a stratum with a
dip direction of 045 and a dip angle 20.

(i) dip direction: ; dip angle: (2 pts)
(strike = dip direction 090)
(ii) Label the dip direction and dip angle symbol in the corresponding white circle
on the map on the last page. (1 pt)
20
5 / 13
STOP 2
6. What is the most dominant sedimentary structure that you see within the red frame
at STOP 2? (1 pt)
(A) ripple mark (B) cross bedding (C) slump structure
(D) load structure (E) flame structure
Answer:

7. What is the major sediment transport direction indicated according to this outcrop?
Please answer by standing on the X mark, facing toward the outcrop. Please
write down the correct answer using letters A to H. (2 pts)
Answer:

8. Please identify the rock type you observed within the yellow frame. (1 pt)
(A) granite (B) limestone (C) pillow lava
(D) sandstone (E) shale
Answer:
6 / 13
STOP 3
9. What is the structure within the red frame at STOP 3? (1 pt)
(A) ripple mark (B) cross bedding (C) fault
(D) plumose structure (E) flame structure
Answer:

10. Please observe the fossils from the assigned five sample locations ( to ).
Identify and match them with the pictures of fauna provided and circle the sample
location numbers in the 2
nd
column. Then circle the name of the fauna
corresponding to what you found. The names of fossils can be used more than
once. You do not have to answer the third column (Name of fauna) if you dont
find that kind of fossil. (total 4.5 pts; 0.5 pt each)

Pictures of fauna Sample location Name of fauna

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin
7 / 13

Pictures of fauna Samples location Name of fauna

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin

Ans: (A) bivalve
(B) brachiopod
(C) cephalopod
(D) crustacean
(E) gastropod
(F) sea urchin

8 / 13
STOP 4

11. At STOP4, you see a fallen rock. Identify what direction was up at the time of
formation of the rock. (2 pts)
Answer:

12. Please identify the type of fallen rock at this location. (1 pt)
(A) granite (B) limestone (C) pillow lava
(D) sandstone (E) shale
Answer:
9 / 13
STOP 5
13. What is the sedimentary structure within the red frame at STOP 5? (1 pt)
(A) ripple mark (B) fold (C) slump structure
(D) load structure (E) flame structure
Answer:

14. Based on the sedimentary structure you identified in the previous question, what is
the most likely flow direction of water during formation? (2 pts)
Answer:

15. There are five surfaces in this outcrop labeled to . Please identify each
surface and circle the correct options below. (2.5 pts)

Surface
number
bedding plane fault plane joint plane fold axial plane

bedding plane
bedding plane
bedding plane
bedding plane
bedding plane
fault plane
fault plane
fault plane
fault plane
fault plane
joint plane
joint plane
joint plane
joint plane
joint plane
fold axial plane
fold axial plane
fold axial plane
fold axial plane
fold axial plane
10 / 13
STOP 6
This stretch of coast is characterized by sea cliff, sea notch, wave abrasion
platform (also known as shore platform) and some micro landforms. The figure below
(not to scale) shows a cross section from the ridge of the headland to the sea though it
is not quite completed yet. Its location is indicated by the arrows on the ground.
Between the cliff toe and sea water, five segments can be readily identified (noted as
segments a-e).
Please walk along the cross section before answering the following questions.
Be cautious on wet and slippery ground.

Figure
16. Sketch the segments b and e to complete the cross section. (2 pts)

Please make use of observations within thirty meters on either side of the section line.
17. What major processes contributed to the landform development here? Check off
or tick the four correct answers in the following list. (2 pts)

uplift subsidence
frost action wave erosion
salt weathering slope failure
fluvial erosion

SL
e d c b a
11 / 13
Caption for the map on the last page

This is not a question!

Topographic map of the Bitou Cape region in Taipei County, northeast
Taiwan. The latitudinal-longitudinal coordinates on the map are in the
Taiwan Grid position format (TM2) coordinate system.
12 / 13

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