20 September 2016

A virtual field trip to examine the Peninsula Sandstone on Table Mountain

Posted by Callan Bentley

Today, we’ll take a look at some immersive digital imagery I made on a hike up Table Mountain’s Platteklip Gorge while attending the International Geological Congress a few weeks ago.

Here is the northern edge of Table Mountain, with Lion’s Head in the distance. IMG_5504

Some hikers provide a sense of scale for the large cross-bedding to be seen in the Peninsula Sandstone, the main unit that makes up Table Mountain’s bulk above the Graafwater Formation:IMG_5512

Platteklip Gorge is steep. Here is the viewing looking back down it from the top, with Devil’s Peak in the middle distance:platteklip-sm

360° spherical photo of Platteklip Gorge

Platteklip Gorge on Table Mountain Link

GigaPan of Platteklip Gorge and Devil’s Peak:
Link GigaPan by Callan Bentley

A GigaPan looking south from southern Table Mountain, down the Cape Peninsula (My wife and I hiked all that!)… Can you spot a fold?
Link GigaPan by Callan Bentley

A GigaPan of a wall of the sandstone, as it crops out in upper Platteklip Gorge… Can you spot some cross-beds?
Link GigaPan by Callan Bentley

3D model of an arch in Peninsula Sandstone atop Table Mountain, near the southern “lip” of the plateau:
Link 3D model by Marissa Dudek

Enjoy your exploration of these media objects.

If you’ll be in Denver next week for the GSA annual meeting, consider stopping into our digital poster session on Sunday to see dozens and dozens of other examples!