Kelley Smoot
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texgeo.bsky.social
Kelley Smoot
@texgeo.bsky.social
290 followers 240 following 580 posts
Structural geologist, investigating Central Texas’ Balcones Fault Zone & Volcanic Province. Studied Moine Thrust https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/118942; former wellsite geologist on China’s #1 San Yuan Tang, Hunan Prov. PRC 1993. Beekeeper.
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texgeo.bsky.social
Corrected URL: www.americangeosciences.org/change/
February 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
In 2019 article “The Dean” Mosher credits the professor who raped me as her mentor, Dennis Wood. See page 13 for Aberystwyth geo prof Alex Maltman’s obit about all the “raucous good fun” enjoyed on Dennis Wood’s field camp esec.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/2023-10/2001 Year in Review.pdf
February 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Not a fossil but an amazing calcite crystal cache, found in Edwards Limestone, central Hays Co, TX directly atop Balcones Fault Zone. Anyone know a lab capable of dating these xtls? Would partner w/researcher into fault calcite xtls. Have mapped xtls across 150 acres along w/fault splays. Got a lab?
Two fingers pointing to two calcite xtls poking through dirt and grass. There are lots of small calcite crystals around the two larger ones, which measure about 6-8 cm in length and about 3-5 cm around. Most crystals are elongate if not tapered at one end. Calcite Crystal as pulled from the field of crystals where it had weathered out. This view shows the macroscopic twinning that is regularly seen when these crystals are found. More view showing crystal faces about 1+ cm across.
February 23, 2024 at 9:35 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
5 Feb 2024 is 241 anniversary of 1783 Calabrian earthquakes in So. Italy which temporally corresponded w/eruption in Iceland of Laki fissure, spewing sulfur dioxide across Europe. Gave rise to theory of “subsurface revolution” @judithgeology.bsky.social
www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/livi...
Text from article: "This seismic crisis interested many naturalists and scholars such as William Hamilton, British Ambassador in Naples at the time, who wrote about it. Notes about the Calabrian earthquakes can be found in several private weather diaries across Europe. Italy was a celebrated stop on well-heeled Europeans’ grand tour at the time; thus news from the country would have sparked great interest among educated readers. While hundreds of aftershocks still occurred in Calabria and Sicily, another phenomenon was on the horizon. In mid-June 1783, most of Europe and other parts of the northern hemisphere were covered in a sulfuric-smelling dry fog. This “fog” originated from the Icelandic Laki fissure, which erupted from June 1783 to February 1784 and released large amounts of sulfur dioxide and other gases. The world outside of Iceland did not know about this eruption and contemporaries developed several theories as to the origin of this unusual weather...."
February 5, 2024 at 4:08 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
#FossilFriday! Here are a couple of oyster half-shells, identified as a type Gryphea, either Texigryphea or Gryphea Washitaensis. From the top-most member of the lower Cretaceous Glen Rose, Fulton Ranch Road Hill, Central Hays County, Texas.
Three fossils, held in a hand. The fossils are ID’d as a type of Gryphea pelecypod from Lower Cretaceous Glen Rose Formation, upper-most member. Page from “Texas Fossils: an amateur collector’s handbook” showing pen & ink drawings of Createous Pelecypod fossils, including the Gryphea taxonomy.
December 22, 2023 at 7:21 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Not surprising but still shocking “…women are strongly under-represented among Nobel laureates across all disciplines examined.”

There’s a complete lack of will to achieve gender parity & instead create phony appearances. Very telling intellectuals prefer fake fronts than real achievement.
Copy of article Abstract that concludes with, “The model reveals, with exceedingly large confidence, that indeed women are strongly under-represented among Nobel laureates across all disciplines examined.”
December 2, 2023 at 1:28 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Thanks @anlomedad.bsky.social about existence of @alttext.bsky.social. What is displayed as alt-text sheds light on BS-iness of for profit “societies” who claim royal patronage & historical lineage whilst supporting White Patriarchy: GeoSocLondon flog unedited manuscripts for profit, no conscience.
December 2, 2023 at 3:12 AM
texgeo.bsky.social
So interesting reading a Diamond OA Journal article from @wearetektonika.bsky.social and enjoying the ability to conduct research, uninhibited by paywalls. Then, to experience the Old Fashioned way, courtesy of the Geological Society of London - ugh. No ability to copy anything-not even URLs!
Copy of page from Geological Society of London publication that was purchased for $35 and I still don't have permission to copy the referring URL, or any referenced URLs, even after purchasing the article! This is a total RIP OFF. Avoid Geological Society of London publications like the plague. The research contained within is of highly dubious quality, too, as it contains thrust faults with the map teeth in incorrect direction, at about 100 Million years too late.
December 1, 2023 at 7:13 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
#FossilFriday: Re-posting w/correction following further research. The quartz-lined fossil on left is in Rudist family: Caprinuloidea gracilis. Common in Edwards formation which, in comparison to other Cretaceous formations, is not as fossiliferous. This sample from Balcones Fault Zone, Hays Co, TX
Fossil guidebook's image of a Rudist Caprinuloidea gracilis, showing 2.54cm long spines arranged around a column. Rock sample on left is Cretaceous fossil from Rudist family, Caprinuloidea gracilis, lined with quartz crystals in a carbonate matrix in what appears to be a breccia/wackestone. Rock sample on right shows euhedral quartz crystals growing out of carbonate matrix. Both samples were taken from same area in the Edwards formation, Balcones Fault Zone, Hays Co, TX .
December 1, 2023 at 6:03 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Because by far & away use of preferred names and pronouns is biggest problem Texas residents & rest of the US faces.🤦🏻‍♀️

H/t @tiffanyclay.dev for discovering Ted Cruz’ latest inanity he wishes to inflict upon the rest of us, again proving Ted doesn’t think things thru nor possess an analytical mind.
Image from San Antonio Express-News newspaper consisting of an announcement with accompanying portrait photo, “Sen. Rafael Edward Cruz, who uses the preferred name Ted, has introduced a bill to limit the use of preferred names and pronouns.”
December 1, 2023 at 10:07 AM
texgeo.bsky.social
Such a great win for gender parity in a short period of time. Gender parity can happen in just a few years IF the will and desire to give women equal positions of power exists. That’s key: universities have to sincerely want gender equality, not phony make-believe.

www.science.org/content/arti...
November 28, 2023 at 3:14 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Just under the wire for #FossilFriday: quartz & calcite xtl-lined molds of Cretaceous fossils that need further study to be properly ID’ed.
From the Balcones Fault Zone of central Hays Co, Texas ⚒️ #geosciences
Top of photo appears to be lengthwise x-sec of fossil mold while Bottom of photo appears to be x-sec mold of same fossil but x-section is horizontal slice from vertically oriented fossil.
November 18, 2023 at 12:55 AM
texgeo.bsky.social
Absolutely blistering article by The Lancet editor, Richard Horton, about the inevitable outcome of science by non-scientists in committee, popular vote and political decisions, all rolled into one, big, global pandemic.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Excerpt from The Lancet editor, Richard Horton's, blistering review of British PM Boris Johnson's disastrous handling of 2020 pandemic. Excerpt read, "A former minister for health in England wrote to me that “The COVID-19 inquiry will make us the laughing stock in the eyes of the world.” But it is worse than that. The level of criminal incompetence exposed by recent witnesses to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, has proven that many, if not most, of over 230 000 deaths were preventable. Amid the claims of extreme misogyny, profanity, and chaos that litter the evidence is a story of complete government breakdown."
November 10, 2023 at 8:24 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Anybody care to say what happened to George Veni and why NCKRI is looking for a new Executive Director? Unlike Daniel Jones presumption, I do not know why Carlsbad Caverns has lost its long time director but am curious as to why such a prominent Edwards Aquifer karst researcher left. ⚒️
November 9, 2023 at 1:59 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
NSF wants to buck trend of male sexual aggression & violence in field work. 95% of women report being sexually harassed, too afraid to report lest they be run off & perpetrator handed promotion. Exploitable women exist cuz men want it that way @profanavc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/s...
November 7, 2023 at 5:40 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
dos chumbera acuarela más
November 6, 2023 at 1:51 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Scenes from Balcones Fault Zone field check w/San Antonio USGS Field Geologist Allan Clark. I could wait till Fault-n-Fossil Friday but why? This is Central Texas/Hill Country geology at its finest, imo.
Classic Austin Chalk ammonite, found along dry creek years ago & kept as prized found-rock by property owners. Another Central Texas classic that is disappearing with urban development: Spring fed sink hole in the stratified Edwards Limestone, showing different facies. Prominent is intensely Thalassinoides-burrowed mudstone, seen as boulder that spans width of creek, an erosional block, weathered out from higher in section - middle of creek, background. Rare surface trace of a hard-to-spot (minor) Balcones Fault cross-fault, normal to the main BFZ’s northeast-southwest trend. The yellow chalky marl running down center of photo is fault gauge. Fault appears to originate from plane, normal to yellow fault gauge, visible in center of photograph, where geologist is bent over, examining the fault contact. This is interpreted as the formation of a ramp structure, common in the BFZ. The left and right sides of yellow fault gauge, ie, the opposing sides of fault, are from Edwards formation, showing little lithologic differentiation. Without further field work (no time today) it is not possible to say which side is hanging wall and which is footwall. Calcite crystals showing what is believed to be calcite twining, not usually observed at macroscopic scale. Length of compass is pointed North (left). Crystals appear to show record of stress and strains that have beset the area at the time of crystal formation, which is unknown.
November 1, 2023 at 1:34 AM
texgeo.bsky.social
Quote skeet with a picture of street graffiti from your phone.

Uhm, I live in rural, central Texas. Does this yard sign (surely viewed as graffiti in Texas these days) count?
Suburban single-family house with sign in front that reads “I used to be Republican but never again”
October 26, 2023 at 4:19 AM
texgeo.bsky.social
Reskeet with one of your favorite albums from your high school days.
October 22, 2023 at 8:23 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
@mikekling9.bsky.social has the perfect rejoinder for many occasions in this crazy world we find ourselves inhabiting...
Text image reads: What (and I can't stress this enough) the Fuck
October 22, 2023 at 5:36 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Calcite crystal textures are amazing! A change of perspective can give different look to same crystals. Samples from field area in midst of Balcones Fault Zone, Texas. Looked at one way, the textures seem botryoidal; examined from another angle the bladed, individual xtl structure becomes visible.
From Edwards Formation, Central Hays Co, Texas showing approximately 6” x 8” sample, covered with individual bladed calcite crystals that also expose botryoidal textures. This sample also shows small classic “dogtooth” spar calcite crystals. From Edwards Formation, Central Hays Co, Texas showing approximately 6” x 8” sample, covered with individual bladed calcite crystals that also expose botryoidal textures. This view shows what is typically seen in botryoidal growth structures: crystals collectively terminate with an appearance of rounded balls of small rhombs of calcite crystals. From Edwards Formation, Central Hays Co, Texas showing approximately 6” x 8” sample, covered with individual bladed calcite crystals that also expose botryoidal textures. More closely examined with a side view into the interior of the rock sample, you can see the how the individual calcite xtl blades terminate into a collective rounded botryoidal structure. These crystals also appear to have been smoothed over by running stream/rainfall water.
October 22, 2023 at 4:13 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
Shout out to anyone knowledgeable about @bsky.app When wanting to create a multi-post thread, is it better to 1) respond to your original post, so that all subsequent posts show up in a single thread w/20+ posts? Or 2) should I respond to proceeding post, creating tier of posts for single thread?
Graphic image displaying two possible methods of creating multi-post threads on BlueSky. “Shout out to anyone knowledgeable about @bsky.app When wanting to create a multi-post thread, is it better to 1) respond to your original post, so that all subsequent posts show up in a single thread w/25+ posts? Or 2) should I individually respond to proceeding post, creating tier of threads?”
October 21, 2023 at 8:18 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
I am fascinated by the rillenkarren structures made of the eroding burrows. The closer I get to fault plane, the more dramatic the rillenkarren becomes. I’m told it’s not a fault-related feature but I think that’s a good project to explore: the relationship between the faults & rillenkarren textures
October 20, 2023 at 11:51 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
It’s #FossilFriday so let’s hear it for the ichnofossils. Thalassinoides from the Cretaceous Edwards Formation, Hays Co., TX. The yellow tape on R is pointing due South. The distance shot shows how the burrows are being eroded out of the slope. Main splay of Balcones FZ behind me ~35m. #Paleosky ⚒️
October 20, 2023 at 8:49 PM
texgeo.bsky.social
@seismatters.bsky.social looks like you’ve gotten folks attention with your letter-well done! www.science.org/content/arti...
White woman speaking at a podium. Photo caption reads: Michelle Donelan, the United Kingdom’s science minister, vowed to “kick woke ideology out of science” at a 3 October Conservative Party conference.CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES
October 18, 2023 at 1:35 PM