Citation by Richard Tollo
Scott Southworth forged a productive career over several decades at the U.S. Geological Survey during which he contributed a stream of perceptive geologic maps while also creating numerous opportunities for students and other geoscientists to undertake similar mapping projects in a regional effort that produced what was arguably the most scientifically productive episode of intellectual growth in the Blue Ridge province. Reflecting is characteristic belief in the efficacy of integrated geologic studies, Scott typically worked in tandem with researchers from academia and other agencies, bolstering their efforts with his own indefatigable mapping of geological relations in quadrangles located both in the high standing Blue Ridge and in the low country surrounding the prominent Blue Ridge mountains. His tireless dedication is perhaps best exemplified by the steadfast efforts he devoted one fall to deciphering the basement-cover contact throughout the entire expanse of Shenandoah National Park.
Scott began his career at the USGS with a focus on geologic mapping. An especially noteworthy accomplishment during this early period, and a series of accomplishments for which he remains frequently recognized amongst the Appalachian geologic community, included his geologic mapping studies of the structurally important Harpers Ferry area in the northern Blue Ridge, producing findings that are still frequently cited decades later. His study of this structurally complicated region provided critical information bearing on the style of deformation that would prove to be insightful to future studies of both the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge provinces. Moreover, his studies provided critical information regarding the structural transition between the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge provinces, providing a mechanical basis for modelling the evolution of thrust-fault dynamics in this compressionally deformed area of the classic fold-and-thrust Appalachian Mountain belt.
Continuing his efforts to provide detailed geologic data for the then geologically under-appreciated Blue Ridge, Scott personally compiled the necessary field data and ultimately oversaw publication of a west-to-east transect across the mountains based on detailed field mapping that he and others completed along the course of the Potomac River and its tributaries. This unique and informative transect has since become a touchstone for the geology of the Virginia-Maryland-District of Columbia area that is often employed by other geologists and agencies for geologic outreach, education, and research purposes. There is no better resource to illustrate regional relationships in the core of the Blue Ridge anticlinorium, the dominant basement-cover structure in the region.
Scott would go on to carry out and support mapping of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway which connects the two national parks, and numerous adjoining quadrangles in the rapidly developing suburbs of northern Virginia, producing with colleagues award-winning outreach efforts in the Smokeys. Working with only limited financial support, Scott drove the long round trip from the Washington Metropolitan area to the Smokeys alone many times, amassing hundreds of hours of travel time. Throughout the duration of the project, Scott worked alone in the rugged terrain more often than not while compiling the first update to the regional geology based on detailed mapping of the area in decades.
One of the most admirable aspects of Scott's career is his uncanny devotion to finishing projects and publishing the results in useable forms for the public and other users, creating an impressive array of geologic maps pertaining to: (1) the Harpers Ferry region (3 maps), (2) Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac River Corridor (Appalachian transect plus 2 maps), (3) 1:24,000 scale maps of the Blue Ridge core (10 maps), (4) Great Smoky Mountains National Park (8 maps), (5) applied geologic and environmental applications (5 maps); and (6) Mount Rogers area (1 map, in preparation). Considered together, the maps convey an unprecedented, enormous amount of geological information, and collectively represent an unequalled contribution to the geology of this often-overlooked area.
Perhaps his greatest and most long-lasting contribution, however, is his innovative focus on integrated geological studies of these areas as illustrated by his encouragement of detailed petrologic, geochemical, and geochronologic investigations to augment the geologic mapping of the mostly Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic meta-igneous and locally meta-sedimentary lithologies which underlie most of the national parks, Blue Ridge Parkway, and neighboring areas. Such multidisciplinary studies provided deeper insight into the dominantly qualitative map relations and led to international recognition of the importance of a previously unrecognized Precambrian province containing an unusual concentration of heretofore unappreciated, widespread charnockites, establishing the Blue Ridge province of Virginia and North Carolina as noteworthy among other well-known areas characterized by such rare, petrologically distinctive rocks. Collectively, nearly 50 scientific papers were published during the past 30 years on Blue Ridge Geology, nearly all of these involving results from detailed geologic mapping and ancillary petrologic-geochronologic investigations. Scott is a contributing author on 37 papers and the primary source of inspiration for nearly all which undoubtedly benefitted from the support and encouragement which regularly emanated from him. It is difficult to think of anyone who has had such as markedly positive effect on the geologists who populate and work in this part of the world, and on the research that they jointly produced.
Response by Scott Southworth
I sincerely thank Richard Tollo for nominating me and the letters of support from GSA Fellows David Brezinski, Bill Burton, and Arthur Merschat, as well as Chuck Bailey and the 6 members of the Council who kindly devoted the time and effort. I greatly acknowledge the support and field assistance of Donna, Gabby, Stud, Shiner, and Daisy.
I studied the “Florence Bascom papers” at Bryn Mawr College, PA, the collection of her USGS field maps, notebooks, and photographs from 1862-1938. I was most fortunate to trace the footsteps of her student Anna Jonas, a prolific mapper for USGS from 1930-1954. She married George Stose, the esteemed geologic map editor and mapper to save per diem expenses. Drs. Bascom and Jonas Stose were experts on the Blue Ridge province and adjacent Piedmont, using poor base maps and transportation by horse and buggy and Model T’s which took them from PA south to GA.
I was very fortunate to have worked for the Branch of Eastern Regional Geology who took great pride in mapping 1:24,000-scale Geologic Quadrangles (GQ’s). Key outcrops and geochronology provided regional 1:100,000-scale maps that conveyed a much more in-depth story.
My early mapping was in the Valley and Ridge fold/thrust belt of the Central Appalachians of VA/WVA studying late Paleozoic strata and structures, Cenozoic bedrock landslides, and Eocene bi-modal volcanic rocks. I was then introduced to the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic wonders of the Blue Ridge and the adjacent “offshore” western Piedmont.
USGS geologists paramount to our success include; (1) Keith, Bascom, and Jonas, (2) Mentors Lyttle, Drake, Froelich, Newell, Quick, Rankin, Ratcliffe, Schultz, Worl, and Zen; (3) Brothers in arms Brezinski, Burton, Carter, and Merschat; (4) U-Pb geochronologists Aleinikoff, Holm-Denoma, Johnson, and Satkoski, and (5) the map production team comprised of GIS specialists Chirico and Mathieux, a minimum of 3 technical reviewers per map, and editors Estabrook, Koozmin, and Stettner. The high-quality printed maps, PDF’s, databases, and texts are all accessible on “MapView” by Soller.
Our Appalachian Blue Ridge Project was funded by the FEDMAP part of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. Real workers were NAGT students and EDMAP grants to University Teams; George Washington (Tollo), Indiana (Wintsch), Kentucky (Moecher), Maryland (Martin), Syracuse (Sampson), Tennessee (Hatcher), Vermont (Bierman), Washington State (Vervoort) and William and Mary (Bailey). At least 6 students received their PhD’s and currently work for USGS. Many Volunteers for Science kept a close watch over me.
As a young boy I lived on Coastal Plain KT gravels above late Paleozoic granitoids exposed in the creeks. I found Miocene megalodon shark teeth on a beach that were eroded from the adjacent cliffs of uplifted marine strata. Native American quartzite spear heads, black “flint” from the Cliffs of Dover, and colonial pipe stems made from kaolinite, were abundant here between the birthplaces of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. My great grandfathers were foremen of the Arminius gold mine in Mineral, VA, and the Bumpass Station, C&O Central VA rail line that transported iron and Carboniferous coal from the Plateau east to Tidewater.
My passion for Appalachian geology started while attending college in the Shenandoah Valley, with views of the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge provinces. Paleozoic marine fossils, deformed rocks, archeological excavations, and Landsat images motivated me to learn more. A Seminar by Tom Gathright sparked me; “THAT is what I want to do!”. As part of a co-op with NPS, I later made geologic maps Great Smoky Mountains (NC/TN), Shenandoah (VA), Blue Ridge Parkway (VA), as well as the 7 units of the National Capital Region (DC/VA/MD/WVA).
Like Bascom, I did “digital mapping” by holding color pencils and India ink rapidograph pens on waterproof paper topographic maps. Notes and colored sketches filled field books. The early paradigm was “you cannot get funded to make geologic maps”, further corrupted by the push for quantity versus quality of maps. Our goal: Do not use jargon, instead “Plain geology” (Director G.O. Smith, 1921). Puzzling is that Editors of modern Journal publications avoid having experts in the rocks review maps and papers prior to publication.
Geologic mapping is fun: walking up hills and down creeks and slowly driving every road in as many as 6 States. Mapping is one of the most physically challenging and intellectually stimulating scientific pursuits. My rock collection reminds me daily of the dumb luck that led to the wonderful days in the woods. To the younger generation, don’t worry. There will always be the need for geologic mapping.