Where on (Google) Earth #21?
posted in Geology, Google Earth, Virtual Globes, Where on (Google) Earth? |Holy mackerel! Brian goes on vacation and the Where on (Google) Earth? series makes the jump to light speed. We’re gonna double (triple?) his number of WoGE posts before he gets back if we keep up this pace. Yikes!
I don’t know if this one will slow things down, but having “dune” away with Yami’s WoGE #20 I suppose it’s up to me to try to stump you all again with #21. Given how fast Dr. Lemming dispatched with my last “stumper” I’m not overly optimistic about slowing this train down.
So with no further ado, here’s Where on (Google) Earth #21:
No more mister nice guy oblique images to help you out this time, Dr. Lemming. 
There are however, bonus points available for explaining how the missing vegetation is related to the geology of the region. Super bonus points for illustrating your answer with photos/figures. (By the way, the super bonus points on WoGE #16 are still unclaimed!)
Finally, at Brian’s suggestion I’m working on a Google Earth network link that compiles the results of all previous (and future) WoGE posts. You’ll find it here: http://ron.outcrop.org/kml/WoGE.kmz (Under Construction – currently just a folder, not a network link – reload for updates).
48º03′N 84º43′W
I’m sad to say I don’t know the answer for the bonus points…
Now I’ll see if I can find one that will last more than a few hours!
Well, here you are:
http://trexeatsfish.blogspot.com/2007/06/where-on-google-earth-22.html
My best guess for the lack of vegetation is that the area has more than a hundred years history of mining (in particular the Helen iron mine) and that, particularly in the early 20th century, the processing plants used a lot of timber! Merely a guess – certainly landscapes around turn-of-the-century mines down here in Australia are denuded for that reason.
Your explanation is on the right track, Kent. I’ll elaborate with photos in a couple of days if nobody else does a better job first. Look for WoGE #23 on my blog Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
It could be air pollution-related treekill, aka Palmerton PA.