A research expedition took place this summer 2016 at the Great Salt Lake in Utah (USA), leaded by Anneleen Foubert and Jean-Charles Schaegis from the University of Fribourg; Peter Homewood and Monique Mettraux Homewood from GeoSolutions TRD SAS (Pau, France); and Michael Van Den Berg from Utah Geological Survey. These sedimentologists teamed up to describe fossil and recent microbialite, carbonate mounds along the Great Salt Lake shore. Gathering sample specimen for laboratory analysis and drone images for 3D modelling, this study will give more insights in the understanding of the lake level fluctuation and the biotic/abiotic parameters controlling the carbonate precipitation in a hypersaline lake system associated with spring waters.

By: Jean-Charles Schaegis.