Introductory Courses and Courses for Non-concentrators

GEOSCI 100-115 and 170 are short (half-term) courses. They consist of detailed examinations of restricted geologic topics. The department lists the specific courses from this series in the Schedule of Classes for the terms they are offered (fall and winter terms only). Each course, when offered, meets twice weekly for half of the term (first half or second half), and the specific dates for each course are printed in the Schedule of Classes. These courses are designed primarily for students with no prior geologic training and they are open to all interested persons. GEOSCI 100-115 and 170 are offered on the graded pattern (optional pass/fail).

Waitlist and Permission Policies

As required by LSA, all Geological Sciences (GEOSCI) undergraduate courses will have electronic waitlists in effect at the beginning of registration. Students interested in enrolling in a course that has filled should add their name to the appropriate waitlist through the on-line registration system in Wolverine Access. A waitlist number will appear on the student’s schedule indicating their sequential spot on the electronic waitlist. However, priority on the waitlist is determined not by sequential order but by the Department policies listed below.

Waitlist Priorities in 100 and 200 level courses:

1. Sophomores, including those with Junior class standing due to Advanced Placement credit
2. Freshmen
3. Juniors
4. Seniors

Waitlist Priorities in 300 and 400 level courses:

1. Senior concentrators
2. Junior concentrators
3. Sophomore concentrators
4. All other undergraduate students in order of sequence on the waitlist who have fulfilled the appropriate prerequisite

Permission Procedures

From the first day of registration until the last business day before the first day of classes, GEOSCI staff will issue permissions to students on each waitlist as seats open using the priority classifications listed above. Once the term begins, enrollment in all GEOSCI classes is by permission of faculty only. Permissions are issued within 24 hours of GEOSCI staff receiving an email from the faculty instructor.

It is recommended that faculty do not issue permissions until after a class has met two times. For seminar or lecture courses, students should attend the first two seminars or lectures of the course. For lecture courses with discussion and/or lab sections, students should attend the first two lectures and one discussion and/or lab section of the course. Faculty instructors can request registered students to be administratively dropped from a course if they fail to attend the first two class meetings as described above.

Students offered permission will receive an e-mail with registration information from Wolverine Access. Permissions will be valid for 3 days and will expire at midnight on the third day (which includes weekends). Failure to use the permission within the 3 day time frame will result in being administratively dropped from the waitlist. After receiving permission, students must add the class via Wolverine Access to become officially enrolled. Also, students will not be able to register for the course (add the course) until they are issued permission and have dropped themselves from the waitlist. In all cases, it is the student’s responsibility to insure he or she is properly enrolled in, or dropped from, a course.

Students and Faculty should be advised of the following

• As soon as a class with a waitlist closes and a student gets on the waitlist, the class does not open if seats are added or if a student drops the class, as long as there is at least one person on the waitlist.
• A student can only waitlist for one section of a multi-component course.
• A student enrolled in one section of a multi-component course cannot waitlist for another section in the same association.
• Permission to enroll in a class is entirely at the discretion of the faculty instructor.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 156.

Coral Reefs is an in-depth tour of the biological and physical processes active in modern reef systems to provide a detailed understanding of the ecology of the individual organisms and the complex nature of their interactions within the reef community. Evolution of the reef community is examined, ranging from the crude framework structures formed over one billion years ago by primitive algae to luxuriant and diversified reefs of the modern-day oceans. The implications of man's intervention in the Earth's hydrosphere and atmosphere on the character of future reef communities are also considered.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 205 or 146.

The seemingly stable land masses of the world are in motion. Continental collision and fragmentation are only a few of the attendant processes associated with these motions. This course deals with the modern concept of plate tectonics and continental drift, the processes, and the products of this dynamic system.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 125.

Anatomical and behavioral characteristics of living primates are reviewed, and the fossil record is used to document the course of human evolution through the past 60 million years. Students will understand how a paleontologist approaches primate and human history through geological time. No special background is required. Students seeking a more detailed course with laboratory exercises may follow this with GEOSCI 438 (Evolution of the Primates). Course consists of 12 lectures, and a one-hour final examination.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 125.

Anatomical and behavioral characteristics of living primates are reviewed, and the fossil record is used to document the course of human evolution through the past 60 million years. Students will understand how a paleontologist approaches primate and human history through geological time. No special background is required. Students seeking a more detailed course with laboratory exercises may follow this with GEOSCI 438 (Evolution of the Primates). Course consists of 12 lectures, and a one-hour final examination.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 205, 146, or 147.

The Earth in action; geography of earthquakes and volcanoes and catastrophic events in historic times; size and frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; the products of volcanism, volcanic rocks, and volcanic and geologic activity through geologic time; volcanic exhalations and the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans; the relationship of earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics and the internal dynamics of the Earth; and volcanism and geothermal energy, man-made earthquakes, and earthquake prediction and control.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 205, 146, or 147.

The Earth in action; geography of earthquakes and volcanoes and catastrophic events in historic times; size and frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; the products of volcanism, volcanic rocks, and volcanic and geologic activity through geologic time; volcanic exhalations and the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans; the relationship of earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics and the internal dynamics of the Earth; and volcanism and geothermal energy, man-made earthquakes, and earthquake prediction and control.

Credit Exclusions: No credit earned by students enrolled in or who have completed GEOSCI 147.

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, floods, hurricanes, and tornados, can lead to thousands of fatalities and billions of dollars in economic damage. This course explores the science behind natural disasters, concentrating on our ability, or inability, to predict them, and how this affects public perception and policy. The course also addresses how natural disasters can lead to changes in both science and public policy.

Crs Requirements: Course grade will be based on 1 final exam.

Intended Audience: A broad spectrum of undergraduate students interested in understanding science behind preparation for natural disasters and the role of science in policy related to natural disaster preparation, mitigation, and response.

Class Format: Minicourse. One-hour lectures twice weekly during half of Fall or Winter term, or two-hour lectures twice weekly during half of Spring or Summer half-term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 206.

Presents an overview of problems encountered through the unwise use of water resources and the resultant impact on society through the analysis of case studies. An introduction to the hydrological cycle and principles of surface and groundwater hydrology is provided.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 218).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Geology. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.

Students who register for GEOSCI 118 must also be enrolled in GEOSCI 119 or they must have taken 119 in an earlier academic term.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted if completed or enrolled in GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, 120. No credit granted if completed both GEOSCI 205 AND GEOSCI/ENVIRON 206. Only 3 credits with GEOSCI 205 or GEOSCI/ENVIRON 206.

GEOSCI 119 is a basic single-term course in introductory geology concentrating on the evolution of the Earth in physical and chemical terms. Reference to the interaction of the external biosphere—atmosphere—hydrosphere with the Earth's interior is an essential component of the course.

Topics covered include:

• plate tectonics: continental collision and fragmentation
• tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes
• evolution and extinction: dinosaurs and the fossil record
• glaciers, global warming, and climate change
• geologic time

Lectures three hours per week. A separate discussion section for one hour each week is scheduled for review and discussion of topics covered in class.

To also enroll in the Introductory Geology Laboratory, register for any section of GEOSCI 118. The GEOSCI 118 laboratory provides a practical study of minerals, rocks, fossils, and geologic maps. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in both GEOSCI 119 and 118, since the lab sessions complement the lectures and discussions.

Note: GEOSCI 119 plus 118 replaces GEOSCI 117.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Earth: Portrait of a Planet, by Marshak, third edition, W.W. Norton & Company, New York. ISBN: 0-393-93036-X

Credit Exclusions: No credit if completed GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 119, or both GEOSCI 205 AND GEOSCI/ENVIRON 206. Only 3 credits with GEOSCI 205 or GEOSCI/ENVIRON 206.

This course approaches Earth history by examining the geology of places rather than by taking a process approach. It is designed for all interested undergraduates at the University of Michigan. The course format consists of three lectures each week and one two-hour demonstration-laboratory period, for four credits. Lecture material deals with the geologic history of selected national parks and monuments, which are chosen and scheduled so that those in which the oldest rocks are exposed (thus relating to the earliest portions of Earth history) are covered first. In so doing, we cover Earth history in a temporal progression, but do so by discussing different geographic areas. The demonstration-laboratory portion of the course will give you first-hand experience with rocks, minerals, and fossils; and an opportunity to discuss these in small groups.

Text: Parks and Plates: The Geology of Our National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores by Robert J. Lillie ISBN: 0393924076 W.W. Norton & Company

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in AOSS 202.

This course provides an introduction to the physics of extreme weather events. The course uses weather disasters and threats to illustrate the physical laws governing the atmosphere.

We examine solar eruptions, ice ages, climate change, monsoons, El Niño, hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves, thunderstorms, lightning, hail, tornados, and other extreme atmospheric events to illustrate the basic physical laws that produce these events. Participants are expected to apply these principles to a series of homework assignments including hands-on weather forecasting and analysis of storm events.

1. An on-line subscription to XamPREP: Essentials of Meteorology by C. Donald Ahrens with
2. (Optionally) A hard-copy version of Essentials of Meteorology by C. Donald Ahrens (it's redundant but some really prefer to also have the traditional paper copy), and
3. A copy of Extreme Weather by Chris Burt.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in AOSS 202.

Provides an introduction to the physics of extreme weather events. This course uses examples of thunderstorms, jet stream, floods, lake-effect snowstorms, lightning, thunder, hail, hurricanes, and tornados to illustrate the physical laws governing the atmosphere.

Credit Exclusions: Those with credit for GEOSCI 106 may only elect GEOSCI 125 for 2 credits.

The course examines the concepts of evolution and extinction, stressing the role that the fossil record has played in their development. The broad patterns in history of life are presented starting with earliest evidence of life on earth. Basic geological principles necessary for reconstructing earth history are introduced. Readings are drawn from a variety of sources, including primary scientific literature.

Requirements: attendance in lectures, discussion sections; readings; several short writing assignments; exams.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed three of GEOSCI 105, 107, and 205. Those with credit for one of GEOSCI 105 and 107 may only elect GEOSCI 146 for two credits. Those with credit for GEOSCI 205, or both GEOSCI 105 and 107, may only elect GEOSCI 146 for one credit.

Two hundred million years ago the Earth's continents were joined together to form one gigantic super-continent, called Pangea. Plate tectonic forces broke Pangea apart and caused the continents to drift. We study the evidence for plate tectonics and the large-scale dynamics of the Earth's interior that is responsible for mountain building, earthquakes faulting, volcanic eruptions, changes in Earth's magnetic field and much more.

The course involves three hours of weekly meeting time and selected reading material. No background in Earth science is necessary. Evaluation is based on class participation, three exams, a series of student presentations on selected topics and written essays on the same subject.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 284. Those with credit for GEOSCI 109 may only elect GEOSCI 148 for 2 credits.

This seminar will focus on a wide spectrum of possible interactions between people and their physical environment. Fundamental principles important to the study of environmental geology will be presented followed by readings of case histories and discussions of selected environmental problems, in particular those of anthropogenic origin. Examples of topics discussed include issues related to global warming, energy (fossil fuels, nuclear energy), water resources (impacts of excessive groundwater withdrawal, allocation of surface water rights), radioactive waste disposal, and geological aspects of environmental health.

One of the most dramatic developments in the sciences is the suggestion that a meteorite impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. This controversial idea is one of many that will be addressed in this course, which deals broadly with the evolution and extinction of life on Earth. After an overview of the history of life, we will examine high-profile debates on whether major evolutionary events and mass extinctions occur gradually or catastrophically, whether dinosaurs are really extinct, and other topics.

Three books are required:

Title: On the Origin of Species
Author: Darwin, Charles
ISBN: 0140432051

Title: Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?
Author: Raup, David
ISBN: 0393309274

Title: The Meaning of Fossils
Author: Rudwick, Martin
ISBN: 0226731030

Survey of oceanography and the resources of the ocean. Consideration of conflicts arising from overexploitation and competing uses of the ocean and its resources.

Credit Exclusions: Credit is granted for a combined total of 17 credits elected in introductory biology.

Every day, millions of human and natural activities are altering the planet on which we live. Over the past century, through our ever-increasing population and mastery of technology, we have been changing the global environment at a pace unknown to natural history.

The University of Michigan Global Change Program offers an interdisciplinary, introductory course sequence which investigates the causes and potential impacts of these changes using a combination of traditional lecture-based and modern web-based teaching methodologies. The Fall Academic Term course deals with issues relating to the physical, chemical, and biological cycles contributing to Global Change. Students apply learned knowledge by using spreadsheet and systems modeling software to investigate the dynamics of natural systems.

The Web-based course curriculum provides unparalleled opportunities to conduct on-line Internet research. In fact, you will create your own web-based poster on a topic of your choosing. The interactive laboratory exercises provide you the opportunity to use computers to examine how natural systems function as well as develop projections of the future consequences of changes in the environment. And, perhaps most important of all, you will have ample time for discussion of the critical issues in human development and how they relate to the international business community, global economics, society as a whole and the individual. All topics are developed in a manner that students will find both accessible and enjoyable. The course grade is based on two midterm exams, a final exam, completion of laboratory modules, and a course project based on some aspect of global change. There are no prerequisites for the course and no science background is assumed. The course is appropriate for all undergraduate students, irrespective of intended concentration, and is the first of a series of courses that can be taken as part of the Global Change Minor.

You will discuss...

• Current and Projected Global Change
• The Role of the Individual as a Citizen of the Planet
• Case Studies of Regional and Global Change Issues
  

You will create...

• Models of Interacting Systems that Give Insight into the Collision Between Natural and Societal Processes
• A Web-based Poster on a Related Topic of Your Choice
  

Topics that are covered ......

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 144. Students who have completed GEOSCI 331 will receive only 3 credits.

This introduction to physical geography emphasizes the nature and dynamics of the Earth system including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and solid earth, and their interactions. Topics include seasons, heat balance, global warming, ozone destruction and circulation, moisture, precipitation, clouds, groundwater, ocean circulation, waves and tides, plate tectonics, landform evolution and soil development, the biosphere, climate evolution, and global change.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 116, 117, 119, 120, or 146. No credit granted to those who have completed both GEOSCI 105 and 107. Those with credit for one of GEOSCI 105 and 107 may only elect GEOSCI 205 for 1 credit.

An integrated look at the dynamic Earth, with an emphasis on processes involved in its formation 4.56 billion years ago, the early development of its atmosphere, oceans and crust, and the subsequent evolution of its continents and ocean basins.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI/ENVIRON 116, 117, 119, or 120. Those with credit for GEOSCI 109 may only elect GEOSCI/ENVIRON 206 for 1 credit.

This course describes behavior of earth materials in the surficial environment. Water is the main transport agent in the geological cycle; its unique properties and exchange rates among oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater are one focus. Interaction between water reservoirs and physical and chemical weathering of soils, sediments, and rocks also are discussed. Impact of humans on the surficial environment is a unifying theme because we can affect hydrologic and geochemical cycles. No special background required. Two lectures per week. Evaluation based on exams and participation.

REQUIRED TEXT: The Blue Planet, by Skinner, Porter & Botkin.

The modern Earth Sciences are in the middle of some of the hottest debates in science on topics such as climate, global change, natural hazards, water and resources, evolution and origin of life, and the future of our planet. The Geological Sciences Department hosts an endowed Smith Lecture Series in which earth scientists from many research areas around the world share their latest work on these topics. Seminar participants will attend the lectures, read the posted topical articles, and post a weblog entry each week discussing new earth science insights gained from hearing the lecture and the effectiveness of the speaker in communicating these points.

GEOSCI 208 covers the entire range of research in the department. Lectures include the latest research and analysis of important issues in the field, and students work on understanding these issues during class. Nor prerequisites are required, and students throughout the College are welcome.

Intended audience: Undergraduates interested in Earth sciences and the environment.

Course Requirements: Attendance at both the weekly Smith Lecture and preceding seminar is mandatory. Grade is based on weekly attendance, participation in discussion sessions, and weblog entries.

Class Format: Meets for one hour before lecture, then for the Smith Lecture.

This minicourse has no textbook since the lecture topics vary from term to term, but students read papers each week written by the speaker and others on the topic of the week; these are posted online by the instructor.

This class is intended to provide students throughout LSA and the University of Michigan as a whole with the opportunity to be exposed to a diversity of Earth Science-related issues. By providing young students with the opportunity to work together with the instructor and her research group members in real, on-going research problems, the instructor hopes to interest students in concentrating in Earth Sciences. Since this unique, research-oriented class will require a great deal of dedication and attention given to the students, the initial enrollment cap will be set at 10.

This course will provide students with a new, unique opportunity to learn and, more importantly, directly participate in scientific discovery. Identifying problems to be addressed, collecting and analyzing data, testing hypotheses, reaching potential conclusions, and writing the prototype of a scientific paper will be integral parts of this class. Students will choose a topic of their interest among the on-going research projects of the instructor’s research group. These research topics are multi-disciplinary and call upon expertise within the fields of mantle geochemistry, tectonics, hydrology, and paleoclimatology. These topics address fundamental research questions and are at the cutting-edge of research topics in Earth Sciences (e.g., the helium-heat paradox problem, information on the Earth’s evolution provided by lakes underneath glaciers in Antarctica, and reconstruction of past climate). Through this research experience students will also have access to state of the art equipment such as the Noble Gas Laboratory at the University of Michigan.

Intended audience: Undergraduate non-science students who have not declared a concentration.

Course Requirements: This class is meant to encourage an appreciation for science among non- science students. Students will be mentored in a way similar to that of graduate students. There will be no exam, with grades based entirely on research work and the paper that results from it.

Class Format: 4 hours per week, 2-hour lecture & 2-hour lab.

Intended Audience: Undergraduate non-science students who have not declared a concentration yet.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in AOSS 203.

This course explores the Earth's oceans using four primary sub-disciplines: geological, chemical, physical, and biological oceanography. Emphasis is on interdisciplinary study of the ocean system and its role in global change.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with GEOSCI 222. One two-hour lab each week.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with GEOSCI 222. One two-hour lab each week.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with GEOSCI 222. One two-hour lab each week.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with GEOSCI 222. One two-hour lab each week.

Credit Exclusions: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 431. Those with credit for GEOSCI 232 may elect GEOSCI 231 for only 2 credits.

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the nature, properties, structures, and modes of occurrence of minerals. The general features of the common rock-forming minerals are covered in lectures (3 hours per week). Topics that will be covered include an introduction to crystal chemistry, phase equilibria and crystallography, as well as the use of the SEM and XRD in characterizing solids. The principal rock-forming minerals such as sulfides, oxides, carbonates, garnets, olivines, pyroxenes, amphiboles, micas, and feldspars are individually reviewed with respect to properties, structures, genesis, and their natural associations. The laboratory (three hours per week) includes systematic study of the properties and associations of the common rock-forming minerals and the routine use of the polarizing microscope for mineral identifications. In early October, there is a required four-day field trip to Bancroft, Ontario. Students will each collect a rock-forming mineral and prepare a term paper on a study using different experimental (e.g., optics, XRD and SEM) and theoretical methods. This provides an independent research experience.

The grade is based on two midterms and a final exam, laboratory exercises, the term project, and class participation.

Required text: Mineral Science (23rd edition) by C. Klein & B. Dutrow. ISBN-10: 0471721573 ISBN-13: 978-0471721574. Note that an alternative book (e.g., Nesse, Putnis, Wenk, or Dyar) could be fine too but students should check with the instructor.

GEOSCI 231 is a prerequisite to the Geological Sciences concentration program in the Department of Geological Sciences.

Properties of sediments and their origin, transportation, deposition, lithification, and diagenesis followed by ecology and environmental analysis, paleoecology, facies analysis, and an introduction to stratigraphic methods and principles. Lectures, laboratory, and field trip.

Introduction to the physics and chemistry of Earth. Gravitational energy, radiative energy, Earth's energy budget, and Earth tectonics are discussed along with chemical evolution and biogeochemical cycles. The connections among the carbon cycle, silicate weathering, and the natural greenhouse effect are discussed.

GEOSCI 380 deals with mineral resource-related problems in a complex society. The course discusses the origin, distribution, and remaining supplies of oil, coal, uranium, copper, gold, diamonds, potash, sulfur, gravel, water, soil, and other important mineral resources in terms of the economic, engineering, political, and environmental factors that govern their recovery, processing, and use. Topics discussed in GEOSCI 380 include ore-forming processes, mineral exploration methods, mineral land access, strip mining, nuclear power, recycling, smelting methods, money and gold, mercury poisoning, and taxation vs. corporate profit. Three lectures and one discussion per week. Evaluation by means of quizzes, exercises, and a final exam.

Required text: A course pack is required, but no textbook.

No previous background in geology is necessary for this course.

Introduction to Earth System Modeling; discussion of energy balance models, carbon cycle models, and atmospheric chemistry models with multiple time scales; methods for numerical solution and practice building and analyzing results from models.

Instruction is directed toward how geochemical methods, such as stable isotope and trace element analysis, radioactive age dating, determination of phase relations of minerals and melts at low to high temperature and pressure, and computation of or experimentation on equilibria in the hydrosphere, hydrothermal solutions, and metamorphic and igneous systems, can unravel and provide insight into the origin and chemical evolution of the earth and its parts (core, mantle, crustal rocks).

Field Studies in Stratigraphy, Paleontology, and Sedimentology.

Focuses on global Earth system changes over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Major climatic events occurring over the last 60 million years and their interaction with biota, ocean, and atmospheric chemistry and sediments are examined.

This course provides an introduction to hydrogeology with particular emphasis to physical aspects. We will particularly focus on process and direct applications to geological settings. Problem solving is an important course component. The hydrologic cycle, physical rock framework, and properties of aquifer systems will be described and quantified. Groundwater flow and mass transport equations will be covered, as well as pump test design and analysis. Natural tracers and groundwater dating also will be discussed. An introduction to groundwater modeling with simulation of groundwater flow and mass transport will be provided.

Elastic properties of rocks, elastic waves, seismological instruments and data, use of body wave travel times, surface wave dispersion, and periods of free vibrations to infer the structure and composition of the earth's interior; earthquake intensity and magnitude scales; spatial, temporal, and magnitude distribution of earthquakes, earthquake source mechanisms, seismological contributions to understanding of earth dynamics and global tectonics, moonquakes, underground nuclear explosions and "man-made" earthquakes, and earthquake prediction and control. Lectures and laboratory.

Readings, discussions, and special work in geological sciences for undergraduate Honors students. May be taken as a one-term or two-term sequence with GEOSCI 490.

Readings, discussions, and special work in geological sciences for undergraduate Honors students. May be taken as a one-term or two-term sequence with GEOSCI 489.

The modern Earth Sciences are in the middle of some of the hottest debates in science on topics such as climate, global change, natural hazards, water and resources, evolution and origin of life, and the future of our planet. The Geological Sciences Department hosts an endowed Smith Lecture Series in which earth scientists from many research areas around the world share their latest work on these topics. Seminar participants attend the lectures, read the posted topical articles, and post a weblog entry each week discussing new earth science insights gained from hearing the lecture and the effectiveness of the speaker in communicating these points.

Meets for one hour before the lecture and then for the Smith Lecture each Friday afternoon of the term. Attendance at both the Smith Lecture and the preceding seminar is mandatory. Grade is based on weekly attendance, participation in discussion sessions, and weblog entries.

Research or special work in geological sciences for undergraduate or graduate students. May be taken as a one-term or two-term sequence with GEOSCI 499.

Research or special work in geological sciences for undergraduate or graduate students. May be taken as a one-term or two-term sequence with GEOSCI 498.

A course in general tectonics intended for entering graduate students in geology. It considers modern tectonic processes at plate boundaries and the geologic signatures of past large-scale tectonic events. Most of the present day plate boundaries lie beneath the sea, but ocean basins are relatively young features so it is the continents that preserve the long geologic record of past events. The course is subdivided into five segments: Introduction and theory development; processes at modern plate boundaries; evolution of new and old ocean basins; modern tectonic systems of the continents; and the geologic history of those systems. Students will be required to read and understand the geological literature, present oral reports, and write papers and research proposals.

This seminar includes presentations on current research by all active research faculty in the Department. It is required for all incoming graduate students.

A seminar on problems in Geological Sciences. Content varies by term and instructor.

A seminar on topics in quaternary geology or geomorphology. Content varies by term and instructor.

Topical or current research presentations by graduate students.

Topical or current research presentations by graduate students.

Topics in Stratigraphy, Paleontology, or Sedimentology for graduate students.