Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 156 or GEOSCI 156.

Coral Reefs Dynamics is an introductory course that examines the different components of this very important marine ecosystem. The biology and ecology of modern reefs are a central focus of the class, together with the evolution of the reef community and its composition over geologic time. The class also investigates the interaction between the major organisms living in association with coral reefs and the ways in which humans affects the reefs both directly and indirectly through climate change.

Class attendance is expected. The class will be offered in the new CCCB building in the Classroom in the Round.

Course Requirements:

Exams will be on Canvas, open for at least a full day. Weekly quizzes will be open for a full week on Canvas. Daily quizzes will be open for 24 hours every Tuesday and Thursday, on Canvas.

Class Format:

The class is entirely in-person, with attendance expected. 2 hrs of lecture time.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who completed or are enrolled in EARTH 150.

Some of the outstanding "failures" in evolutionary history also involve the most interesting success stories. This course explores the fossil record in order to shed light on the origin, rise, and fall of dinosaurs.

Course Requirements:

Final exam

Intended Audience:

All undergraduate students

Class Format:

Lecture

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 141.

This one-credit, half-term minicourse focuses on a few major geological and oceanographic concepts in a lecture setting while also exploring how these same processes are portrayed in popular feature films, both animated and not. This will allow students to learn to reflect critically on the use or misuse of scientific concepts in popular culture, specifically movies. Topics include surface and deep ocean circulation, glacial/interglacial cycles, Earth's internal structure, plate tectonics, volcanoes and earthquakes, coral reefs, life in the ocean, and climate change. A selection of movies that students will be required to watch outside of class time is: The day after tomorrow, The ice age, The core, San Andreas.

Course Requirements:

Weekly quizzes on Canvas.

Intended Audience:

All undergraduate students, no prior scientific knowledge is required.

Class Format:

Remote and asynchronous class. 2hrs lectures.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

Advisory Prerequisites:

No prior scientific knowledge is required.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 147 or GEOSCI 147.

Natural hazards, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes, can lead to thousands of fatalities and billions of dollars in economic damage. This course explores the science behind natural hazards, concentrating on our ability, or inability, to prepare for and mitigate the effects of them, and how this affects public perception and policy.

Course Requirements:

Quizzes will be run through Canvas, and will remain open for at least 24 hours to accommodate all students.
Lectures will use iclicker to encourage in-class participation.

Intended Audience:

All undergraduate students.

Class Format:

One hour lectures twice weekly during half of Winter term. The class will be taught synchronously in-person with classes recorded for those that prefer an asynchronous version of the class.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 222 or EARTH 222/ENVIRON 232.

EARTH 110 is a minicourse that explores the impacts of climate change on the world's oceans and the history of past oceanic life, events, and environments as recorded in seafloor sediments. Lectures address the nature and rate of past and modern (anthropogenic) perturbations to the physical, chemical, and biological state of the oceans.

Course Requirements:

Two exams, in person in class

Intended Audience:

All undergraduates.

Class Format:

2 hours of lecture weekly

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 417.

This minicourse focuses on environmental issues in the Great Lakes. Topics include the formation and geology of the Great Lakes, hydrology and dynamics of water levels, effect of invasive species on food webs and fisheries, and pollution, particularly the role of nutrients in causing toxic algal blooms.

Advisory Prerequisites:

No prior scientific knowledge is required.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GEOSCI 151 or EARTH 151.

Review of the science of global warming including global radiation balance, geochemistry of natural and anthropogenic greenhouse gases, climate feedbacks, and historical and geological records of climate change; summary of the impacts of climate change on natural and systems and society; and discussion of potential remediation methods and the politicization of global warming.

Course Requirements:

Quizzes and Exams will be run through Canvas, and will remain open for at least 24 hours to accommodate all students.

Advisory Prerequisites:

High School math, physics, and chemistry.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (EARTH/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 120).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Earth Science.

The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, maps, and data. Participants will learn to identify key minerals and rocks, use maps, and analyze topical datasets.

Course Requirements:

One midterm rocks/minerals quiz and weekly lab submissions.

Intended Audience:

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

Advisory Prerequisites:

Prior or concurrent enrollment in EARTH 119, or 205 and 206, or 284.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (EARTH/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 120).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Earth Science.

The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, maps, and data. Participants will learn to identify key minerals and rocks, use maps, and analyze topical datasets.

Course Requirements:

One midterm rocks/minerals quiz and weekly lab submissions.

Intended Audience:

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

Advisory Prerequisites:

Prior or concurrent enrollment in EARTH 119, or 205 and 206, or 284.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit if completed an introductory course in geology (EARTH/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 120).

A one-term laboratory course covering the laboratory portion of Introduction to Earth Science.

The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, maps, and data. Participants will learn to identify key minerals and rocks, use maps, and analyze topical datasets.

Course Requirements:

One midterm rocks/minerals quiz and weekly lab submissions.

Intended Audience:

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

Advisory Prerequisites:

Prior or concurrent enrollment in EARTH 119, or 205 and 206, or 284.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit if completed EARTH (GEOSCI)/ENVIRON 116, 117, or 119, or both EARTH (GEOSCI) 205 AND EARTH (GEOSCI)/ENVIRON 206. Only 3 credits with EARTH (GEOSCI) 205 or EARTH (GEOSCI)/ENVIRON 206.

This is an introductory course that uses the geoscience context of the National Parks (Hawaii, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Pt. Reyes, Death Valley, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountains, Glacier, Shenandoah, Puerto Rico, Isle Royale, and others) to explore the geological history of the Earth, and specifically the tectonic evolution of the North American continent.

Topics include plate tectonics of large continental units and smaller displaced terranes, global volcanism, large explosive volcanic eruptions, Earth’s depositional environments, the history of life (fossil record), meteorite impacts, earthquakes, mountain building, the origin of the Great Lakes, and records of extreme climate throughout Earth history.

Course Requirements:

Quizzes and exams will be run in Canvas, and will remain open for at least 24 hours to accommodate all students.

Intended Audience:

Students who: Are interested in a 4-credit hour introductory Earth science course with laboratory; need an intro lecture+lab course as a prerequisite for Program in the Environment; need an intro course as a prereq for a major in Earth and Environmental Sciences; have an interest in the outdoors, aim to be a park ranger, plan a grad tour of the American West, etc.

Class Format:

Lecture 3 hours weekly and a 2-hour lab. 

The physics, chemistry, and pre-calculus (algebraic) concepts of comprehensive Earth and planetary science will be covered for those students who feel less than fully prepared for existing college-level science classes. The course is aimed at students in need of a science course, particularly those who will not readily select more than one physical science course as undergraduates at UM. Weekly discussions by a GSI will complement and amplify the lectures. Extensive weekly homework (quantitative exercises) will form 40% of the grade, with the remaining 60% based on in-class exams, quizzes, and participation. Textbook: K.B. Krauskopf and A. Beiser, The Physical Universe, McGraw Hill, 10th ed. 2003

Course Requirements:

The midterms and quizzes will be held in the classroom.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

Advisory Prerequisites:

High-school algebra.

Students learn to use the Python programming language to read information, process data, and graph results from problems related to Earth and environmental processes. Through interactive classes, the course aims to develop students's programming skills building from basic competence to advanced scientific applications. The course also aims to increasing the quantitative skills of students by applying math to different problems.

Course Requirements:

There will be weekly reports/homeworks to demonstrate programming skills learn during lectures and labs.

Intended Audience:

Undergrads at any level with an interest in the use of Python for scientific purposes. Since programming skills can be applied to a wide variety of disciplines, students from any concentration in natural sciences are welcome.

Class Format:

5 weekly hours of combined lecture and lab.

Credit Exclusions:

Those with credit for GEOSCI 104 or EARTH 104 may only elect EARTH 151 for 2 credits.

EARTH 151 is a First Year Seminar that explores the Earth's climate system and how at times its various components operate to produce extensive ice sheets that cover large parts of the Earth's surface. The role of each of the major components of the climate system will be discussed in detail. These include ice sheets themselves, astronomical inputs, the oceans, the atmosphere, and plate tectonics. Reconstructions of past climatic conditions are presented and discussed in terms of how they were developed, what they can tell us about climatic extremes, and how they can be related with more rapid climate oscillations, particularly the climatic warming associated with the recent large increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Course Requirements:

This course is completely in-person.
Attendance is strongly encouraged.
Students will need to complete two class presentations and two exams.

Intended Audience:

First Year Seminar. ONLY first year undergraduates may register.

Class Format:

Class meets for 90 minutes twice weekly.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Enrollment restricted to first-year students, including those with sophomore standing.

Coral Reefs Dynamics examines the different components of this very important marine ecosystem. The biology and ecology of modern reefs are a central focus of the class, together with the evolution of the reef community and its composition over geologic time. The class also investigates the interaction between the major organisms living in association with coral reefs and the ways in which our species affects the reefs both directly and indirectly through climate change.
The course combines student presentations and discussions with traditional lectures. No background in science is necessary.

Course Requirements:

Two one-hour exams taken on Canvas in the classroom.

Intended Audience:

First Year Seminar. ONLY first year undergraduates may register.

Class Format:

Attendance is mandatory. This is a seminar, so class participation is an integral part of the class.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

One of the biggest challenges facing our society today is that growth and prosperity come with a huge environmental cost. Is there an alternative way to thrive? The United Nations thinks so, and in 2015, they created “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” The result led to 17 sustainable development goals “which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.” This course will explore 7 of these goals through the lens of a scientist. We will explore the science behind what we know and how we know it. Then we will explore how cutting-edge science being done today might offer solutions for the future.

How does “chemistry” fit in? Chemistry is the study of matter, which includes everything in our environment – both living and non-living. Today’s chemists are helping overcome sustainability challenges, including providing access to enough food and clean water, developing biodegradable plastics, as well as the capability to capture and store renewable energy. As a consequence, each section of this course will involve learning some fundamental chemical principles (e.g., how greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation and warm the planet). 

Course Objectives 

By the end of this course, every student will demonstrate a solid understanding of:

• The impact of humans on planet Earth: What are some examples of how the Earth's ecosystems are changing as a result of human behaviors?
• The need for each of the 7 UN’s sustainable development goals studied. Why are each of the 7 SDGs necessary and important?
• The role that science and scientists are playing in addressing these goals: How have scientists (and engineers) been contributing to a more sustainable future? 

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed GEOSCI 116, 117, 119, 120, or 146 and no credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 116, 117, 119, 120, or 146 or ENVIRON 116, 117, 119 or 120. No credit granted to those who have completed both GEOSCI 105 and 107 or EARTH 105 and 107 (or any combination thereof). Those with credit for one of GEOSCI 105 and 107 or EARTH 105 and 107 (or any combination thereof) may only elect EARTH 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.

Course Requirements:

Exams will be on-line in Canvas.

Intended Audience:

Undergraduates interested in Earth science.

Class Format:

Lecture meets for one hour twice weekly. 

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted for those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 201/GEOG 201/ENVIRON 209, EARTH/ENVIRON 202, or EARTH/ENVIRON 284.

Lab sections will provide opportunities to dig deeper into specific topics of environmental science. The labs will focus on two types course material of importance in environmental science. The first type of material is related to the highly controversial nature of many topics that are covered in lectures. Many students are passionate about many topics from population control to environmental standards to renewable energy to GMOs. Whereas some students are satisfied learning about controversial topics in lecture, others crave the opportunity to research and debate these topics in a small group setting. The second type of material utilized in the labs relate to quantitative data sets, calculations and models. Some students are skeptical about conclusions reported by the media related to environmental issues and want to work with "real" datasets themselves. These quantitative labs require extensive interaction with fellow students and GSIs. Data from the peer-reviewed literature and government agency websites must be located and evaluated. Simple programming software can also be used to develop simple models of environmental systems.

Enforced Prerequisites:

Prior or concurrent enrollment in EARTH 219 or ENVIRON 229. With permission of department.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted for those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 201/GEOG 201/ENVIRON 209, EARTH/ENVIRON 202, or EARTH/ENVIRON 284.

Lab sections will provide opportunities to dig deeper into specific topics of environmental science. The labs will focus on two types course material of importance in environmental science. The first type of material is related to the highly controversial nature of many topics that are covered in lectures. Many students are passionate about many topics from population control to environmental standards to renewable energy to GMOs. Whereas some students are satisfied learning about controversial topics in lecture, others crave the opportunity to research and debate these topics in a small group setting. The second type of material utilized in the labs relate to quantitative data sets, calculations and models. Some students are skeptical about conclusions reported by the media related to environmental issues and want to work with "real" datasets themselves. These quantitative labs require extensive interaction with fellow students and GSIs. Data from the peer-reviewed literature and government agency websites must be located and evaluated. Simple programming software can also be used to develop simple models of environmental systems.

Enforced Prerequisites:

Prior or concurrent enrollment in EARTH 219 or ENVIRON 229.

Credit Exclusions:

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

This course explores the Earth's oceans in terms of geological, chemical, physical, and biological oceanography, with emphasis on understanding the oceans as an integrated system. We study the processes that form ocean basins, the forces that govern ocean circulation, the physical and chemical properties that influence the distribution of life, and the adaptation of organisms to their aquatic environment. We will also discuss the ocean's role in mitigating global change and the consequences for oceanic ecosystems and human society.

Course Requirements:

Attendance is required. The course will have four in-person exams and in-class group work happening every Monday and Wednesday. Quizzes, surveys, discussions, and an optional class project will be administered through Canvas.

Intended Audience:

This course is intended primarily for freshmen and sophomores.

Class Format:

In-person only. Attendance is required.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with EARTH 222/ENVIRON 232. This companion laboratory course provides hands-on experience with the concepts covered in lecture. We learn about the cycling of elements and the distribution of life in the ocean, the processes that drive ocean circulation, and the dynamic nature of the coasts. On a more practical note, we learn to navigate by the stars and how to find the best waves for surfing.

Course Requirements:

Grades are based on weekly labs and one final presentation (through Canvas). Labs are open for a week, and students need to turn in labs at the end of the week. Attendance is required (pending medical issues). No exam.

Intended Audience:

Students who register for EARTH 223/ENVIRON 233 must also be enrolled in EARTH 222/ENVIRON 232.

Laboratory course to be elected concurrently with EARTH 222/ENVIRON 232. This companion laboratory course provides hands-on experience with the concepts covered in lecture. We learn about the cycling of elements and the distribution of life in the ocean, the processes that drive ocean circulation, and the dynamic nature of the coasts. On a more practical note, we learn to navigate by the stars and how to find the best waves for surfing.

Course Requirements:

Grades are based on weekly labs and one final presentation (through Canvas). Labs are open for a week, and students need to turn in labs at the end of the week. Attendance is required (pending medical issues). No exam.

Intended Audience:

Students who register for EARTH 223/ENVIRON 233 must also be enrolled in EARTH 222/ENVIRON 232.

This course is designed to help students that have declared majors and/or minors in Earth and Environmental Sciences learn to navigate the physical, intellectual, and procedural spaces of the unit and disciplinary area. Students in this class will gain an introduction to the unit, acquire and develop skills that underpin a successful undergraduate career, and identify and follow a career path within the Earth and environmental sciences. Through a series of discussions and exercises, this course will explore topics including email and social media etiquette, how to talk to professors, attending seminars, mentoring opportunities, department community, research and outreach opportunities, internships and career resources, and graduate school. Overall, this introduction to the people and spaces within EARTH will help students better navigate the academic setting, advocate for themselves, cultivate relationships, and help build an inclusive and supportive culture for undergraduate students in EARTH.

Course Requirements:

There are no exams scheduled for this course. Course grade will be based on participation, short written assignments, and a poster presentation.

Intended Audience:

This course is intended for new Majors and Minors in Earth & Environmental Sciences.

Class Format:

We will do lecture captures for seminar meetings but we strongly encourage in person attendance to facilitate discussion.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences or Minor in Earth Sciences, Environmental Geology, Geology, Oceanography, or Paleontology.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in ENVIRON 339: GIS Explorations: Past, Present and Future at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS).

Use of spatial analyses is growing rapidly in many disciplines, from anthropology to zoology. Employers in many fields increasingly seek job applicants with these skills. This course is intended to introduce GIS to undergraduate students from many disciplines and to give them hands-on experience in applying the concepts and using the skills required to conduct spatial analyses.

This course uses geographic information systems (GIS) to help understand and analyze environmental problems as well as spatial questions in the sciences, social science and humanities. A hands-on approach is used to demonstrate GIS principles using a wide variety of examples. This course will enable undergraduate students to make maps and conduct spatial analyses for future classes, internships, and employers. It will also prepare them for more advanced GIS classes now offered at the graduate level.

Intended audience: Undergrads at any level with an interest in GIS. Since GIS skills can be applied to a wide

variety of disciplines, students from any concentration are welcome.

Course Requirements: Maps, graphs, or table will be prepared in each class session, demonstrating GIS

concepts, skills, and analyses with examples from a variety of disciplines. For each exercise, students will submit answers to a few questions that direct their attention to particular points or issues. A term project is required demonstrating the use of GIS to complete an analysis involving spatial data. Each student is expected to do a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation, including maps, images and charts or tables that show the results of their analysis, along with a hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation and project maps, including metadata descriptions of the derived products, and an electronic copy (on CD) of the entire project. One short answer format midterm exam and a cumulative final exam.

Class Format: 4 hours weekly of combined lecture/lab format.

Advisory Prerequisites:

General computer experience is required, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.

This course covers the use of geophysical observations and techniques for investigations of Earth’s internal structure, plate tectonics and earthquake faulting.

Topics include:

• Earth's gravity field
• Isostasy and the modeling of gravity anomalies
• Glacial rebound and anelastic deformation
• Seismology, wave propagation and Earth's layered structure
• Earthquake faulting and rupture processes
• Heat flow in Earth

Course Requirements:

Midterm exams in the classroom during classroom hours. No final exam. Labs and homework, including a term-long project.

Intended Audience:

Undergraduate students; EARTH majors/minors

Class Format:

One two-hour lab (two identical sessions), three lecture hours per week.

Enforced Prerequisites:

MATH 115 or equivalent.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Introductory algebra-based physics.

Laboratory introduction to the analysis of Earth and Atmospheric Science Systems in a computer programming environment. Topics include turbulent air motion the planetary boundary layer, cloud and precipitation microphysical composition, tsunami wave propagation, statospheric ozone depletion, satellite remote sensing and the prediction of El Niño effects.

Credit Exclusions:

Those with credit for GEOSCI 111 or 144 or EARTH 111 or 144 may only elect EARTH 331 for 3 credits.

Humans play a large role in determining the climate on planet Earth, altering the composition of the atmosphere and changing the biological productivity of the land across continental scales. The impacts of these changes are becoming more obvious every year, exacting costs in human lives, livelihoods, health, and economies, and impacting the natural ecosystems that support the Earth’s biodiversity. In this class, students learn how the Earth’s climate works as a system, both naturally and in response to human perturbations. We draw on examples from modern climate change, natural climate variability, and a range of different climates from the Earth’s geologic past to better understand the Earth’s climate system and the physical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes that maintain it. We examine evidence of ongoing climate change and explore the disparate impacts of climate change on local, regional, and global communities, including strategies for adaptation and mitigation.

All students with interests in climate, environmental science, just solutions, and sustainability are encouraged to enroll. Specific topics include: (1) energy balance, radiation, the greenhouse effect, and the carbon cycle; (2) atmospheric and ocean circulation; (3) methods of quantifying past and present climate change; (4) Earth’s climate history and causes of past climate change; (5) recent climate variability and change (warming); and (6) human impacts, adaptations, and mitigation. We pay attention to climate change in the news and incorporate new scientific and policy developments. In discussion sections, students dig deeper into lecture topics, work with quantitative climate data, solve problem sets, and gain clarification of lecture material as needed.

There is no required text for this class.

Course Requirements:

Grades are based on two exams, quizzes based on lecture materials, and discussion section exercises. A working knowledge of high school algebra and physical sciences is assumed.

Intended Audience:

All students with interests in climate, environmental science, fair solutions, and sustainability. This course is appropriate for majors and nonmajors.

Class Format:

3 hours per week lecture plus 1 hour per week discussion.

Advisory Prerequisites:

A working knowledge of high school algebra and physical sciences.

Credit Exclusions:

No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in EARTH 451 or GEOSCI 451.

Earth Structure --- Geologic structures of Earth's crust and processes of global tectonics. Three hours lecture, one laboratory weekly. Topics include: processes of folding and faulting, fundamentals of stress and strain, deformation mechanisms of Earth materials, whole-earth structure and plate tectonic settings. The lab develops spatial skills through examination of geologic structures.

Course Requirements:

Three in-person exams covering the thematic lecture blocks (frictional regime, plastic regime, tectonics). One lab exam.

Intended Audience:

Majors in Earth & Environmental Sciences and others interested in deformation processes of the solid Earth. Prior completion of Intro to Earth Science or equivalent is expected.

Class Format:

Twice weekly class attendance is strongly encouraged; once weekly lab attendance is required.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of department.

Advisory Prerequisites:

One introductory geological sciences laboratory course.

This course deals with mineral resource-related problems in a complex society. The course discusses the origin, distribution, and remaining supplies of mineral resources in terms of the economic, engineering, political, and environmental factors that govern their recovery, processing, and use. Students in this course will consider how to ensure a sustainable supply of resources for modern society. The discussion portion of the course is a student-led investigation into the feasibility of the University of Michigan campus achieving carbon neutrality with weekly writing assignments designed to fulfill the ULWR.

Advisory Prerequisites:

No previous courses in Geology or other sciences are required.

The special nature of water substance; nucleation of phase changes in the free atmosphere; the structure and content of coulds; the development of physical characteristics of precipitation; and the dynamics of rain systems.

Advisory Prerequisites:

CLIMATE 350, SPACE 350, MATH 216.

Introduction to the basic characteristics, thermodynamics, and dynamics of atmospheric weather systems on Earth and other planets. The students are exposed to observations of weather systems while reviewing non-dimensional analysis, dynamics and thermodynamics. Weather systems on earth are compared to that of other planets and analytical tools are used to gain insights into their basic physics.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

CLIMATE 350, SPACE 350, CLIMATE 401 or CLIMATE 551.

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).

Advisory Prerequisites:

[EARTH 305, 315, 412] and [EARTH 131 or CHEM 125/126/130].

Field Studies in Stratigraphy, Paleontology, and Sedimentology

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Permission of instructor.

This class provides a survey of marine geology. Subjects include: Processes that control the morphology, major features, and evolution of the ocean basins; Relationships among magmatic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes at mid-ocean ridges; Subduction zone processes at active margins; the development of passive Continental Margins; and the sources, distribution, and evolution of Deep Sea Sediments.

Course Requirements:

Three Exams will be in person in class. Exams will be one hour duration.

Intended Audience:

Undergraduate students interested in marine geology.

Class Format:

Class meets for 90 minutes twice weekly.

Advisory Prerequisites:

EARTH (GEOSCI) 222/223 or introductory physical geology (EARTH (GEOSCI) 116, 117, 120 or 205/206/118).

Each week, the class focuses on important events in Earth’s history—from planetary accretion, to mass extinctions, to historical environmental changes—as vehicles for students to deepen their understanding of the Earth system and learn how we put time into the geological record (geochronology). There will be focus on radioactive-isotope systems used for geochronology, but other methods of geochronology will also be discussed. The class is interdisciplinary and intended to synthesize and build on Earth science concepts learned in other classes. Assignments are designed for students to practice fundamental professional skills they will use in their careers: critically reading published research; science writing and communication; and data management, calculation, and presentation in EXCEL. Fulfills ULWR.

Course Requirements:

This class will not have exams. Grades will be based on class participation, completion of weekly problem sets, and completion of weekly writing assignments designed to fulfill the ULWR.

Intended Audience:

Upper-level undergraduate students or 1st/2nd-year graduate students in Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Class Format:

Two 1.5 hr lecture periods, one 2 hr discussion section per week.

• Lecture period are used for introducing new concepts and having class discussion.
• Discussion section is for working through weekly problem sets with instructor/GSI assistance.

Enforced Prerequisites:

An intro geology class (EARTH 116 or EARTH 119 or EARTH 120) and EARTH 315; or graduate standing.

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.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

This course covers the approaches to conducting research in the natural sciences, including the tools and methods of research; the processes for performing research; the mechanisms for communicating research results; and the responsible conduct of research.

This course meets the NSF/NIH requirements for the responsible conduct of research.

The following topics are covered on responsible conduct of research:

• appropriate citation of sources and avoiding plagiarism
• authorship and publication practices and responsibilities
• acquisition, management, ownership and sharing of data
• research misconduct, including data fabrication and falsification
• personal, professional and financial conflicts of interest
• supervisory and mentoring relationships and responsibilities
• responsibilities of collaborative research
• protection of human beings and welfare of laboratory animals when research involves human participants and animal subjects

Text: “On Being A Scientist: A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research: Third Edition” by the National Academies. It contains case studies on advising and mentoring, research misconduct, authorship and the allocation of credit, and many other topics related to scholarly integrity in research.

Course Requirements:

Grade will be based on participation in class. Attendance at all class meetings is required to pass EARTH 495.

Intended Audience:

Undergraduate, graduate students, and postdocs doing sponsored research in the Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

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

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

This course is aimed at incoming graduate students and senior undergraduates, and examines the basic physical processes of the dynamic Earth. A primary goal of this course is to develop an understanding between observables of Earth deformation and theoretical models that can be used to describe it. The course explores a range of Earth deformation, including interseismic strain, brittle faulting, isostatic rebound, and ductile flow, and relates them to empirical and mathematical models that can describe such behaviors. These include basic concepts of stress and strain, Coulomb failure, and fluid mechanics. Graduate and interested undergraduate students of all backgrounds are encouraged to take this course that offers a broad and intellectually diverse overview of the physical Earth.

A basic knowledge of mathematics and physics is required, but more advanced material will be covered as part of the class. The class will meet for two 2-hour sessions each week. We’ll make extensive use of research articles and background reading. Evaluation is variably based on homework and an exam.

Intended Audience:

Graduate students and upper level undergraduate students interested in tectonics and geophysics.

Class Format:

4 hours of lecture

Advisory Prerequisites:

A basic knowledge of mathematics and physics is required; Permission of instructor.

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

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Permission of instructor.

A seminar on topics in mineralogy, petrology, or geochemistry. Content varies by term and instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Permission of instructor.

In-depth investigation of biogeochemical processes that occur at the Earth's surface. The field is inherently interdisciplinary and includes concepts and readings from ecology, geology, and geochemistry. Participants read and actively discuss scientific papers.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

This course is for graduate students who need in-depth understanding of thermodynamics and kinetics. This course will be interdisciplinary, covering fundamental theories and applications in Earth and environmental sciences. The first half of the course will be on thermodynamics and the second half will be on kinetics.

Advisory Prerequisites:

EARTH 422 or equivalent.

SEC 020 of EARTH 596 will be a LINUX seminar on Python

Datasets in the Earth/Environmental sciences are becoming increasingly unwieldy. More efficient means of interacting with data are needed for future scientists. This course provides an introduction to Linux programming, with a focus on programming in the shell and with Python. It will be highly pragmatic and geared towards teaching efficient methods of analyzing and plotting data you will encounter throughout your graduate career. There will be an emphasis on creating publication-quality figures entirely by scripting. Topics may include but aren't limited to: bash scripting, Python, Numpy, Marx, Pandas, Matplotlib, Scipy, version control, HPC systems. Grades will be determined by participation and a final project.

Intended Audience:

Graduate students in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Other students should contact the Department office for an override.

Class Format:

One-hour seminar weekly

Enforced Prerequisites:

Graduate. With permission of department.

This course provides an in-depth investigation of various topics in Earth and environmental sciences. Content varies by term and instructor.

Enforced Prerequisites:

Graduate. With permission of department.

Thesis research for Department of Geological Sciences Masters students.

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Graduate standing and permission of instructor.

Dissertation research class for doctoral students not yet admitted to candidacy.

Intended Audience:

Doctoral students not yet admitted to candidacy.

Class Format:

Dissertation research class

Enforced Prerequisites:

With permission of instructor.

Advisory Prerequisites:

Election for dissertation work by doctoral student not yet admitted as a Candidate. Graduate standing.