101. Waves and Beaches. No credit granted to those who have completed
or are enrolled in GS 276. (1). (NS). (BS).
This short course approaches the subject of "waves and beaches"
by combining relevant topics in both oceanography and geology, although
no previous background in these subjects is required. We shall attempt to
understand this dynamic place where land and sea interact by emphasizing
the processes responsible for the major types of coastlines and the
geologic/oceanographic phenomena associated with them. Some of the topics
which will be considered include: fundamentals of wave and tide theory;
the impact of waves and tides upon beaches; coastal geology; coastal processes
on a short- and long-term time scale; estuaries; and, the impact of plate
tectonics upon coasts. Instruction will be by lecture. Grades will be based
on one exam which shall be given at the end of the course. Cost:1 WL:1 (Wilkinson)
103. Dinosaurs and Other Failures. No credit granted to those
who have completed or are enrolled in GS 273. (1). (NS). (BS).
This course will provide an introduction to our current understanding
of dinosaurs and certain other reptilian groups of the Mesozoic Era. It
is intended for students with an interest in geology, paleontology, or evolution,
but does not require prior training in these fields. The course will deal
with broad features of the evolutionary history of dinosaurs, methods of
reconstructing dinosaur behavior and ecology, new developments in our interpretation
of the biology of dinosaurs, and possible causes for the extinction of dinosaurs.
There will be two lectures each week and a single exam at the end of the
course. Cost:1 WL:3 or 4 (Cox)
111. Climate and Mankind. No credit granted to those who have
completed or are enrolled in GS 201 or 275. (1). (NS). (BS).
The intent of GS 111 is to give a heightened awareness to students of
the nature and fragility of the Earth's climate, and how changes in climate
have affected past civilizations and may affect our future. Course topics
will include: a description of the climate systems of the Earth, the atmosphere,
oceans and polar ice caps; the information we gather to understand the history
of those systems; how changes in climate have affected past civilizations,
and what may happen to the planet if the predicted "Greenhouse Effect
- Global Warming" finally arrives. Cost:1 WL:4 (O'Neil)
115. Geologic Time. No credit granted to those who have completed
or are enrolled in GS 135 or 269. (1). (NS). (BS).
Until the middle of the 18th century the Earth was generally thought
to be less than 10,000 years old, and according to many, close to its apocolyptic
end. We now know that the Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago and that the
entire history of mankind is nothing but the latest tiny fraction of Earth
history. The formation of rocks, continental drift, volcanoes and earthquakes
is evaluated in the framework of geologic time and plate tectonics. The
discovery of time from the Renaissance to the latest high tech developments
in radioactive dating is reviewed. Finally, the history of planet Earth
will be described including its accretion out of dust and giant impacts,
the origin of the Moon, the formation of the atmosphere and oceans, the
development of life and the building of continents. The course will draw
upon examples meaningful to the student to illustrate the principles. Lectures
twice weekly for half the term. Course pack provides most of the diagrams.
A final one hour examination. Cost:1 WL:3/4 (Mukasa)
117. Introduction to Geology. No credit granted to those who have
completed or are enrolled in GS 116, 119, or 120. Those with credit for
GS 205 may only elect GS 117 for 4 credits. (5). (NS). (BS).
A basic single-term course in introductory geology concentrating on
the evolution of the Earth in physical and chemical terms with particular
reference to modern plate tectonic theory, and to the interaction of the
external biosphere-atmosphere-hydrosphere with the Earth's interior. The
laboratory provides a practical study of minerals, rocks and geologic maps.
One hour each week is scheduled for review and discussion of topics covered
in class. Lectures, laboratory and discussion. Cost:2 WL:4 (Lohmann)
118. Introductory Geology Laboratory. Prior or concurrent enrollment
in GS 119, or 205 and 206, or 135. Credit is not granted for GS 118 to those
with credit for an introductory course in geology (GS 116, 117, 121, 122,
or 218). (1). (NS). (BS).
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. Cost:2 WL:4 (Lohmann)
119. Introductory Geology Lectures. No credit granted to those
who have completed or are enrolled in GS 116, 117, 120. No credit granted
to those who have completed both 205 and 206. Those with credit for GS 205
may only elect GS 119 for 3 credits. (4). (NS). (BS).
This course consists of lectures shared with Geology 117 but does not
include the laboratory section. A separate discussion section is also scheduled
to ensure continuity with class material and student-teacher contact. Students
interested in ONE-TERM laboratory introductory science course should elect
Geology 117. Lectures and discussion. Cost:2 WL:4 (Lohmann)
124/AOSS 124/Environ. Stud. 124. Environment, People, Resources. (2).
(NS). (BS).
See Environmental Studies
124. (Walker)
125. Evolution and Extinction. Those with credit for GS 106 may
only elect GS 125 for 2 credits. May not be included in a concentration
plan in geological sciences. (3). (NS). (BS).
The course will survey the history of life and the processes of evolution
and extinction. Discussions will focus on implications of evolutionary history
and processes for philosophy, medicine, conservation, and human behavior.
Requirements include lectures, discussion sections, readings, exams, and
short papers. Readings will be taken from a text and from classic and current
research papers. Cost:1 WL:4 (Smith)
201/Geography 201. Introductory Geography:
Water, Climate, and Mankind. No credit granted to those who have
completed or are enrolled in GS 268. Those with credit for GS 111 may only
elect GS 201 for 3 credits. (4). (NS). (BS).
This course is a basic introduction to physical geography which emphasizes
many topics including maps, seasons, the atmosphere, greenhouse gasses,
radiation and heat balance, the dangers of global warming, circulation,
moisture and precipitation, air masses, and water supply. Students also
study climate classification, and geologic and historical climate changes,
and landforms and their formation. Students in this lecture-lab course are
evaluated by hourly and final examinations with satisfactory completion
of the lab work a prerequisite to the final course evaluation. Cost:2 WL:3
(Stearns)
204/AOSS 204/Astronomy 204. The Planets: Their
Geology and Climates. High school mathematics through plane geometry
and trigonometry. Those with credit for GS 113 may only elect GS 204 for
2 credits. (3). (NS). (BS).
This course will present perspectives on the evolution of the solar
system in both an historical context and in light of the extraordinary scientific
advances resulting from recent space exploration. The principal focus will
be on the structure, composition and evolutionary history of the surfaces
and atmospheres of the planets and their satellites. Special emphasis will
be given to comparative aspects of geology, meteorology and climatology
as developed on the various bodies of the solar system. Concepts of space
exploration techniques will also be presented. The course is intended for
non-science concentrators and other students with typical high school science
and math backgrounds. Cost:1-2 WL:4 (Atreya and Pollack)
222. Introductory Oceanography. No credit granted to those who
have completed or are enrolled in AOSS 203. (3). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
This course introduces students to the scientific study of the oceans.
Contents include the shape, structure, and origin of the ocean basins; the
sedimentary record of oceanic life and conditions in the past; the composition
of seawater and its influence on life and climate; waves and currents; the
life of the oceans and how it depends upon the marine environment; the resources
of the ocean and their wise use by society. The course format consists of
lectures and readings from an assigned textbook. The course grade will be
based on three one-hour exams and a two-hour final exam. Cost:2 WL:4 (Meyers)
223. Introductory Oceanography, Laboratory. Concurrent enrollment
in G.S. 222. (1). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
This course is an optional laboratory intended to provide students with
opportunities to explore further various oceanography topics presented in
the GS222 lectures. Laboratory sessions will include sampling procedures,
use of equipment, discussions, and demonstrations of how data are generated.
The course grade will be based on written laboratory exercises and a final
exam. Cost:1 WL:4
231. Elements of Mineralogy. Prior or concurrent enrollment in
Chem. 125/130 or 210/211. Those with credit for GS 232 may elect GS 231
for only 2 credits. (4). (Excl). (BS).
This course is a comprehensive introduction to the nature, properties,
structures, and modes of occurrence of minerals. The first three-fourths
of the course (three lectures per week) considers the general features of
minerals and includes topics such as introductory crystallography, crystal
chemistry, and introductory phase equilibria. During the last portion of
the course, the principal rock-forming minerals such as feldspars, pyroxenes,
and olivines are individually reviewed with respect to properties, structures,
genesis, and other characteristics. The laboratory (one three-hour laboratory
each week) is divided into three sections: (1) three weeks of morphological
crystallography, (2) six weeks of systematic mineralogy during which students
become familiar with the properties and associations of approximately seventy-five
significant minerals, and (3) four weeks of introduction to the use of the
polarizing microscope as applied to both crushed mineral fragments and rock
thin sections. There is one required field trip. Introductory optical mineralogy
is covered in five of the recitation classes. Geology 231 is a prerequisite
to the professional concentration program in the Dept of Geological
Sciences. Cost:3 WL:3 (Peacor)
232. Earth Materials. Prior or concurrent enrollment in Chem 125/130
or 210/211. Those with credit for GS 231 may elect GS 232 for only 2 credits.
(4). (NS). (BS).
This course is a required part of the Environmental Geology concentration
program. It comprises an introduction to the inorganic materials, and processes
involving materials, which occur at or near the earth's surface and which
therefore are fundamental to processes of environmental significance. The
order of major subjects is (1) fluids and their properties, (2) crystal
structural and crystal chemical properties of crystalline solid phases,
(3) general chemical relationships among phases, (4) systematics of significant
mineral groups, especially clay minerals, and (5) minerals and processes
among minerals in weathering, diagenetic, sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic
systems. There is a laboratory in which students learn the characteristics
and properties of the principal mineral and rock systems. There are two
hour exams, a final exam, and occasional quizzes. (Peacor)
266. From Stars to Stones. High school math and science. Those
with credit for GS 114 may only elect GS 266 for 2 credits. (3). (NS). (BS).
From Stars to Stones starts from stellar evolution and the formation
of the elements in stars, and ends at the formation of terrestrial planets
(especially our Earth) from these elements and the early evolution of these
planets. Students will learn cosmochemical and geochemical concepts and
methods, and apply them to study several theme topics. The theme topics
may include: origin of the elements, lifetime of the sun, abundance of the
elements, age of the Earth and solar system, origin of the Earth, internal
structure of the Earth, planetary atmospheres, and meteorites. Though factual
knowledge is an important part of the course, emphasis is on how scientists
study and solve problems and how science progresses using historical examples.
(Quantitative reasoning will be an important part of the course.) (Zhang)
269. Evolution of the Earth. No credit granted to those who have
completed or are enrolled in GS 135. Those with credit for GS 115 may only
elect GS 269 for 2 credits. (3). (NS). (BS).
This seminar course is intended for first and second year students with
no previous knowledge of, or experience in, the earth sciences. The material
will introduce students to the history of the earth from its formation in
the solar nebula, through the development of the continents, oceans, atmosphere
and life to its present state as an active planet. The course will explain
how various features of the earth "work," including continental
drift, volcanoes, and the formation of most rocks, how theories are developed
in geology and how the magnitude of time has been determined. The course
will be divided into two halves. In the first half the basic concepts will
be explained. In the second half students will each make a presentation
covering a relevant subject which will be followed by discussion. Assessment
will be by two one-hour examinations and an oral presentation that will
form the basis for a term paper. Course pack. (Halliday)
270. Plate Tectonics. No credit granted to those who have completed
three of GS 105, 107 and 205. Those with credit for one of GS 105 and 107
may only elect GS 270 for two credits. Those with credit for GS 205, or
both GS 105 and 107, may only elect GS 270 for one credit. (3). (NS). (BS).
The theory of plate tectonics, called dogma by some and paradigm by
others, describes the mobility of continental and oceanic domains of the
Earth's crust, as they are in constant motion along plate boundaries with
respect to each other. The theory explains earthquakes and volcanoes, the
topography of the Earth and the faunal and floral diversity of its living
and fossil inhabitants. Lectures about the evidence also explore alternative
explanations. The course involves three hours of weekly meeting time, a
textbook and selected reading material. No background in Earth science is
necessary. Evaluation is based on two exams, a series of student presentations
on selected topics and written essays on the same subject. Cost:1 WL:4 (Van
der Voo)
275. The Ice Ages: Past and Present. Those with credit for GS
104 may only elect GS 275 for 2 credits. (3). (NS). (BS).
Characteristics of the Earth's climate system and how various components
of that system operate to produce times when extensive ice sheets covered
large parts of the Earth's surface. The role in climate change of the oceans,
the atmosphere, the ice sheets themselves, orbital variations, and the movement
of the continental and ocean boundaries are presented and discussed. Cost:1
WL:1 (Moore)
278. Earthlike Planets. High school science and math recommended.
Those with credit for GS 113 may only elect GS 278 for 2 credits. (3). (NS).
(BS).
In a small class room setting, Earthlike Planets introduces the undergraduate
to the terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, moon, and Mars. Studies
of solid planets will be used as a vehicle to better understand our own
world and the methodology and limitations of science in the presence of
conflicting hypotheses and ambiguous data. Since western society has made
a significant commitment of resources toward the exploration of the planets,
we must consider not only the scientific merits of the endeavor but also
its historical origins. Grades will be based upon class participation, a
midterm exam, and a final project. The final project will provide the basis
for a written report and an in-class oral presentation. Cost:2 WL:4 (Van
Keken)
280/Environ. Stud. 360. Mineral Resources,
Economics and the Environment. May not be included in a concentration
plan in geology. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Geology 280 deals with mineral resource-related problems in a complex
society. The course discusses the origin, distribution and remaining supplies
of oil, coal, uranium, iron, copper, gold, diamonds, potash, sulfur, gravel,
water, and other important mineral resources in terms of the economic, engineering,
political and environmental factors that govern their recovery, processing
and use. Among topics considered are the origin of oil, mineral exploration
methods, strip mining, recycling, smelting methods, transport of oil, money
and gold, nuclear waste disposal, and taxation vs. corporate profits. Three
lectures and one discussion per week. Evaluation by means of quizzes, exercises,
and a final exam. Required text: Mineral Resources, Economics and the
Environment (S.E. Kesler). No previous background in geology is necessary
for this course. This course cannot be used as part of a concentration plan
in Geological Sciences. Cost:2 WL:4 (Kesler)
284. Environmental Geology. No credit granted to those who have
completed or are enrolled in GS 272. Those with credit for GS 271 may only
elect GS 284 for 3 credits. (4). (NS). (BS).
Environmental Geology deals with interactions between people and Earth.
It begins with an introduction to geologic materials and processes and goes
on to specific topics such as soil, surface and ground water, natural hazards
(volcanism, landslides, earthquakes, floods, coastal processes), geomedicine,
and waste disposal. Previous experience in geology is not required. The
course includes three lectures and one discussion period (in which homework
exercises are explained and discussed) per week. Evaluation is by means
of quizzes, exercises and a final exam. A book and exercise pack are required.
Cost:2 WL:4 (Kesler and Nolen-Hoeksema)