Listed in: Geology, as GEOL-311
David S. Jones (Sections 01 and 01L)
From the muddy Mississippi River delta to the clear waters of the Bahamas, from the bottom of the Greenland ice sheet to the shifting dunes of the Namib sand sea, sediment is continually being produced, transported, and deposited on the planet’s surface. These processes are fundamentally linked to global climate and tectonics. Sedimentary rocks are therefore archives of environmental, climatic, and tectonic changes through Earth history. In this class, students will learn how to interpret the sedimentary rock record, on scales ranging from individual grains to kilometers-thick sequences of strata. Students will develop an understanding of sedimentary processes in modern environments and learn how to interpret the sedimentary rock record.
GEOL 311 will be conducted remotely, using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. In lab, students will participate in virtual field trips, do hands-on work with rock specimens, practice techniques of image interpretation, and learn to manipulate sedimentary data sets. Students will be guided through the course by close, regular interaction with the instructor as would be true in a classroom setting. We will draw inspiration for our remote studies from the success of the Mars Curiosity Rover, which is essentially a tool to do sedimentology on another planet! Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory each week.
Requisite: GEOL 111. Recommended requisite: GEOL 112. Fall 2022 Professor Jones.
How to handle overenrollment: contact Professor(s)
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: lectures (both synchronous and asynchronous); lab work in a collaborative, group setting; field trips that involve observation of rock outcrops in the out-of-doors, with some hiking; in-class quizzes and/or exams; modest quantitative analysis; and a collaborative, integrated final project that includes independent analysis of a novel problem. Each of these modes of learning relies heavily on visual analysis. Attendance is a critical element of success. Students with documented disabilities who will require accommodations in this course should be in consultation with Accessibility Services and reach out to the faculty member as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations can be made in a timely manner.
Section 01
M 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM BEBU 211
W 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM BEBU 211
F 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM BEBU 211
Section 01L
Th 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM BEBU 211
This is preliminary information about books for this course. Please contact your instructor or the Academic Coordinator for the department, before attempting to purchase these books.
| Section(s) | ISBN | Title | Publisher | Author(s) | Comment | Book Store | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | Sedimentary Geology, 2nd edition | Prothero | TBD | ||||
| All | Sedimentary Geology, 3rd edition | Schwab | Prothero | TBD |