270.102 (N)

FRESHMAN SEMINAR: CONVERSATION WITH THE EARTH Marsh   Freshmen only
Sec. 01: 2 credits (normal participation)
Sec. 02: 3 credits (requires term paper)
A discussion of current topics on Earth’s origin, evolution, and habitability.  Topics will include extinction of life from meteorite impact, global warming, ozone depletion, volcanism, ice ages, and catastrophic floods, among others.

Sec. 01

02

ThF 11

ThF 11

270.103 (N)

EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS (3) Hardie/Olson   Limit 115
A broad survey of the Earth as a planet, with emphasis on the factors controlling the surface environments.  Topics include the composition, structure, and formation of the Earth, dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans, surface processes affecting the land, origins of natural resources, our present-day climate and its changes over time.

Sec. 01

MTW 11

270.222 (N)

EARTH MATERIALS (4) Veblen/Ferry/ Jahren     An introduction to the properties, occurrence, and origin of the basic constituents of the Earth, including minerals, rocks, and soils.  Introductory training in the recognition of minerals, rocks, and soils in the laboratory and the field.

Lec.
Sec. 01

MTW 11
W 1-4

270.225 (N)

EARTH SYSTEM HISTORY (3) Hinnov Stanley Coreq: 270.226  Geologic histories of Earth and its ecosystems.  The evolution and extinction of many forms of life – from bacteria to dinosaurs, flowering plants, and humans – will be reviewed in the context of a changing global environment.  Interactions among the upper earth, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere will be highlighted.

Sec. 01

MW 10

270.226 (N)

EARTH SYSTEM HISTORY LAB (1) Stanley Coreq:270.225    
Laboratory exercises employing fossils, rocks, maps, and stratigraphic cross-sections. 

Sec. 01

T 1-4

270.304 (N)

IGNEOUS & METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY (3) Ferry   Limit 10 Prereq: 270.341-342; Coreq: 270.306
Description and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks.  Classification and occurrence.  Application of fundamental principles of physics and chemistry to the study of petrogenesis.  The control of plate tectonics on rock-forming processes.

Sec. 01

MTW 11

270.306 (N)

IGNEOUS & METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY LAB (1) Ferry   Limit 10 Coreq: 270.304     Examination of igneous and metamorphic rocks in hand specimen and thin section.  Principles and practice in optical mineralogy.  Common mineral associations and textures.  Rock suites from several classic localities in North America.

Sec. 01

M 1-4

270.307 (N,Q)

COMBINING MEASUREMENTS WITH MODELS (4) Haine   Prereq: Calculus, basic Physics, and Linear Algebra
An introduction to modern ways to interpret observations in the context of a conceptual model.  Topics include model building, hypothesis testing, and inverse methods.  Practical examples from geophysics, engineering, and medical physics will be featured.

Sec. 01

MT 9,
F 1-3

270.308 (N)

POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY (3) Szlavecz     Course explores distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions.  Topics include dynamics and regulation of populations, population interactions, biodiversity, organization of equilibrium and non-equilibrium communities, energy flow and nutrient cycles in ecosystems.  Field trip included.

Sec. 01

ThF 1:30-3

270.377 (N)

             (W)

CLIMATES OF THE PAST (3) Hinnov  Prereq: 270.115 or 270.120 or Perm. Req'd Overview of Earth's climatic components, global climate regimes, climate variability, the climate-sensitive Earth archives, paleoclimate through geologic time, episodes of extremes, and models of paleoclimate change. Course is designed for upper level and beginning graduate students.

Sec. 01

ThF 10:30-12

270.394 (N)

GLOBAL GEOCHEMICAL CYCLES AND CLIMATE CHANGE (3) Waugh Prereq: 030.101, 171.101-102 or 171.103-104, or 171.105-106     This course offers an integrated examination of (1) the global-scale geochemical cycles operating in the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and interior of the Earth, and their role in the evolution of the Earth Systems, (2) the Earth’s present and past climate system and the origin and evolution of the chemistry of the atmosphere, the oceans, and the solid Earth.  Emphasis will be on the coupling between the different components that make up the Earth System (e.g., atmosphere-ocean interactions; hydrosphere-lithosphere interactions).

Sec. 01

MTW 1

270.495 (N)

              (W)

SENIOR THESIS Staff
Preparation of a substantial thesis based upon independent student research, supervised by at least one faculty member in Earth and Planetary Sciences. Open to senior departmental majors only.  Required for departmental honors.

Sec. 01

TBA

270.501

INDEPENDENT STUDY

270.507

INTERNSHIP

270.604

SEMINAR IN GEOPHYSICAL PETROLOGY Marsh     Discussion of present research topics in geophysics and igneous petrology.

Sec. 01

TBA

270.605

JOURNAL CLUB Staff
Review and discussion of new geologic literature and current research.  All geology students participate and deliver at least one paper a year.

Sec. 01

Th 12

270.609

SPECIAL TOPICS IN EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES Staff/Strobel Perm. Req’d.
Sec. 02 Topic: Results from the Cassini/Hugyens Mission.

Sec. 01
02

TBA
TBA

270.613

METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY SEMINAR Ferry     Discussion of recent research topics in metamorphic petrology and geochemistry.

Sec. 01

W 12

270.616

PLATE TECTONICS AND MANTLE CONVECTION Conrad     An examination of the interaction between Earth's tectonic plates and mantle convection. Topics include plate-driving forces, plate deformation, the role of continents, requirements for plate tectonics, and plate-tectonic history. Course added 08/08/05

Sec. 01

TBA

270.623

PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES Strobel Perm. Req’d.
A graduate course applying basic principles of chemistry and physics to the study of planetary atmospheres.  Vertical structure of planetary atmospheres.  Atmospheric radiation, thermodynamics, and transport.  Principles of photochemistry.  Planetary spectroscopy and remote sensing.  Upper atmospheres and ionospheres.  Evolution and stability of planetary atmospheres.

Sec. 01

TTh 2-3:30

270.644

PHYSICS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY Haine   Perm. Req’d.     This course is an advanced-level review of the key dynamic and thermodynamic processes causing climate fluctuations on timescales of seasons to decades.  The focus is on phenomena that involve the ocean and topics will cover, depending on the class’ interest: ocean circulation theories, large-scale ocean waves and eddies, thermohaline circulation, air/sea interaction, and modes of climate variability. Geophysical understanding and the links to fundamental mechanisms are emphasized.

Sec. 01

M 2-4

270.646

FLUID DYNAMICS OF THE EARTH & PLANETS I Olson/ Waugh   Perm. Req’d.
A first course in the mechanics of Earth and planets fluids systems.  The focus is on fundamental fluid processes and their applications to phenomena occurring in the atmospheres, oceans, and interior of Earth and other planets.

Sec. 01

MW 2-3:30

270.652

PHYSICS OF MAGMA Marsh
The principles of viscous fluid flow, heat conduction and convection are treated in reference to all aspects of the mechanics of magma.  Emphasis is placed on understanding petrologic processes as observed in rock sequences.

Sec. 01

TBA

360.605

SEMINAR: ENVIRONMENT AND APPLIED FLUID MECHANICS Meneveau
Cross-listed with Geography and Environmental Engineering, Interdepartmental and Mechanical Engineering

Sec. 01

F 11

270.807

RESEARCH