2006-08 Course Descriptions - Catalog - University of Oklahoma

Geology (GEOL)The Uni ver sity of Oklahoma 2006-2008 Gen eral Cat a logpaleontology, paleoecology and stratigraphic paleontology. Brief treatmentsof biogeochemistry and paleobiogeography. Laboratory (F)3633 Introduction to Oceanography. General survey of the scientificframework of the four specializations of the oceanographic study—biological, chemical, geological/geophysical and physical oceanography.Applications of ocean research to social and economic problems;interrelations between the ocean disciplines and other fields of study. (Sp) [II-NL]3960 Honors Reading. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to HonorsProgram. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Consists of topicsdesignated by the instructor in keeping with the student’s major program.Covers topics not usually presented in the regular courses.3970 Honors Seminar. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to HonorsProgram. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Subjects coveredvary. Deals with concepts not usually treated in regular courses.3980 Honors Research. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to HonorsProgram. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Provides anopportunity for the gifted honors candidate to work at a special project inthe student’s field.4103 Regional Tectonics and Orogeny (Slashlisted with 5103).Prerequisite: 3114 or permission of the instructor. Overview of tectonicprocesses that shape the interior of the earth. Topics include plate margincharacteristics, theories of driving mechanisms, and regional tectonicsanalysis of modern and ancient plate margins and orogenic systems. Nostudent may earn credit for both 4103 and 5103. (F)4113 Depositional Systems and Stratigraphy (Slashlisted with 5113).Prerequisite: 3114, 3233 or permission. Basic stratigraphic principles aswell as reconstruction of ancient depositional systems. The controls ondeposition of stratigraphic sequences, completeness of the rock record,biostratigraphy, magneto stratigraphy, and seismic stratigraphy. Field trip;students will be charged transportation costs. Laboratory (F)G4133 Petroleum Geology for Geoscientists. Prerequisite: 1104 or1114; or senior standing. Lectures will integrate at a quantitative levelseveral fields of geology with geiphysics, geochemistry and engineering thatcomprise the science of petroleum geology. The history of the petroleumindustry, the location and amount of major reserves of oil and gas, and thepotential for development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources willbe covered. Labs will cover the types of data acquired during the drillingand testing of wells and the interpretation of these data, the analysis of welllogs, use of logs and other subsurface data for correlation and mappingmanually and using computer software. Recent tools and technologicaldevelopments will be covered. Laboratory (F)4136 Field Geology. Prerequisite: 3123; senior standing or permission. Asix-week summer course held at the Oklahoma Geology Camp at CanonCity, Colorado. Applications of field techniques, including use of aerialphotographs, construction of geological maps and geophysical methods, tothe recognition and interpretation of geologic phenomena. (Su) [V]4143 Petroleum Geology for Business Majors. Prerequisite: 1104 or1114. The integration of several fields of geology with geochemistry,geiphysics, and engineering to provide an overview of the science andtechnology used in the exploration for and development of oil and naturalgas fields. Briefly covers historical development of petroleum geology,amount and location of the world’s major oil and gas reserves, and futurepotential for conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbon resources. (F)G4233 Subsurface Methods. Prerequisite: 3114, 4113, and senior standing.Introduction to and the application methods used to obtain geological datafrom the subsurface. Review of data sources and interpretation techniques.Methods for quantifying displaying geological data as maps, cross-sections,and 3-D volumes. Use of geological database, mapping, and displaysoftware. (Sp)4373 History of Geology (Slashlisted with 5373). Prerequisite: juniorstanding. History of science and the scientific method with an emphasis ongeology. Greek science, scholasticism, Copernican revolution Francis Bacon,principle of uniformity, evolution, continental drift, climate, progress.Discussion of writings by Plato, Geike, Kuhn, Popper, Chamberlin, Gilbert,Hubbert and others. No student may earn credit for both 4373 and 5373. (F)4413 Paleobotany (Crosslisted with Botany 4413; Slashlisted with 5413).Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Introduction to the fossil record ofterrestrial plants from algae to flowering plants. Lectures will addressanatomy, morphology, taphonomy and paleoecology, including climateand plant-animal interactions. Laboratories will put lecture topics intopractice using fossil plants from the Oklahoma Museum of Natural Historycollection and from fieldwork. Field trips. No student may earn credit forboth 4413 and 5413. Laboratory (Sp, even-numbered years)4513 Evolutionary Paleobiology (Slashlisted with 5513). Prerequisite:3513. Evolutionary patterns in the fossil record. Time resolution and bias infossil assemblages. Taxonomic diversity and community replacement overgeologic time. Mass extinctions and evolutionary radiations. Heterochronyand evolution. Application of methods in biosystematics to fossils, includingcomputer-based techniques. No student may earn credit for both 4513and 5513. (Alt. Sp)G4633 Hydrogeology. Prerequisite: Mathematics 2443, Physics 2524,senior standing in geology, or permission of instructor. Darcy’s law,Hubbert’s fluid potential, equations of groundwater flow. Physicalproperties of geologic materials and fluids. Free convection, compactionandgravity-driven flow. Role of fluids in geologic phenomena, includingmineralization, metamorphism, hydrocarbon migration, sedimentarydiagenesis, faulting and earthquakes, paleomagnetism. Application ofgeologic and geophysical techniques to fluid flow problems. (F)4864 Geomicrobiology (Slashlisted with 5864; Crosslisted withMicrobiology 4864). Prerequisite: Microbiology 3813 or permission ofinstructor. Life below the earth’s surface. Bacterial degradation of pollutants.Petroleum microbiology. Role of microorganisms in geochemical cycling ofcarbon, sulfur, and metals. No student may earn credit for both 4864 and5864. (F)G4970 Seminar. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission. May be repeated;maximum credit nine hours. (F, Sp)4983 Senior Thesis in Geology. Prerequisite: senior standing with a majorin geology and permission. May not be repeated. Individual research of ageological topic selected by the student in consultation with the instructor.The project may involve fieldwork, theoretical analysis, computermodeling, and/or data analysis and interpretation, culminating in a writtenthesis. (F, Sp, Su)4990 Independent Study. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: three courses in generalarea to be studied; permission of instructor and department. May be repeated;maximum credit nine hours. Contracted independent study for topics notcurrently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study mayinclude library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (F, Sp, Su)G5003 Diagenesis. Prerequisite: 26 hours of geology or geophysics orpermission. Origin and interpretation of diagenetic features of sedimentaryrocks, including porosity, permeability, fluid flow, compaction andcementation. Geochemical approaches are stressed. Laboratory (Irreg.)G5010 Paleomagnetism/Diagenesis Seminar. One to two hours. Prerequisite:Senior or graduate standing; GPHY 5364 suggested. Seminar includespresentations by the professor on research topics as well as presentationsby students on papers they read. In addition, each student will also make atleast one presentation on their research. Also, students will work through aself-instruction lab with the microscopes. Focuses on recognizingdiagenetic features that are important for paleomagnetism. May be takenfor a total of six (6) credit hours. (F, Sp)G5020 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Seminar. Prerequisite: graduatestanding. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 12 hours.Directed seminar on selected aspects of sedimentology and stratigraphy. (F, Sp)G5030 Petrology Seminar. Topical presentations and discussions inhard-rock petrology, and related geochemistry and mineralogy, given byfaculty, graduate students, and visiting school colloquium speakers. May berepeated for a total of 12 credit hours.G5103 Regional Tectonics and Orogeny (Slashlisted with 4103).Prerequisite: 3114 or permission of the instructor. Overview of tectonicprocesses that shape the interior of the earth. Topics include plate margincharacteristics, theories of driving mechanisms, and regional tectonicsanalysis of modern and ancient plate margins and orogenic systems. Nostudent may earn credit for both 4103 and 5103. (F)G5113 Depositional Systems and Stratigraphy (Slashlisted with 4113).Prerequisite: 3114, 3233 or permission. Basic stratigraphic principles aswell as reconstruction of ancient depositional systems. The controls ofdeposition of stratigraphic sequences, completeness of the rock record,biostratigraphy, magneto stratigraphy, and seismic stratigraphy. Field trip;students will be charged transportation costs. No student may earn creditfor both 4113 and 5113. Laboratory (F)G5123 Mechanics of Crustal Structures. Prerequisite: 3114, Mathematics2433, graduate standing or permission of instructor. Introduction to thedeformation of shallow crustal materials with emphasis on sedimentaryrocks. Includes a review of stress and strain, material properties of rocks,93 Course Descriptions