2013-2014 Graduate Catalog Downloadable PDF (10.71MB)

448 Course Descriptions/Geology641. Environmental Geochemistry. (3-0). Credit 3. Geochemical processes affecting the fate and transportof inorganic and organic pollutants in terrestrial systems; equilibrium and kinetic modeling. Prerequisite:GEOL 451 or approval of instructor.643. Introduction to Electron Microprobe Analysis. (1-3). Credit 2. Digital imaging and qualitative andquantitative chemical analysis of geological and material science samples using the electron microprobe;emphasis on quantitative chemical analysis using WDS (wavelength-dispersive spectrometry) methods;use the electron microprobe and correctly interpret analytical results. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.645. Geochronology. (3-0). Credit 3. Earth’s 4.5 billion-year history is divided into units of geologic timebased on the observed changes in the rock record: the timing of those changes is quantified by numericaldating methods: this course examines both dating methods and physical and biological changes observedin the rock record. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.648. Stable Isotope Geology. (2-3). Credit 3. Stable isotopes of oxygen, carbon, sulfur and hydrogen appliedto problems in paleontology and paleoecology, carbonate diagenesis, petroleum exploration, andigneous and metamorphic petrology; isotopic paleotemperatures; analytical methods; theory of isotopicfractionation. Prerequisite: GEOL 451 or approval of instructor.650. Paleoecology. (2-3). Credit 3. Interrelationships of organisms and environment in the fossil record;methods and criteria available for interpreting ancient environments; critical review of classical studiesand current research in paleoecology. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.651. Paleoecological Community Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. Quantitative analysis of multivariate paleoecologicalcommunity data; measurement of diversity; cluster analysis; gradient analysis by standard andcanonical ordination techniques. Prerequisite: A basic course in statistics or approval of instructor.652. Biogeology. (2-3). Credit 3. Major trends and processes in the evolution of life through geologictime. Interrelationships of biological and physical processes in earth history; application of paleontologyto current problems in geology; critical review of modern developments in biogeology. Prerequisite:GEOL 305 or approval of instructor.653. Geobiological Research. (1-6). Credit 3. Team-based research in modern or historical geobiology;definition of questions and hypothesis testing; analytical techniques; project lifecycle; reporting of results.May be taken two times for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.654. Evolutionary Patterns and Theory. (3-0). Credit 3. Evolutionary patterns in the fossil record andapplication of evolutionary theory to understanding these patterns; comparisons of neo-Darwinian andpunctuational hypotheses; events and processes pertaining to microevolutionary and macroevolutionarychange; and methods of determine phylogenies of organisms. Prerequisite: Graduate classificationin geological or biological sciences.658. Earth Systems Through Deep Time: Global Change, Paleoclimate and Life. (3-0). Credit 3. Historyand cause of global change in the earth system, Archean to Holocene; Impact of biotic change onthe earth system; influence of tectonics on paleochemistry and climate change; influence of climate ontectonics; methods and models for evaluating global change. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.663. Fracture and Faulting of Rocks. (3-0). Credit 3. The structure of fractures and faults in the Earth’scrust at the macroscopic and microscopic scale; formation and evolution of faults, faults networks andfault zones; fault-related rocks and faulting mechanisms; influence of faults on fluid flow properties;seismic faulting and creep; current problems and research opportunities. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.664. Mechanical Analysis in Geology. (3-0). Credit 3. Mechanical analysis of geological problems basedon concepts of stress, strain, strength, elasticity, viscosity and plasticity; folding, faulting, dike formation,hydraulic fracturing, magma and glacial flow, and cooling of magmatic bodies. Prerequisites:MATH 253; approval of instructor.665. Structural Petrology. (3-3). Credit 4. Mechanisms of rock deformation from single crystal to mountainrange; techniques for mapping stresses and strains and for inferring physical conditions and mechanicalbehavior at time of deformation; laboratory assignments on descriptive techniques includepetrographic microscope-universal stage methods, field procedures and data analysis. Prerequisite: Approvalof instructor.668. Clastic Sedimentology and Sedimentary Petrology. (3-3). Credit 4. Detailed analyses of clasticsedimentary rocks: relationships of facies and depositional environments with emphasis on continental,coastal and shallow shelf clastic sediments; petrography and diagenesis of modern and ancient clasticsediments. Prerequisites: Optical mineralogy course and sedimentology (undergraduate); graduate classification.