Geology
240: Global Tectonics
Spring 2003
Instructor: Brian
McAdoo, 102 Ely Hall, brmcadoo@vassar.edu, x7703
Office
Hours: Wed 11-12, Th 3-4
Class times: T,
Th: 12-1:15, Lab T: 1:30-5:30
Required
Text: Lillie, Whole Earth Geophysics
Recommended Texts: Turcotte
and Schubert, Geodynamics
Bolt,
Earthquakes
Grading: Midterms/Final 40%
Discussions/Class
Participation 20%
Homework/Labs 40%
The advent of Global Tectonics has been one of the
great scientific revolutions of all time.
Our understanding of the Earth has increased markedly
in the last 30 years,
due in part to the evolution of the Plate Tectonics
theory.
In this course, we will study the Earth, and the
methods that allow us to see the unseeable.
These methods include:
·
Seismology
·
Gravity
·
Heat flow
·
Magnetism
·
Case Studies
Each of these methods will be studied using hands-on
projects (when practical) and problem sets.
There will
be math. There will also be field trips, hopefully. Dates will be discussed as we go.
The first section of the class will focus on the
basics, and we will integrate what we learned by investigating
several case studies during the second half of the
class. The labs in the first part of
the class are designed to
investigate
the topics by doing some real-world, hands-on projects.
The lab for the second half will be building a
functioning Lehmann Seismometer that we will donate to the Mid-Hudson
Children’s Museum.
Late work. Late
assignments will be accepted. If it is
turned in before the class period following the due date,
the work will be graded more critically, as you had
extra time.
For each class period after that, one letter grade
will be dropped in addition to being graded more critically.
Students
with Disabilities. Also note that academic accommodations are
available for students with documented disabilities.
Please schedule an appointment with the instructor
early in the semester to discuss any accommodation that may be needed for the
course.
All accommodations must be approved through the Office
of Disability and Support Services (ext. 7584) as indicated in their
accommodation letter.
Our
department takes great pride in its work.
The
knowledge of a class cannot be made up in a few desperate hours at the end of
the semester; it must accumulate steadily.
These
guidelines will help provide an atmosphere of steady academic accomplishment
throughout the semester.
(Subject to adjustment)
Date Topic Reading
Plate
Tectonics
Week 1 1/21 Introductions
Lab: Intro to Modeling
1/23 Earth Structure, Plate Tectonics Lillie
Chap 2
Week 2 1/28 Plate Boundaries Lillie
Chap 2
Lab: Poles of Rotation
1/30 Features on Plate Boundaries
Earthquakes
Week 3 2/4 Location and Strength Lillie,
p.185-205
Lab: Earthquakes and Rheology
2/6 Effects and Prediction Bolt,
Chap 1, 10
Week 4 2/11 Faults and Famous Earthquakes Bolt,
Chap 1
Lab: So, you want to date an Earthquake?
2/13 Volcanoes and Tsunami Bolt,
Chap 8
Week 5 2/18 Stress and Strain Handout
Lab: Tsunami!
2/20 Elastic Waves and Wave Propagation Lillie, p.45-52
Gravity
Week 6 2/25 Anomalies, Isostacy Lillie,
p.223-243
Lab: Gravity Field
Trip?
2/27
Midterm Plate Tectonics, EQs
Week 7 3/4 Gravity, continued
Lab: Gravity Modeling
3/6
No class
Heat
Week 8 3/25 Conduction and Geothermal
Gradients Lillie,
p.311-321
Lab: Heat Flow and Climate Change
3/27 Heat Flow and Tectonics Lillie,
p.321-328
Magnetism
Week 9 4/1 Magnetism Lillie,
p.284-297
Discussion: Europa and Water
4/3 Midterm Gravity, Heat, Magnetism
Case
Study: San Andreas Fault
Week 10 4/8 Weak faults and heat flow TBA
Lab: Building a Seismometer
4/10 Mendocino Triple Junction, Slab
Window
Case
Study: New Zealand
Week 11 4/15 Fluid Flow and Metamorphism TBA
Lab: Building a Seismometer
4/17 Palaeoseismology
Case
Study: Cascadia
Week 12 4/22 Meagthrust Earthquakes TBA
Lab: Building a Seismometer
4/25 Elastic Rebound, Slow Earthquakes
Case Study: Juan de Fuca Ridge
Week 13 4/29 Hydrothermal Vents TBA
Lab: Building a Seismometer
5/1 Convective cooling