GEOSC 497 Carbonate Chemistry and Paleoenvironments Seminar (1 credit) - Fall 2020, Spring 2022
Carbonate minerals are a pillar in our understanding of the Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, and climate through time, as well as ancient terrestrial (and extraterrestrial) environments and tectonics. However, carbonates are notoriously susceptible to syn- and post-depositional alteration of primary fabrics and geochemistry via biological, chemical, and thermal processes. In this and future carbonate seminars, we will build a foundation of the chemistry of carbonate equilibria and progress to discussions of early-, burial-, and late-stage diagenetic processes and their impacts on the carbonate rock record. We will end the term with geochemical proxies for ancient Earth conditions derived from the carbonate rock record. This seminar serves as a high-level survey of the utility of the carbonate record, and will be adapted to the interest of the course participants.
Carbonate minerals are a pillar in our understanding of the Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, and climate through time, as well as ancient terrestrial (and extraterrestrial) environments and tectonics. However, carbonates are notoriously susceptible to syn- and post-depositional alteration of primary fabrics and geochemistry via biological, chemical, and thermal processes. In this and future carbonate seminars, we will build a foundation of the chemistry of carbonate equilibria and progress to discussions of early-, burial-, and late-stage diagenetic processes and their impacts on the carbonate rock record. We will end the term with geochemical proxies for ancient Earth conditions derived from the carbonate rock record. This seminar serves as a high-level survey of the utility of the carbonate record, and will be adapted to the interest of the course participants.
GEOSC 439 Principles of Stratigraphy (3 credits) - Spring 2021, 2022, etc.
This intermediate level course is intended to provide students with an understanding of how sediments are produced, transported, and deposited, and a framework for making environmental, climatic, tectonic, and other interpretations based on stratigraphy, sedimentology, and geochemistry. By the end of the course, students will be able to hypothesize the depositional environment and conditions under which sedimentary rocks formed, and make research plans for investigating scientific problems grounded in the sedimentary rock record. Ultimately, students will have the opportunity to critically analyze information and arguments presented in primary literature, distill the importance or impact of a paper, and provide their perspective on the success of the research.
This intermediate level course is intended to provide students with an understanding of how sediments are produced, transported, and deposited, and a framework for making environmental, climatic, tectonic, and other interpretations based on stratigraphy, sedimentology, and geochemistry. By the end of the course, students will be able to hypothesize the depositional environment and conditions under which sedimentary rocks formed, and make research plans for investigating scientific problems grounded in the sedimentary rock record. Ultimately, students will have the opportunity to critically analyze information and arguments presented in primary literature, distill the importance or impact of a paper, and provide their perspective on the success of the research.
GEOSC 1 Physical Geology (3 credits) - Fall 2021, 2022, etc.
Earth processes and their effects on the materials, structure, and morphology of the earth's crust. Practicum includes field work, study of rocks, minerals, dynamic models, and topographic maps.
Earth processes and their effects on the materials, structure, and morphology of the earth's crust. Practicum includes field work, study of rocks, minerals, dynamic models, and topographic maps.
GEOSC 518C Isotopes in Oceans and Climate (2 credits) - Fall 2021, co-taught with Dr. Kim Lau
Students in this course will explore the isotopes that build the major molecules involved in Earth’s oceans and atmospheres. In particular, the course investigates how isotopes within Earth materials can record and reconstruct: climate from an anthropogenic and deep-time perspective, hydroclimate, climate states in Earth’s past, atmospheric chemistry, ocean chemistry, and the carbon cycle. This course will take place over seven weeks, and will culminate in a final writing assignment. In addition, students will collaborate on problem sets and activities during class time, and periodically facilitate discussions of primary literature relevant to each week’s topic.
Students in this course will explore the isotopes that build the major molecules involved in Earth’s oceans and atmospheres. In particular, the course investigates how isotopes within Earth materials can record and reconstruct: climate from an anthropogenic and deep-time perspective, hydroclimate, climate states in Earth’s past, atmospheric chemistry, ocean chemistry, and the carbon cycle. This course will take place over seven weeks, and will culminate in a final writing assignment. In addition, students will collaborate on problem sets and activities during class time, and periodically facilitate discussions of primary literature relevant to each week’s topic.