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Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences McGill University EPSC-201 UNDERSTANDING PLANET EARTH Winter term 2015 Tuesday and Thursday: 13:05 to 14:25, Location: Leacock 219 Professor: Alfonso Mucci (FDA-201,
[email protected]) Teaching assistants: Rowan Wollenberg (FDA-346;
[email protected]) Sarah Worndle (FDA-349;
[email protected]) Ge Li (FDA-347;
[email protected]) Marcus Kuzmann (FDA-349;
[email protected]) Course outline, lecture slides, animation and exam sample: http://eps.mcgill.ca/~courses/c201_winter/ WEEK TOPICS 1 Introduction -organization (course description and schedule), books, evaluation 1/2
Origin of the Universe/Solar System/Earth (Chapter 1 and appendix a) -The Big Bang (the age of the Universe) -Nucleosynthesis (the atom, the elements, radioactive decay and radiometric dating) -Origin and age of our Solar System (radiometric 87Rb/87Sr dating) -Origin and composition of the Earth -Trivia and morphology of the Earth's surface -Hypsographic curve of the world's surface -Internal structure of the Earth
3/4
Plate Tectonics (Chapter 2) -Continental drift (observations on land, fitting of continental margins, apparent polar wandering) -Seafloor spreading or evolution or the oceanic basins (linear magnetic anomalies, rifting and plate motion on a spherical Earth) -Plate boundaries
5
Minerals (Chapter 3 + Interlude A) -Structure -Properties -Classification of minerals
6
Heat Flow and Igneous Processes (Chapters 4, 5 and Interlude C) -Magma -Volcanism -Classification of igneous rocks
MID-TERM DATE – Thursday February 19, 2015
7/8
Sediments, sedimentary rocks and the rock cycle (Chapter 6 + Interlude B) -Mechanical and chemical weathering -Soil formation and classification -Sources and classification of sediments -Diagenesis and sedimentary rocks (compaction, organic matter degradation and lithification)
9
Metamorphic rocks (Chapter 7) -Metamorphism -Mineralogy and petrology
10
Earthquakes and the Structure of the Earth's Interior (Chapter 8 + Interlude D) -Causes -Seismic waves and their propagation -Seeing inside the Earth
11
Rock deformation and Orogeny (Chapter 9) -Rock deformation -Faulting -Mountain building and plate tectonics -Origin and evolution of the continental crust
12/13
Earth and Life History (Chapters 10 & 11 + Interlude E) -Geological time -Stratigraphy -Evolution of life on Earth
14
Resources (Chapter 12) -Metals (source and concentration processes: massive sulphide deposits, epithermal deposits and porphyry copper deposits) -Petroleum (source and concentration processes) -Environmental impacts of exploitation (radiativegases, acid mine drainage, etc.)
Contact hours: Two 1.5-hour lectures (including: movies, hand specimen examination). Evaluation: Mid-term 35% Cumulative final exam 65%
In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information).
Conformément à la Charte des droits de l’étudiant de l’Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant être noté (sauf dans le cas des cours dont l’un des objets est la maîtrise d’une langue). L'université McGill attache une haute importance à l’honnêteté académique. Il incombe par conséquent à tous les étudiants de comprendre ce que l'on entend par tricherie, plagiat et autres infractions académiques, ainsi que les conséquences que peuvent avoir de telles actions, selon le Code de conduite de l'étudiant et des procédures disciplinaires (pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le site www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ ).
Required textbook: QE28.M3415 Marshak S. (2013) Essentials of Geology, Fourth Edition, W.W. Norton & Company Inc. New York, 565pp. Marshak S. (2009) Essentials of Geology, Third Edition, W.W. Norton & Company Inc. New York, 518pp. Marshak S. (2006) Essentials of Geology, Second Edition, W.W. Norton & Company Inc. New York, 545pp.
Other reference books found in the library: QE28.2 P87
Birkeland P.W. and E.E. Larson (1989) Putman's Geology, 5th edition, Oxford University Press Inc., New York, 646 pp.
QE515 B76
Broecker W.S. (1985) How to Build a Habitable Planet. Eldigio Press, Palisades, NY, 291 pp.
QE28.2 P58
Plummer C.C. and McGeary D. (1996) Physical Geology, 7th edition, W. C. Brown Publ., Dubuque IA, 539 pp. Marshak, S. (2008) Earth: Portrait of a Planet. 3rd edition, W.W. Norton & Company. New York, 825 pp+ (previous editions are adequate). Monroe, J.S. and Wicander R. (1998) Physical Geology: Exploring the Earth, 3rd Edition, Wadsworth Publishing Company, St. Paul MN, 639 pp. Murck B.W., Skinner B.J., Mackenzie D. (2008) Visualizing Geology. John Wiley & Sons. 524 pp. Skinner B.J. and Porter S.C. (2000) The Dynamic Earth, 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 575 pp. Tarbuck E.J., Lutgens F.K., Tsujita C.J. and Hicock S.R. (2009) The Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Toronto 601 pp.