GEOLOGY 171:  APPLIED PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

SPRING 2008

 

 

 

Lecture:                     9:30 AM - 10:45 AM Tuesday-Thursday; Laboratory:  2:00 PM - 4:50 PM Thursday

 

Instructors:              Dr. David E. Blake, Lecturer; Rm 221 Deloach Hall, (910) 962-3387; Main Office: (910) 962-3490; Fax:  (919) 962-7077;  Email: blaked@uncw.edu; Webpage:  http://people.uncw.edu/blaked/index.html; Teaching Assistant; Rm Deloach Hall; Main Office: (910) 962-3490; Email:  .

 

Office Hours:            Monday 4:00 – 5:00 PM, Tuesday 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Wednesday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Additional hours always open by appointment.

 

Text:                           Earth: Portrait of a Planet by S. Marshak (2nd edition) and Geology in the Field by R. R. Compton (1985 or later edition).  Additional readings may be provided.

 

Course Goals:          The goal of this course is to provide the student with an advanced overview of Earth systems and physical geology.  We will be studying its material nomenclature, physical features, and fundamental guiding principles, as well as gaining practical experience in various methods of applied physical geology pertaining to:

 

1)   use of the scientific method in geology

2)   seismology and physical properties of Earth’s crust, mantle, and core;

3)   mineralogy, petrology, and tectonic settings in oceanic and continental crust;

4)    fundamentals of mineral and rock observation, description, and classification;

5)    deformation and structures in crustal rocks;

6)    Brunton compass use;

7)    topographic and geologic map construction and interpretation;

8)    detailed geologic mapping and production of a professional quality map and cross section;

9)    library science and computer applications in geology;

10)  reporting of scientific/geologic information;

11)  fundamentals of sample preparation in the GEO Petrology Preparation lab.

 

                                    By the end of the semester, you will be armed with an arsenal of concepts and techniques with which to further investigate the geologic sciences.  For geological terms that are new and strange, try the Glossary of Geology by Bates and Jackson (Reference: QE5 .B38 1987).  You may find it helpful to use a GOOGLE Search on key geologic and geographic words during initial inquiries about fundamental geologic principles and concepts.  Earth’s regional geography has geological origins and they are closely linked as the Earth Sciences.  Geology books in the Randall Library are found primarily in the QE section of the stacks.  Books related to the technical and applied nature of geology are found in the TN section and those related to geography in the GB section.

 

                                    If you want to find something specific to the geologic literature, the computer data base GEOREF is the best.  Search the Randall Library under Inside UNCW on its web page. Then search electronic resources by subject and choose Earth Sciences.  The reference librarian in the Randall Library will help you get started with this when you wish to use it.  U.S. government publications on geology can be found in the Government Documents section of the Randall Library which is a repository for such items.  In that collection you will find a complete set of the topographic maps for North Carolina and South Carolina plus partial collections for the surrounding states.  The library also has extensive collections of the U.S. Geological Survey publications including Circulars, Bulletins, Professional Papers, and Geologic Maps.

 

Attendance:              Attendance of lecture, laboratory, and field trips is required for all scheduled course activities.  Plan ahead as some of the activities such as the field trips will occur outside of the regular lecture and laboratory period.  Please make arrangements with your other faculty members and employers ahead of time.

 

 

 

Field Trips:                There will be two field trips during the semester:

 

1)     Saturday, February 23, 2008, to Raleigh, North Carolina, and the western flank of the Wake-Warren anticlinorium and Deep River Mesozoic basin in the eastern Piedmont physiographic province;

 

2)     Wednesday through Sunday, April 2 - April 6, 2008, to Marlinton/Huntersville and Watoga State Park, West Virginia, and the Warm Springs/Hot Springs field area, Virginia, in the Appalachian Valley-Ridge and Allegheny Plateau physiographic provinces.

                                   

Costs:                        The 5-day field trip to West Virginia and Virginia will cost $150.00 per person.  This money is used to purchase food and cover cabin rentals in Watoga State Park during the trip.  Department geology students have been making this trip for over 25 years.  You must provide payment in the form of a check to the Department of Geography and Geology and give the check to Ms. Cathy Morris in the main office by March 15, 2008.  You must provide funds for the cost of any additional snickie-snacks you may want.  I will notify you later if there is a travel cost to Raleigh, but you should plan to provide your own lunch that day as well as the cost of any snickie-snacks you may want.

 

                                    In addition, you will provide the following information:

 

1)   proof of medical coverage (i.e. a photocopy of your medical insurance card);

2)   information concerning food allergies, medical allergies, or food problems, and any health challenges because the field trips will require some moderate exercise;

3)   contact information in the event of an emergency;

4)   filled-in copy of the GLY 171 General Release Form.

 

Supplies:                   You will need to purchase a hardback field book in which to maintain your field notes and any appropriate field lecture notes.  It will be used as your field/working copy; it would be wise to develop a digital backup file of your field notes, which will be used as your desk copy.  These "notebooks" must be kept up to date throughout the course.  They may be requested at any point in time, with one lecture notice, for examination during the semester.  Field notes will be taken in pencil or waterproof drafting ink.

 

A mechanical pencil, eraser, tracing paper, set of colored pencils, and drafting pens will be needed for this course.  You will also need to purchase a 10X hand lens.  A transparent ruler-protractor combination, Brunton compass, and Majicboard will be provided by the instructor.  A good quality pair of hiking boots is essential on the field trips.  A rock hammer and a camera are not yet required, but you will find them useful in this course and a hammer will be required in future courses.  I will provide information on where and how to purchase these items.

 

Grading:                     Your grade is based upon your lecture and lab performance during the completion of the following activities:  1) weekly quizzes on textbook reading assignments-10%; 2) two lecture mid-term exams-20%; 3) lab assignments (type written where applicable)-30%; 4) Raleigh field trip assignment-2.5%; 5) field notebook-2.5%; and 6) final map, cross section, and report-35%.  All lab assignments must be turned in to me or given to the department secretary to be placed in my mailbox no later than 5:00 PM on the due date assigned.  Do not slip assignments under my office door.  Be aware of your responsibilities.

 

ACADEMIC CODES

 

UNCW is committed to the proposition that the pursuit of truth requires the presence of honesty among all faculty, staff, and students involved.  It is this institution's stated policy that no form of dishonesty will be tolerated.  Although all members of the University community are encouraged to report occurrences of dishonesty, each individual is principally responsible for his or her own honesty.

 

UNCW practices a zero-tolerance policy for violence and harassment of any kind.  For emergencies contact UNCW CARE at 962-2273, Campus Police at 962-3184, or Wilmington Police at 911.  For University or community resources visit:  http://uncw.edu/wrc/crisis.htm.

 

  

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

 

01/10:                      Introduction to Applied Physical Geology; Marshak, Prelude

01/10:                      Lab 1: Minerals as Earth Materials-Marshak, Ch. 5; Compton, Ch. 4     

01/15:                      The Scientific Method; Article by Moores and Twiss

01/17:                      Earth in the Solar System; Marshak, Ch. 1

01/17:                      Lab 2: Rocks and Me I-Magmatism-Marshak, Chapter 6; Compton, Ch. 13 and 14

01/22:                      Seismospherical View of Earth’s Interior; Marshak, Ch. 2

01/24:                      Drifting Continents and Spreading Seas I; Marshak, Ch. 3

01/24:                      Lab 3: Rocks and Me II-Sedimentation-Marshak, Ch. 7; Compton, Ch. 9 and 10

01/29:                      Drifting Continents and Spreading Seas II; Marshak, Ch. 3

01/31:                      Plate Tectonics I; Marshak, Ch. 4

01/31:                      Lab 4: Rocks and Me III-Metamorphism-Marshak, Ch. 8; Compton, Ch. 15

02/05:                      Plate Tectonics II; Marshak, Ch. 4

02/07:                      Plate Tectonics III; Marshak, Ch. 4

02/07:                      Lab 5: Well Logs and Subsurface Correlation

02/12:                      The Rock Cycle I; Marshak, Ch. 6-9

02/14:                      The Rock Cycle II; Marshak, Ch. 6-9

02/14:                      Lab 6: The Brunton Compass-Compton, Ch. 2

02/19:                      The Rock Cycle III; Marshak, Ch. 6-9

02/21:                      Exam I   

02/21:                      Lab 7:  Deformation and Structures-Compton, Ch. 12

02/23:                      Field Trip- North Carolina Eastern Piedmont Province

02/26:                      Deformation and Structures II; Marshak, Ch. 11

02/28:                      Deformation and Structures I; Marshak, Ch. 11

02/28:                      Lab 8: Geologic Mapping-Compton Ch. 1 and 3

03/01-09:                SPRING BREAK!!!

03/11:                      Earthquakes and Seismicity I; Marshak Ch. 10

03/13:                      Earthquakes and Seismicity II; Marshak Ch. 10

03/13:                      Lab 9: Earth’s Surface Topography-Compton Ch. 6

03/18:                      Geologic Time; Marshak, Ch. 12

04/20-23:                State Holiday

03/25:                      Energy and Mineral Resources; Ch. 14-15

03/27:                      Energy and Mineral Resources; Ch. 14-15

03/27:                      Lab 10: Field Trip Preparation; Stratigraphy of the Virginia-West Virginia Field Areas

04/01:                      Field Trip Preparation

04/02-06:                Field Trip - Virginia-West Virginia Valley and Ridge and Appalachian Plateau Provinces

04/08:                      Energy and Mineral Resources; Marshak, Ch. 14-15

04/10:                      Exam II

04/10:                      Lab 10:  Library Science and Internet Technology

04/15:                      The Hydrologic Cycle and Geomorphology; Marshak, Interlude E

04/17:                      The Hydrologic Cycle and Geomorphology; Marshak, Interlude E

04/17:                      Lab 11:  Geologic Map and Cross Section Analysis-Compton Ch. 5

04/22:                      Presentation of Geologic Data and Graphic Arts; Compton, Ch. 16

04/24:                      Communication Skills and Professional Reports and Presentations; Compton, Ch. 1

04/24:                      Lab 12: GEO Petrology Preparation Laboratory

05/01:                      READING DAY

05/06:                      Final Map Projects Due, 11:00 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applied Physical Geology Field Groups,

2005, 2006, 2007