GEOL - Geology

An introduction of the origin and structure of earth's materials and processes.

Laboratory course to accompany GEOL 1121. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Introduction to concepts about the origin and geologic history of earth's fossils, stratigraphic relationship of rock layers, and the concept of continental drift.

Laboratory course to accompany GEOL 1122. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: Permission of department. Consideration of topics in which courses are not otherwise offered, but for which there is a current need at the freshman/sophomore level. This course is repeatable for credit.

Prerequisite: GEOL 1121 and 1121L or permission of instructor. Introduction to crystallography; crystal systems, classes. Chemical and physical properties of minerals related to structure and composition. Occurrence and associations of minerals. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: GEOL 1121 or 1122. Study of hydrologic processes, water balance, and water quality. Emphasis placed on landscape management of water resources to maintain productivity and environmental quality. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisites: GEOL 1121 / GEOL 1121L, or GEOL 1122 / GEOL 1122L This course will cover the occurrence and behavior of groundwater and groundwater systems. Students will learn the physical processes that govern the flow of groundwater in various geologic media and settings. The sources, fate, and cleanup of groundwater and soil contamination will be examined. Chemical reactions and their effects on transport will also be examined for both inorganic and organic contaminants. Multiphase flow will be investigated together with strategies for aquifer and soil remediation. All the scientific concepts will be examined in the context of some of the overriding societal issues and ethical questions.

Prerequisite: GEOL 1121 or 1122. Study of earth surface processes and landforms, including tectonic, weathering, soil, hillslope, karst, fluvial, glacial, periglacial, eolian, and coastal geomorphic systems. Implications for environmental change are stressed. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: GEOL 1121 or 1122. Sedimentary processes in major siliciclastic and carbonate depositional environments, including factors affecting deposition and erosion over large time scales. Principles of stratigraphy including sedimentary structures, facies models, and biostratigraphy. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: GEOL 1121 and 1121L or GEOL 1122 and 1122L or permission of the instructor. Introduction to the processes of deformation and geometry of deformed rocks. Examination of rock deformation through analysis of structures at both microscopic and outcrop scales with emphasis on descriptive geometry, map interpretation, and cross section construction methods. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisites: ENSC 1000, ENSC 1000L, GEOL 1121, GEOL 1121L, CHEM 1211, CHEM 1211L, CHEM 1212, CHEM 1212L. Physical, chemical and biological properties of soils as they affect soil-plant-water relations, soil classification and suitability for agricultural and other uses; Interaction of soils with environmental contaminants and the role of soils in pollution control. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Consideration of topics in which courses are not offered otherwise, but for which there is current need. Subject matter varies. This course is repeatable for credit.