The field of chemical oceanography has evolved from one of discovery to an interdisciplinary science that uses chemical distributions to understand physical, biological, geological and chemical processes in the sea. The study of chemical oceanography includes much of the background required to understand the global carbon cycle on all time scales. In this course, the main unifying science Theme #1 is The Global Carbon Cycle. The syllabus is organized into three broad subthemes. Theme #2. What controls the composition of seawater and are humans changing it? Theme #3. What are the chemical constraints on biological production in the ocean? Theme #4. What is the fate of organic matter produced by biological production and what are the impacts of this organic matter on the ocean and underlying sediments?

Introductory sedimentary concepts, stratigraphic principles, depositional environments, and interpretation of the rock record in a paleoecological setting.

Geologic history of invertebrates and their inferred life habits, paleoecology, and evolution. Introduction to paleobotany and vertebrate paleontology.

Geologic history of invertebrates and their inferred life habits, paleoecology, and evolution. Introduction to paleobotany and vertebrate paleontology.

Geologic history of invertebrates and their inferred life habits, paleoecology, and evolution. Introduction to paleobotany and vertebrate paleontology.

Crystallography, representative minerals, their chemical and physical properties. Use of petrographic microscope in identifying common rock-forming minerals in thin section.

Crystallography, representative minerals, their chemical and physical properties. Use of petrographic microscope in identifying common rock-forming minerals in thin section.

The oceans cover over 2/3 of the Earth's surface. This course introduces basic oceanographic concepts such as plate tectonics, marine sediments, physical and chemical properties of seawater, ocean circulation, air-sea interactions, waves, tides, nutrient cycles in the ocean, biology of the oceans, and environmental issues related to the marine environment.

Hands-on study of earth materials and processes. Identification and interpretation of rocks, minerals and fossils. Topographic and geologic maps. Evolution of landscapes. Field trips lead to a synthesis of the geologic history of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Open to architectural and engineering majors as well as Ben Franklin Scholars. Field trips. Relations of rocks, rock structures, soils, ground water, and geologic agents to architectural, engineering, and land-use problems.