Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

Directed study for individuals or small groups under supervision of a faculty member.

Pattern on the Earth's surface arise due to the transport of sediment by water and wind, with energy that is supplied by climate and tectonic deformation of the solid Earth. This course presents a treatment of the processes of erosion and deposition that shape landscapes. Emphasis will be placed on using simple physical principles as a tool for (a) understanding landscape patterns including drainage networks, river channels and deltas, desert dunes, and submarine channels, (b) reconstructing past environmental conditions using the sedimentary record, and (c) the management of rivers and landscapes under present and future climate scenarios. The course will conclude with a critical assessment of landscape evolution on other planets, including Mars.

Chemical composition and interactions of soils and soil water with applicationsto current problems.

Deciphering the ecology of fossil plants, ecosystems, and landscapes through quantitative and qualitative methods.

Soil is considered the "skin of the earth", with interfaces between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. It is the mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids and a myriad of organisms that can support plant life. As such, soil is a natural body that exists as part of the environment. This course will examine the nature, properties, formation and environmental functions of soil. In addition to lectures, the course includes biweekly labs or field trips, and a multi-day field trip to held during Spring Break.

This course will survey the way geology controls the formation and location of energy resources. Questions we'll address include, "How are oil and gas fields formed?", "Why does the Middle East have so much oil?", "What are the best locations in the US for wind and solar energy generation, and why?". We will discuss hydrocarbon, nuclear, solar, wind, and tidal energy sources.