The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis. Prerequisite: GEOL 400-level and declaration of the EASC major. The Earth Science major, as of the fall of 2008, requires 1 semester of GEOL 399 and two semesters of GEOL 498.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis. Prerequisite: GEOL 400-level and declaration of the EASC major. The Earth Science major, as of the fall of 2008, requires 1 semester of GEOL 399 and two semesters of GEOL 498.

The culmination of the Earth Science major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis. Prerequisite: GEOL 400-level and declaration of the EASC major. The Earth Science major, as of the fall of 2008, requires 1 semester of GEOL 399 and two semesters of GEOL 498.

Macroevolution, or evolution above the population level and on long timescales,as a field addresses fundamental questions about the origins of life, past and present.These include but are not limited to: How are highly dissimilar speciesrelated? Why are animals on distant continents so similar? How and when did major groups, like birds or mammals, originate? What drives evolutionary arms races? Why are there so many more species of beetle than crocodile? Why are there more species in the tropics than the arctic? Did dinosaursprevent the diversification of mammals? Why do some animals survive mass extinction? How can invasive species spread so rapidly? Students will learn importantconcepts underlying our understanding of modern biodiversity and the fossil record, as well as how to use different methods and lines of evidence, including evolutionary trees (phylogeny), fossil databases, past climate and global events,mathematical modeling, and even modern genomics, to answer fundamental questions about the evolution of life.

This course deals with the study of the two main parts of Earth's climate system, the atmosphere and the ocean. It explores, qualitatively and quantitatively,the physical laws, geological and geographical processes, and mass and energy budgets that govern these two parts and their combined influence on Earth's past and present climate. Main topics covered include, but not limited to, properties of air and water; physical balances; equilibrium states; transport of heat and mass; clouds; precipitation; storms; regional and global climate; ozone layer; seasons and climate; weather forecasting; atmospheric optics; ocean currents; ocean bathymetry, salinity, and atmospheric forcing; history of Earth's changing climate in the geologic record, global warming, and how climate impacts humans and how do humans impact climate.

This seminar is designed to help Juniors prepare for the Senior Thesis research. Topic selection, advisor identification, funding options, and basic research methods will be discussed.

Patterns 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.

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.

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.

Origin of Earth, continents, and life. Continental movements, changing climates, and evolving life.