ERSC 1F90 July 10, 2006 www.brocku.ca/ERSC1F90

Geology and the Environment ERSC 1F90 Summer 2006

Instructor: Rick Cheel Department of Earth Sciences Office: Mackenzie Chown D414 Phone: 905-688-5550 Ext. 3512 E-mail: rcheel brocku.ca

All course material will be located at: www.brocku.ca/ERSC1F90

ERSC 1F90 aims to provide: A basic understanding of Earth materials (rocks, minerals, etc.). An introduction to plate tectonics and its implications (earthquakes and volcanoes). Examples of extreme events of various scales of magnitude and frequency. Examples of important depositional settings.

Grade Distribution Assignments 30% 6 assignments of equal value Midterm test 30% In-class, Tuesday, Aug. 1 Final Exam 40% Friday, August 25, 2006 0900-1100h Location TBA

IMPORTANT NOTES The last day for withdrawal without academic penalty and last day to change from credit to audit status for duration 1 courses is Friday, August 11, 2006. Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in ERSC 1F01, 1F95, 1P92 and 1P93. Students will have received notification of at least 15% of their final grade by Thursday, August 10, 2006.

Schedule for assignments July 13 Economic Minerals July 20 Asteroid assignment July 25 Relative age of rocks and geological events August 3 Locating earthquake epicentres August 10 Identifying tectonic plate boundaries August 17 Determining river discharge Each assignment is due by 1300h on the Thursday of the week following its introduction.

Earth Science Workshop Mackenzie Chown D445 Every Monday from 1300 to 1500h. Teaching assistants will be available to help with assignments.

Lectures: Outline and schedule Monday July 10 Introduction, grade distribution, outline Tuesday July 11 Scientific Ideas, Geology 101, the History of Geology   Wednesday July 12 Atoms, elements and minerals.

Outline and schedule Thursday July 13 Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.   Monday July 17 Fossils and fossilization; mass extinctions Tuesday July 18 The origin of the solar system and the formation of Earth.

Outline and schedule Wednesday July 19 Impacts with the Earth, effect and risk. Thursday July 20 Impacts with the Earth, effect and risk, continued. Monday July 24 Geologic Time: absolute vs. relative, early estimates of the age of the Earth, absolute dating.

Outline and schedule Tuesday July 25 Relative age of rocks and the geologic time scale; Introduction to Assignment 3 Wednesday July 26 Continental drift…the history of an idea; Geomagnetism Thursday July 27 Modern Plate Tectonics

Outline and schedule Monday July 31 No Lecture I’ll be available for questions, etc. at the ERSC 1F90 Workshop (MC D445) Tuesday August 1 Midterm Test Last names beginning A to K Last names beginning L to Z

Earthquake prediction and the Great Canadian Earthquake. Outline and schedule WednesdayAugust 2 Earthquakes: Faults, seismic waves and their effects; the distribution of Earthquakes Thursday August 3 Earthquake prediction and the Great Canadian Earthquake. Monday August 7 No Lecture Civic Holiday

Outline and schedule Tuesday August 8 The Earth’s climate and its history (Snowball Earth) Wednesday August 9 Volcanoes: classification, deposits, and their distribution. Thursday August 10 Predicting volcanic eruptions; scales of eruptions, major eruptions and Supervolcanoes

Running Water: Rivers and streams The World’s Oceans….continued Outline and schedule Monday August 14 Running Water: Rivers and streams Tuesday August 15 The World’s Oceans August 16 The World’s Oceans….continued

Outline and schedule August 17 Deserts and deserts and desert deposits The history of the Earth August 23 Wrap-up, a quick review and final exam information.

Outline and schedule August 24 No Lecture (a good day to study) Final Exam (details TBA)

The usual disclaimer…. The schedule is tentative. Check the web-based schedule for changes and updates.

significant asteroid impact: class will be cancelled! In the event of a significant asteroid impact: class will be cancelled!