GEOLOGY 206
EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH
SPRING 2001
Objectives: This course will provide a broad overview of the interrelated history of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. It will illustrate general concepts of stratigraphy, sedimentology, geochronology, paleontology, tectonics, and paleogeography, as applied in interpreting the dynamic history of the Earth and its life. It will also illustrate general concepts with regional examples and also will give an overview of the geology of North America.
Text: Readings will be from Stanley, 1998. Earth System History;
Format: Classes will provide a chronological summary of Earth history. .There will also be some lab type exercises to illustrate suites of rocks and fossils associated with particular ages and tectonic settings. In addition we will review maps (especially the AAPG Geologic Road map series) and charts to illustrate stratigraphic and structural features.
Grades will be based on two exams (mid-term and final, of equal value) and on lab exercises and participation in field trips.
There be at least two major Saturday field trips, which will take the place of labs; some lab times will be used for extra classes; in turn three will be 3 no class days during the quarter.
Tentative Schedule: The following represent key topics to be covered,
with lab topics and readings from Stanley indicated
Date Lecture Topics Demonstrations/Readings
______________________________________________________________Week 1
March 26 Geologic Time Scale Time in stratigraphy
March 28 Radiometric Dating (6: 166-169)
March 30 Plate Tectonics I
(8)
______________________________________________________________Week
2
April 2
Plate Tectonics-II
Tectonics and Rock Suites,
Tectonic Maps
April 4
Orogenesis
(8,9)
April 6
Synthesis: Tectonic cycles, sed,
(9, 10: 272-274)
rocks, geochemistry and climate
April 7 (Saturday Field Trip Louisville, KY- Frankfort, KY
_______________________________________________________________Week 3
April 9
1) Origin of Earth and Solar System Geological provinces;
2) Origin of lithosphere, atmosphere, (10:257-271, 11:285-301)
hydrosphere, and life
April 11 Archean geology 11
April 13 Paleoproterozoic geology; BIF's (10: 272-285, 11 : 302-314)
_______________________________________________________________Week 4
April 16 1) Mesoproterozoic
geology;
(9:231-244; 12: 315-336)
Modern Style Orogeny
2) Origin of eukaryotes
(12: 325-339)
April 18
Neoproterozoic- breakup of Rodinia;
Ediacarian Life
April 20
Cambrian; Gt. American Carbonate Bank;
Cambrian "explosion"
(13: 337-351)
________________________________________________________________
Week 5
(North-Central GSA: Normal, Illinois April 23-24)
April 23
Ordovician World
Cambro-Ordovician life;
AAPG Northeast
April 25
Ordovician Taconic Orogeny-
(13: 352-368)
Queenston "Delta radiations/extinction
Aprl 27
No Class
________________________________________________________________Week
6
April 30
Silurian World; ironstones, reefs,
Silurian-Devonian life
evaporites (14)
AAPG Mid Atlantic States
Mid-continent Map
May 2
Devonian World:and Life
May 4
Devonian: Acadian Orogeny-Catskill delta
Devonian life; Age of fishes;
(14)
terrestrial ecosystem
MIDTERM EXAM THIS WEEK
May 5 (Saturday Field Trip AA Highway to Garrison, KY}
________________________________________________________________Week 7
May 7
1) Carboniferous World; Mississippian Carboniferous
life
2) Pennsylvanian: Alleghenian Orogeny
May 9
No Class
May 11 No Class
May 9-13 (Field Trip to upper peninsula of Michigan - led by Drs. Dejong and Dietsch)
_________________________________________________________________Week 8
May 14
Permian World and Life
(15)
Mesozoic Lab
AAPG Northern-Southern
Rocky Mt.n Road maps;
Mesozoic Life; Cenozoic life
May 16
Assembly of Pangea and Introduction
to Mesozoic
(16)
May 18 No class
_________________________________________________________________Week
9
May 21 1)
Mesozoic Era: Triassic World and Life AAPG
Pacific Coast section
2) Jurassic: Nevadan-Sevier orogenies
May 23 Cretaceous
World and Life
(17)
Age of dinosaurs; K-T extinctions
May 25 Cenozoic
Era:: Paleogene Laramide Orogeny (18)
Age of Mammals
May 25-27: Possible Field Trip:
_________________________________________________________________Week 10
May 28 No class (Memorial Day)
May 30 Neogene: Basin and Range; Colorado
June 1 Quaternary; ice ages and origin of hominids (19-20)
June 1: Review
class: Geology of North America
Plateau, Coast Range-Cascades; life
FINAL EXAM: During final exam period