Graduate Courses
| Course/Number | Prerequisite | Description | Professor/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Geology 16:460:501 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:401 or 402 or equivalent. | Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits, including studies of alteration, ore mineral solubility, fluid inclusions, mass transfer, and stable and radiogenic isotopes. | M. Feigenson |
| Studies in Paleontology 16:460:503 (F) | Prerequisites: 01:460:303, 341, or equivalent. | Topics include methods and case studies in systematics, evolution and extinction, paleogeography, paleoclimate, and other topics of current interest. Emphasis on the relationship between geological and biological processes. | |
| 16:460:505 (F) | Prerequisites: 01:460:340, 341. | Topics of current interdisciplinary research in sedimentary geology. Sequence stratigraphy, facies models, sea-level change, unconformities/hiatuses, tectonics, climate change, evolution, mass extinctions. | G. Ashley, K. Miller, G. McGhee |
| Structure and Formation of the Earth 16:460:506 (S) | Prerequisites: 01:460:302, 307, 401, or permission of instructor. | Topics of current research on the internal structure of the earth. Mantle structure, phase changes, seismic discontinuities, trace element/isotopic properties, mineral physics, core formation, meteorites, moons, asteroids. | M. Feigenson, C. Herzberg |
| Geodynamics 16:460:507 (S) | Prerequisites: 01:460:307, 312. | Topics of current research in structural geology, geophysics, and tectonics. Deformation of the crust and mantle; convection in the mantle and core; the gravity and magnetic field of the earth; plate tectonics and the origin of earthquakes and volcanoes. | P. Rona, & V. Levin |
| Mineral Phase Relations 16:460:508 (F) | Prerequisite: 01:460:302. | Free-energy diagrams and phase diagrams, equilibrium and kinetics, nucleation theory, undercooling, diffusion. Major groups of rock-forming minerals; comparison of laboratory data and theoretical models with assemblages, compositions, and morphologies actually observed in slowly cooled and rapidly cooled rocks. | Staff |
| Meteoritics 16:460:509 (F) | Prerequisite: 01:460:302 | Petrology and geochemistry of meteorites, origin of solar system, thermal history of asteroids. | Staff |
| Petrology 16:460:511 (S) | Prerequisites: 01:460:301,302, or equivalent. | Basic principles of thermodynamics applied to solid-solid and solid-liquid equilibria in silicate systems; igneous and metamorphic processes that structured the petrology of the earth's crust and mantle through time. | C. Herzberg |
| Metamorphic Petrology 16:460:512 (S) | Prerequisites: 01:460:301,302, or equivalent. | Principles of thermodynamics applied to the stabilities of mineral assemblages in meta-igneous and meta-sedimentary rocks of the earth's crust; fluids in the crust; metamorphism and plate tectonics. | C. Herzberg |
| Volcanology 16:460:513 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:302 or equivalent. | Geologic settings of volcanos; geophysical and geochemical constraints on the origin of magmas; energetics and periodicity; volcanos and earthquakes; eruption mechanisms; volcanic hazards and prediction; geothermal power and volcanogenic ore deposits. | M. Carr |
| Depositional Environments 16:460:514 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:340 or equivalent. | Examination of clastic depositional environments, with emphasis on sedimentary processes. Sediment sampling and analyzing; sedimentary structures; grain characteristics; facies models. | G. Ashley |
| Advanced Tectonics 16:460:515 (F) | Prerequisite: Structural geology. | Examination of (1) the diversity of structural styles and tectonic settings worldwide using outcrop, well, and seismic data; (2) the results of geometric and experimental modeling; and (3) restoration techniques. | M. Withjack |
| Advanced Structural Geology 16:460:516 (F) | Lec. 2 hrs., lab. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: Structural geology, two terms of calculus, linear algebra. | Advanced topics in structural geology including: extensional tectonics, fracture mechanics, fault-population systematics, and practical structural geology (seismic expression of structural styles, analogue modeling of geologic structures, and restoration of geologic structures). | R. Schlische |
| Mesozoic-Cenozoic Stratigraphy 16:460:519 (F) | Prerequisite: 01:460:341 | Study of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic stratigraphic sequences in different basinal settings and relationship to tectonic history. | K. Miller |
| Marine Sedimentology 16:460:525 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:340 or equivalent. | Examination of the physical processes of sedimentation on the continental shelf and continental slope environments. The interrelationship between organisms and sediment as well as environmental problems. | G. Ashley |
| Paleoceanography 16:460:526 (F) | Prerequisite: Paleontology. | Paleoecology, paleoclimatology, and paleogeography of marine microfossils; study of major paleoceanographic events and their relationships to stratigraphy and sedimentary facies. | K. Miller & J. Wright |
| Groundwater Modeling 16:460:528 (F) | Prerequisite: 460:428 (Hydrogeology) or equivalent. | Procedures of setting up a numerical model of groundwater flow and transport using Visual Modflow and GMS Femwater. | Ying Fan Reinfelder |
| Evolutionary Paleoecology 16:460:538 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:303 or equivalent. | Seminar on the evolution of ecological systems in geologic time; application of evolutionary theory to paleoecological patterns and processes. | G. McGhee |
| Marine Geology 16:460:541 (F) | Prerequisite: 01:460:341. | Structure and evolution of ocean basins, continental margins, and marine sediments. | K. Miller & J. Wright |
| Isotope Geochemistry 16:460:551 (S) | Prerequisite: 01:460:401 or equivalent | Studies of stable and radiogenic isotopes in the earth's mantle and crust. The use of isotopes in age dating, source tracing, and geothermometry. | M. Feigenson |
| Geophysics I 16:460:555 (F) | Prerequisites: 01:460:307, 01:640:252, 01:750:204, or permission of instructor | Theory and application of seismic refraction, seismic reflection, deep earth seismology, surface waves, and heat flow. Collection and interpretation of seismic data. | G. Mountain |
| Geophysics II 16:460:556 (F) | Prerequisites: 01:460:307, 01:640:252, 01:750:204, or permission of instructor | Theory and application of gravity, magnetics, paleomagnetics, and electrical prospecting. Measurement and interpretation of potential field anomalies. | G. Mountain |
| Numerical Methods in Paleoecology 16:460:560 (S) | Prerequisite: Calculus and statistics, or permission of instructor | Digital computational methods for paleoecologists and paleontologists; measurement systems and data transformation; statistics; discrete association and gradient analytic techniques for paleoecological research. Emphasis on applied data analysis. | G. McGhee |
| Studies in Micropaleontology 16:460:561 (F) | Prerequisites: 01:460:303, 341 | Paleoecology and biostratigraphy of foraminifera; identification and interpretation of microscopic organic remains in rocks and sediments. | R. Olsson |
| Advanced Studies in Geology (BA,BA) 16:460:601, 602 | [Course may be taken more than once.] Special topics chosen each term. Recent topics include:
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| Seminar in Geology (BA) 16:460:611 | |||
| Research in Geology (BA,BA) 16:460:701,702 | |||
| Quaternary Studies Seminar 16:841:501 | A multidisciplinary (geology, geography, biology, meteorology, oceanography, paleontology and soils) course focused on specific questions or problems related to the Quaternary time period. |
Wright-Rieman Laboratories