GS1200 Environmental Geology – Spring 2009
Schedule
of Lecture Topics, Reading Assignments, and Examinations
January:
21 – Introduction – Geology and the Environment Chapter 1
23 – Fundamental concepts – Geology and the Environment Chapter 1; Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 1
26 – Plate tectonics – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 2
28 – Generic causes of geologic hazards –
Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapters 2
& 6
30 – Societal responses to geologic hazards
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapters 1 & 18
February:
02 – Example of hazard mitigation: volcanic
eruptions – Natural
Hazards/Disasters Chapter 7
04 – Faults and earthquakes – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 3
06 – EXAMINATION
#1 (basic principles)
09 – Generic effects of earthquakes – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 3
11 – Earthquakes and landslides – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 8
13 – Global distribution of earthquake hazards
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 4
16 – Video: Shock Waves: 100 Years After the 1906 Earthquake (USGS)
18 – Video: The Day The Earth Shook (Nova)
20 – Video: Nature Tech: Earthquakes (History Channel)
23 – Earthquake hazards in California – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 4
25 – Earthquake hazards in the Pacific NW
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 4
27 – EXAMINATION
#2 (earthquakes)
March:
02 – Earthquake hazards in the interior United
States – Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 4
04 – Earthquake forecasting and mitigation
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 4
06 – Causes and behavior of tsunamis – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 4
09 – Tsunami hazards in the United States
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 4
11 – Mitigation of tsunami hazards – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 4
13 – Coastal processes – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 13
16 – Video: Tsunami: The Wave That Shook The World (Nova)
18 – EXAMINATION
#3 (earthquakes and tsunamis)
20 – Video: Tsunami: Killer Wave (National
Geographic)
23 to 27 – Spring Break
30 – Coastal subsidence and sea level – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 9; Geology/Environment Chapter 11
April:
01 – Gradual beach and cliff erosion – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 13
03 – Hurricanes and coastal storms – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 14
06 – Mitigation of coastal hazards – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapters 13
& 14
08 – Natural changes in global climate – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 10; Geology/Environment Chapter 11
10 – Long-term history of climate change
– Natural Hazards/Disasters
Chapter 10; Geology/Environment
Chapter 11
13 – Video: The Hurricanes: Deadly Wind, Deadly Rain (History Channel)
15 – EXAMINATION
#4 (coastal hazards and climate)
17 – Video: Hurricane Katrina: The Storm That Drowned a City (Nova)
20 – Video: Global Warming: The Signs and The Science (PBS)
22 – Global distribution of energy resources
– Geology and the Environment
Chapter 14
24 – Origin of oil and natural gas resources
– Geology and the Environment
Chapter 14
27 – Petroleum systems and exploration
strategies – Geology and the
Environment Chapter 14
29 – Video: A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash
May:
01 – Future of energy supplies – Geology and the Environment Chapter 14
04 – Human effects on climate – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 10; Geology/Environment Chapter 11
06 – Future of global warming – Natural Hazards/Disasters Chapter 10; Geology and the Environment Chapter 11
08 – Reading Day
14 – EXAMINATION
#5 (energy and climate change): 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, Keller Auditorium