GEOL-201 Sedimentary Geology – Spring 2013

 

Instructor: Steven Earle PhD, P.Geo.                                  

Office: 360/304a

Office hours: Tuesday through Friday. 11:00-11:30 (or any other time that I’m there)

E-mail: steven.earle@viu.ca

 

 

GEOL-201 is focused on the features of sedimentary depositional environments and on the charac-teristics of sediments and sedimentary rocks that accumulate in those environments.  Wherever possible we will look at field examples of the actual depositional environments or of rocks deposited in those environments, or both.  The course will include a great deal of field work.  We will also spend time learning about and using methods that geologists use to study sediments and sedimentary rocks in the field and in the lab.

 

Timetable (all in 370/107 or the field):

Wednesday class

Friday class

Friday lab

11:30 to 1:00

11:30 to 1:00

1:00 to 4:00

 

The textbook is: Sedimentary Geology (2nd Ed.) by D. R. Prothero and F. Schwab. 

 

Major course topics

 

·         Fluvial processes and features of sediments & rocks formed in river environments

·         Glacial processes & features of sediments formed in glacial environments

·         Near-shore marine processes & features of sediments & rocks formed in near-shore environments

·         Sub-marine fan environments & features of rocks formed in sub-marine fans

·         Shallow marine carbonate environments and features of carbonate rocks

·         Grain-size analysis of sediments

·         Trace fossils

·         Lithostratigraphy & biostratigraphy

 

 

 Course schedule

 

 

Wednesday (class)

Friday (class and lab or field trip)

         

January

9

Introduction

11

Weathering and erosion

No lab

         
 

16

Fluvial processes

18

Fluvial processes

 

Nanaimo River field trip

         
 

23

Sedimentary structures

25

Sedimentary rock classification

 

Fluvial rock field trip

         
 

30

Grain size classification

1

Interpreting grain size data

 

Lab work on Nanaimo R. samples

         

February

6

Mudrocks and sandstones

8

Shoreline processes

Stephenson Pt. & Malaspina Cut

         
 

13

Glacial processes

15

Glacial processes and gravity flows

 

Glacial sediments field trip

         
 

20

Carbonate depositional environments (and work with Belize samples)

22

No class – Steve away

 
         
 

No classes - spring break

         

March

6

Submarine fan environments

8

Gabriola Island field trip

         
 

13

Trace fossils

15

Submarine fan environments

Nanaimo Gp. s-m fan deposition

         
 

20

Carbonate rock classification

22

Horne Lake field trip

 
         
 

27

Lithostratigraphy

29

No Class – Easter Friday

 
         

April

3

Sedimentary rocks in thin section

5

Stratigraphic logs and cross-sections

Harewood section measurement

         
 

10

Nanaimo Gp. Lutite Project

12

Nanaimo Gp. Lutite Project

 

 

Project

 

The GEOL-390 field course in Belize (during spring break) involves a study of carbonate depositional environments, and is directly relevant to this course.  Some of you will be there, and for the others I plan to provide daily FaceBook updates of what we see and do.  As a group project in GEOL-201 we will create a summary of the carbonate depositional environments and other relevant features on the Belize shelf. 

 

Academic integrity

 

The following standards of academic integrity are copied from the Student Academic Code of Conduct.  The entire policy can be found on the VIU website at http://www.viu.ca/policies/policy.asp?rdPolicyNumber=99.01. All students should read the entire policy document.

 

STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are expected to meet the standards of academic integrity as indicated in this policy.  Standards of academic integrity include, but are not limited to:

  • independently producing work submitted under one’s own name;
  • properly and appropriately referencing all work;
  • identifying all collaborators in work;
  • completing examinations without giving or receiving assistance, excepting those students requiring assistance due to a documented disability; and
  • respecting the integrity of examination materials and/or the examination process

 

 

Grading:

 

The plan for grading is as follows:

Field-trip participation and write-ups: 25%

Lab exercises: 10%

Assignments (3): 18%

Belize group project: 12%

Responses to readings 5%

Final exam: 30%

 

My objectives for your learning in GEOL-201:

 

1) Foundational knowledge: Acquire basic knowledge about sedimentary geology

 

2) Application:

a) learn how to think like a geologist

b) learn how to solve sedimentary geology problems that we encounter in the course

c) learn how to solve problems that are different from those that we encounter in this course.

 

3) Integration: Understand how sedimentary geology relates to other areas of earth science, such as plate tectonics, climate change, paleontology and groundwater.

 

4) Internalization: Get excited about sedimentary geology and recognize its importance to you and society.  Learn something about yourself and your abilities; learn about other people.

 

5) Learn about learning: Become a more capable learner.  Learn how to acquire and construct knowledge.  Become a self-directed learner.  Become a teacher, and discover something about how other people learn.