Geology 311 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

From the muddy Mississippi River delta to the clear waters of the Bahamas, from the bottom of the Greenland ice sheet to the shifting dunes of the Namib sand sea, sediment is continually being produced, transported, and deposited on the planet’s surface. These processes are fundamentally linked to global climate and tectonics. Sedimentary rocks are therefore archives of environmental, climatic, and tectonic changes through Earth history. In this class, students will learn how to interpret the sedimentary rock record, on scales ranging from individual grains to kilometers-thick sequences of strata. Students will develop an understanding of sedimentary processes in modern environments and learn how to interpret the sedimentary rock record.

Requisite: GEOL 111. Recommended requisite: GEOL 112. Fall Semester.  Professor Jones.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: lectures (both synchronous and asynchronous); lab work in a collaborative, group setting; field trips that involve observation of rock outcrops in the out-of-doors, with some hiking; in-class quizzes and/or exams; modest quantitative analysis; and a collaborative, integrated final project that includes independent analysis of a novel problem. Each of these modes of learning relies heavily on visual analysis. Attendance is a critical element of success. Students with documented disabilities who will require accommodations in this course should be in consultation with Accessibility Services and reach out to the faculty member as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations can be made in a timely manner.