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Course Web Sites
Course web sites for Fall 2008 (Current Semester)
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1001 - Earth and Its Environments (ENVT, PHYS SCI/L)
Physical processes that shape the Earth: volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, glaciers, rivers. Current environmental issues/global change. Lecture/lab. Optional field experience.
1002 - Earth History (ENVT, PHYS SCI/L)
Evolution of life on Earth. Interrelationships of plate tectonism, climate change and organic evolution that led to the present ecosystem. Impacts of hominid evolution on Earth systems and of geological processes on human society.
1003 - Dinosaur Evolution, Ecology, and Extinction: Introduction to the Mesozoic World
Dinosaurs and the Mesozoic Earth are used to introduce evolution, plate tectonics, climate change, and Earth systems. Overview of the history of dinosaur interpretations illustrates the principles and social aspects of scientific investigation.
1005 - Geology and Cinema (ENVT, PHYS SCI/L)
Physical processes shaping the Earth, materials it comprises, its nearly five billion year history as told spectacularly, but often wrongly, by Hollywood movies.
1006 - Oceanography (ENVT, PHYS SCI/L)
How various processes in the ocean interact. Marine biology, waves, tides, chemical oceanography, marine geology, and human interaction with the sea. Labs include study of live marine invertebrates, manipulation of oceanographic data, and discussion using videos showing unique aspects of ocean research.
1007 - Geobiology: Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth
Scientific evidence from biology, paleontology, and geology for origin/evolution of life over 4.5 billion years of Earth's history. Biochemical basis of life, biogeochemical cycles, natural selection, origin of species, genetics, phylogeny reconstruction, timescales for evolution.
1011 - Volcanoes of the Earth (PHYS SCI/L)
Nonmathematical introduction to volcanoes, their origin and distribution on Earth and through time; theory of plate tectonics, origin of magmas and the Earth's interior; products of volcanoes, types of eruptions and hazards, and impact on climate, vegetation, and society.
1081 - Conspiracies, Fraud, and Deception in Earth History
Famous cases of geological deception from three centuries are presented in the intellectual context of their time and demonstrate the prevailing power of scientific reasoning.
1101 - Introduction to Geology (ENVT)
Physical processes that shape the Earth: volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, glaciers, rivers. Current environmental issues and global change. Lecture.
1102 - Introduction to Earth History
Evolution of life on Earth. Interrelationships of plate tectonism, climate change, and organic evolution that led to the present ecosystem. Impacts of hominid evolution on Earth systems and of geological processes on human society.
1105 - Geology and Cinema
Physical processes shaping the Earth, materials it comprises, its nearly five billion year history as told spectacularly, but often wrongly, by Hollywood movies.
1106 - Oceanography
How various processes in the ocean interact. Marine biology, waves, tides, chemical oceanography, marine geology, human interaction with sea.
1901 - Freshman Seminar: Environment (ENVT)
Topics vary. See Class Schedule.
1905 - Freshman Seminar
Topics vary. See Class Schedule.
1906W - Freshman Seminar: Writing Intensive and Environmental Theme (ENVT, WI)
Topics vary: see freshman seminar topics.
2201 - Geodynamics I: The Solid Earth
Dynamics of solid Earth, particularly tectonic system. Seismology, internal structure of Earth. Earth's gravity, magnetic fields. Paleomagnetism, global plate tectonics, tectonic systems. Field trip.
2301 - Mineralogy
Crystallography, crystal chemistry, physics. Physical/chemical properties, crystal structures, chemical equilibria of major mineral groups. Lab includes crystallographic, polarizing microscope, X-ray powder diffraction exercises, hand-specimen mineral identification.
2302 - Petrology
Magmatic and metamorphic processes, with an emphasis on plate tectonic interpretation of rock sequences.
2303W - Geochemical Principles (WI)
Origin of elements (nucleosynthesis, elemental abundances). Geochemical classifications. Isotopes (radioactive, stable). Phase equilibria. Models of Earth's geochemical evolution. Basic geochemical processes that produced Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere.
3001 - Earth Materials
Common rocks/minerals and their geologic settings. Properties of these materials as basis for identification/use in industry/society.
3002 - Climate Change and Human History (ENVT)
Causes of long-/short-term climate change. Frequency/magnitude of past climate changes; their geologic records. Relationship of past climate changes to development of agrarian societies and to shifts in power among kingdoms/city-states. Emphasizes last 10,000 years.
3003 - Geohazards (C/PE, ENVT)
Geologic hazards associated with earthquakes/volcanoes. How society confronts dangers posed by these phenomena. Geological/geophysical nature/causes of earthquakes/volcanoes. Prediction/risk assessment. Public policy issues.
3004 - Water and Society (C/PE, ENVT)
Processes that influence formation, circulation, composition, and use of water. Human influence on water quality through agricultural, industrial, and other land-use practices. International case studies examine human interaction with surface environment, influence of local land-use practices.
3005 - Earth Resources (C/PE, IP)
Geologic aspects of energy/material resources. Resource size/life-times. Environmental consequences of resource use. Issues of international/public ethics associated with resource production, distribution, and use.
3006 - Planets of the Solar System
Recent accomplishments of space missions. Diverse/common characteristics of planetary formation. Surface processes/interior dynamics. Meteoritic impacts. Comets. Other solar systems/possibility of life.
3093 - Problems in Geology and Geophysics: Junior
Geological or geophysical problems studied independently under the direction of a faculty member.
3096 - Geology of Iceland
Geologic processes that form Iceland. Tectonics, volcanology, geomorphology, glaciology. Interplay between physical environment of Iceland and its social structure and culture. Lectures, field trips.
3202 - Geodynamics II: The Fluid Earth
Dynamics of fluid Earth, mainly surface processes and convection.
3401 - Geochronology and Earth History
Modern high precision techniques for quantifying geologic time. Litho-, bio-, and chrono-stratigraphic correlation techniques for reconstructing geologic history.
3402 - Science and Politics of Global Warming
Detection/attribution of global warming using concepts of radiation, climate system, and carbon cycle. Effects on society/biodiversity. National/global efforts/controversy over responses/consequences.
Effective:
Spring 2009
3870 - Modeling Workshop
Modeling of geologic or geophysical systems.
3880< - Laboratory Workshop
Geologic or geophysical lab study.
3890 - Field Workshop
Geologic or geophysical field study.
3911 - Introductory Field Geology
Geologic mapping on topographic maps and aerial photos. Field identification of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Measurement of stratigraphic sections. Structural/geomorphic features.
4010 - Undergraduate Seminar: Current Topics in Geology and Geophysics
Topics in geology and geophysics investigated in a seminar format.
4093 - Problems in Geology and Geophysics: Senior
Nonstructured research course enabling seniors to engage in independent research under faculty supervision.
4094 - Senior Thesis
Nonstructured research course enabling senior-level majors to engage in independent research under faculty supervision. Select problems according to individual interests and in consultation with faculty committee. Thesis and oral defense.
4096 - Geologic Field Studies in Iceland
Lectures, field research in various parts of Iceland. Focuses on individual projects in southwest Iceland. Write-up, oral presentation of field studies.
4102W - Vertebrate Paleontology: Evolutionary History and Fossil Records of Vertebrates (WI)
Vertebrate evolution (exclusive of mammals) in phylogenetic, temporal, functional, and paleoecological contexts. Vertebrate anatomy. Methods in reconstructing phylogenetic relationships and origin/history of major vertebrate groups, from Cambrian Explosion to modern diversity of vertebrate animals.
4103W - Fossil Record of Mammals (WI)
Evolutionary history of mammals and their extinct relatives. Methods in reconstructing phylogeny. Place of mammals in evolutionary history of vertebrate animals. Major morphological/ecological transitions. Origins of modern groups of mammals. Continuing controversies in studying fossil mammals.
4203 - Principles of Geophysical Exploration
Seismic exploration (reflection and refraction); potential techniques (gravity and magnetics) and electrical techniques of geophysical exploration.
4204 - Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism
Present geomagnetic field at the Earth's surface, secular variation, geomagnetic field reversals. Physical and chemical basis of paleomagnetism: origin of natural remanent magnetization, mineralogy of magnetic minerals, magnetic polarity stratigraphy, apparent polar wander, and environmental magnetism.
4211 - Solid Earth Geophysics I
Basic elasticity, basic seismology, and physical structure of the Earth's crust and deep interior.
4212 - Solid Earth Geophysics II
Dynamics of the solid Earth, mostly mantle and core; seismic tomography, geothermal measurements, gravity, time-dependent deformation of the Earth, computer modeling.
4301 - Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Theoretical development of basic thermodynamic tools, chemographic analysis for interpreting chemical processes in igneous/metamorphic rocks. Problem sets.
4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry
General principles of solution chemistry applied to geology. Solution-mineral equilibria. Redox processes in natural waters. Geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids. Environmental geochemistry.
4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean
Introduction to marine biogeochemistry and chemical oceanography. Processes controlling chemical composition of oceans past/present. Cycles of major/minor constituents, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, and oxygen and their isotopes. Role of these cycles in climate system.
4501 - Structural Geology
Fundamental concepts related to deformation of Earth's crust. Processes associated with deformation, faulting, folding, fabric development. Lab/recitation include solving problems, conducting physical/numerical experiments. Field trips.
4502 - Tectonic Styles
Origin and nature of major types of tectonic disturbances affecting the crust and lithosphere, including analysis of the form and development of individual structural components and relationship to plate tectonics. Changes over geologic time in the nature of orogenic processes.
4503 - Neotectonics
Integration of diverse elements of geology, geodesy, and geophysics to examine recent and active tectonics of the Earth's lithosphere; extensional, compressional and wrench tectonic regimes with case studies around the world; modern global plate motions, geodetic techniques, seismic anisotropy, climatically driven tectonics.
4602 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
Interpretation of origin of sedimentary rocks through application of basic physical/chemical principles. Modern depositional environments, petrographic microscopy, basin dynamics, stratigraphy.
4631W - Earth Systems: Geosphere/Biosphere Interactions (WI)
Interdisciplinary study of global-change forcing mechanisms, feedbacks, dynamics on various time scales, using paleorecord to illustrate processes.
4701 - Geomorphology
Origin, development, and continuing evolution of landforms in various environments. Environmental implications. Weathering, slope and shore processes, fluvial erosion and deposition, arid region processes, glacial processes.
4702 - General Hydrogeology
Theory of groundwater geology, hydrologic cycle, watershed hydrology, Darcy's law, governing equations of groundwater motion, flow net analysis, analog models, groundwater resource evaluation/development. Applied analysis of steady and transient equations of groundwater motion and chemical transport. Chemistry of natural waters.
4703 - Glacial Geology
Formation and characteristics of modern glaciers; erosional and depositional features of Pleistocene glaciers; history of quaternary environmental changes in glaciated and nonglaciated areas. Field trips and labs.
4911 - Advanced Field Geology
Geologic mapping; study of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks; structures and surficial features; problem solving. Paper required.
4971W - Field Hydrogeology (WI)
Aquifer, vadoze zone, and surface water hydrology field techniques. Shallow soil boring, sampling. Well installation. Single/multiple well aquifer testing. Ground water sampling for chemical analysis. Weather data collection, hydrogeologic mapping, water balance calculation.
5001 - Earth Systems Science for Teachers
Solid Earth, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, their interconnections in natural cycles of material/energy. Consequences of natural cycles for land-water-atmosphere-life environments/Earth's habitability. Human impact on natural cycles. Evidence for global environmental changes. Required project.
5102 - Climate Change and Human History
Causes of long-/short-term climate change. Frequency/magnitude of past climate changes, their geologic records. Relationship of past climate changes to development of agrarian societies and to shifts in power among kingdoms/city-states. Emphasizes last 10,000 years.
5108 - Principles of Environmental Geology
Human impact on geological environment and effect of geology/geologic processes on human life from an ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles perspective. Geologic limits to resources and carrying capacity of Earth. Land use planning, environmental impact assessment, ecogeologic world models. Field project and trip.
5201 - Time-Series Analysis of Geological Phenomena
Time-series analysis of linear and nonlinear geological and geophysical phenomena. Examples drawn from ice age cycles, earthquakes, climatic fluctuations, volcanic eruptions, atmospheric phenomena, thermal convection and other time-dependent natural phenomena. Modern concepts of nonlinear dynamics and complexity theory applied to geological phenomena.
5203 - Mineral and Rock Physics
Physical properties of minerals and rocks as related to the composition and dynamics of the Earth's crust, mantle, and core.
5204 - Geostatistics and Inverse Theory
Statistical treatment of geological and geophysical data. Statistical estimation. Stochastic processes/fields. Non-linear/non-assumptive error analysis. Cluster analysis. Eigenvalue-eigenvector methods. Regional variables. Correlograms and kriging. Theoretical framework of linear geostatistics and geophysical inverse theory.
5205 - Fluid Mechanics in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Flow equations in conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. Fluid flow in oceans, lakes, rivers, and atmosphere. Flow of EarthÂ’s mantle or outer core. Wave propagation. Porous medium flow in soils/fractures. Diffusive, advective, and dispersive transfer of heat and certain tracers, chemicals, contaminants, and microbes with subsurface fluids.
5302 - Isotope Geology
Theory and uses of radioactive, radiogenic, and stable isotopes in geology. Radioactive dating, geothermometry, and tracer techniques in geologic processes.
5351 - Geochemical Modeling of Aqueous Systems
Using mass transfer reaction path models to assess chemical evolution of natural fluids, hydrothermal alteration processes, and formation of hydrothermal ore deposits.
5353 - Electron Microprobe Theory and Practice
Characterizing solid materials with electron beam instrumentation, including reduction of X-ray data to chemical compositions.
5502 - Advanced Structural Geology
Analysis of structures and fabric of deformed rocks. Determination of states of stress and strain in rocks and of evolution of these with time. Deformation mechanisms. Extensive reading in journal literature. Field trips.
5601 - Advanced Sedimentology
Modern techniques of sedimentary basin analysis focusing on interactions among the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Sedimentary facies of modern and ancient systems, petrology of clastic and carbonate deposits, tectonic and paleoclimatic interpretations, paleocurrent analysis, diagenetic effects on subsurface fluid flow, and volcanic sedimentation.
5602 - Depositional Mechanics
Elementary mechanics of sediment transport applied to quantitative interpretation of sedimentary rocks.
5701 - General Hydrogeology
Theory of groundwater geology, hydrologic cycle, watershed hydrology, Darcy's law, governing equations of groundwater motion, flow net analysis, analog models, and groundwater resource evaluation and development. Applied analysis of steady and transient equations of groundwater motion and chemical transport. Chemistry of natural waters.
5702 - Regional Aquifer Systems of North America
Geologic controls on flow patterns within aquifer systems. Case histories and specific examples from glaciated terrains and Paleozoic basins in Minnesota. Analysis of basin-scale regional aquifer systems of North America. Survey of famous aquifer systems of the world.
5705 - Limnogeology and Paleoenvironment
Within-lake, hydrogeologic, and landscape (geological/biological) processes that lead to formation of various proxy records of paleoenvironment. Systems approach to physical, geochemical, biogeochemical, and biotic proxies. Basic principles, case studies. Emphasizes how proxy records relate to paleoclimate.
5713 - Tracers and Karst Hydrogeology
Karst hydrogeology and application of tracers to determine source, age, and mixing parameters of water in various natural reservoirs. Physical and chemical principles and processes operating in karst hydrogeology; use of natural and synthetic chemical and isotopic labels or tracers to follow movement and mixing of water through hydrologic cycle.
5802 - Scientific Visualization
Visualization hardware and software, three-dimensional graphics, representation of scientific data, modeling, user interface techniques, output, commonly used algorithms, animation, case studies and examples.
5971 - Field Hydrogeology
Aquifer, vadoze zone, and surface water hydrology field techniques. Shallow soil boring and sampling. Well installation. Single/multiple well aquifer testing. Ground water sampling for chemical analysis. Weather data collection, hydrogeologic mapping, water balance calculation.
8243 - Principles of Rock Magnetism
Remanent magnetizations, their classification and origins. Fundamentals of fine particle magnetism; magnetic minerals; separation of multicomponent magnetizations; effects of chemical change on magnetization; magnetic proxies of climatic and environmental change; biomagnetism.
8333 - FTE: Master's
(No description)
8353 - Phase Equilibrium in Mineral Systems
Principles of homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria and their application to problems in petrology. Emphasis on derivations from first principles and formulation of algebraic and graphical methods essential to multicomponent systems.
8354 - Igneous Petrology
Igneous rocks and processes, emphasizing geochemistry of melts and minerals. Content varies with instructor and student interest.
8355 - Metamorphic Petrology
Metamorphic processes; relation of theory and observation to current problems. Relation of fundamental concepts and techniques to progressive development of mineral assemblages. Term paper required.
8444 - FTE: Doctoral
(No description)
8511 - Mechanics of Sediment Transport
Particle motion in fluids. Criteria for incipient motion. Formulations for bedload and suspended load. Bedform mechanics, hydraulic resistance relations. Channel stability, aggradation/degradation, alluvial stream morphology.
8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
Background material essential for participating in a stream restoration project. How to assimilate geologic, hydrologic, and ecological data at the watershed and reach scales to plan a restoration project and evaluate/critique existing stream restoration projects.
8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
Field experience, group design project. Students provide a stream restoration context for each otherÂ’s elective coursework, complete critical assessments of stream restoration projects, and design a stream restoration site.
8666 - Doctoral Pre-Thesis Credits
8712 - Transport Phenomena and Analytical Geohydrology
Microscopic flow parameters, momentum, mass and energy transport through porous media. Geologic factors in aquifer performance, equations for groundwater flow, and analysis of pump tests.
8718 - Numerical Methods in Hydrogeology
Introduction to finite difference and finite element methods in hydrogeology. Students develop one- and two-dimensional models of diffusion and advection-dispersion equations.
8777< - Thesis Credits: Master's
(No description)
8888 - Thesis Credit: Doctoral
(No description)
8970 - Seminar: Current Topics in Geology and Geophysics
8980 - Seminar: Current Topics in Geology and Geophysics
8994 - Research in Geology and Geophysics
Independent research under faculty supervision.
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List of course web pages from previous semesters
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