Quartz: SiO2

Structural Geology is the branch of the geological sciences that deals with the earth’s crust and mantle from a mechanical perspective. We know a great deal about the history of our planet based on careful field observations of deformed rocks and the large and small-scale structures that have resulted from tectonic events. Structural Geology also encompasses targeted experimental investigations into rock deformation, and draws from the allied fields of geophysics, material science and mechanical engineering. This course seeks to build on your introductory field experiences and preparatory geology, mathematics, and physics courses. We will first focus on descriptive structure and the classification, measurement, and mapping of key structural features. The course moves on to examine stress and strain in more detail along with smaller-scale structures observable and mappable in field settings. The final section of this course examines the microstructural basis of solid-state deformation in earth materials, exploring the quantitative treatment and mineral-grain scale mechanical processes which make possible all deformation events. The overall goal is to provide an integrated map-to-microscope perspective on movement in the earth’s crust and mantle, leading to a fuller understanding of deformation events and the stresses in the earth which cause them.