Fall 2011 - Perilous Earth (Geology 303) - Online - Syllabus

Introduction | Grading | Contact Information | Objectives | Holidays | Final | Schedule of Readings and Exams

Important changes or notifications will be posted here. Please check here daily.

Original syllabus posted August 19, 2011, 11:00 am

Please read this syllabus carefully. It outlines the structure of this class, and provides you a reading and exam schedule (see links at the top of this page). After carefully reading this syllabus, for those of you who remain unsure of how this class will work, then please drop by my office in GMCS 120 for a brief 5 to 10 min chat about the structure of this course.

Finally, note that the four required exams are scheduled for Saturday between 8:00 and 9:00 am in GMCS 333 (see Schedule of Readings and Exams).

The reading and exam schedule provided below will be followed strictly.

You do not need a scantron for any of the scheduled exams.

Introduction

The surface of our planet is in a constant state of change. Though these changes are commonly slow and imperceptible they are nevertheless real. In contrast, at various times the surface may be drastically altered as for example, during a large earthquake,tsunami, or volcanic eruption. When such dramatic events occur, lives are sometimes lost and communities destroyed. Hence, it is important that the citizens of Earth gain a sound basic understanding of why, where, and when such events might occur.

In this course, we will review the processes behind common natural disasters. As you will learn, plate tectonics is the fundamental process behind such things as the development of island arcs, faults, and earthquakes. In addition, it exerts a major control on the locations of mountainous terrains, and the distributions of oceans and landmasses. These latter features in turn influence the development of landslides and the distribution of cyclones respectively.

We will begin our study by first reviewing in Chapter 1 the basic types of rocks exposed at the land surface and plate tectonics.We will then focus on volcanoes and their hazards in Chapters 2 and 3, and in Chapter 4 we will review the Mount St. Helens eruption. We will then move on to faults, earthquakes, and earthquake hazards in Chapters 5, 6, and 7. In Chapter 8 we will consider landslides and review the infamous Mount Soledad and La Conchinta landslides. Finally, we will end our review of natural disasters by looking at the development of cyclones, typhoons, and hurricanes.

Grading

There will be four exams.  Each exam will be worth 20% of your total grade and will consist of about 100 questions which will be in the following format: multiple choice, fill-in, labeling of illustrations, short answers, and a few true/false. In addition, there will be at least one essay question, requiring a 1 to 2 paragraph written response. These essay questions will make up the remaining 5% of your quarterly grade (e.g., exam 1 + essay question 1 = 25%, exam 2 + essay question 2 = 25%, exam 3 + essay question 3 = 25%, exam 4 + essay question 5 = 25%). The essay questions are provided below. Please note that they are not a part of the exam score, and will appear separately in my grade book. Basically, you type up your thoughtfull answer to the essay question, and then print it out and turn it in with your exam on exam day. Please note that Late essays will not be accepted.

Essay Question 1 for Exam 1. On Friday, March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Japan. Given the plate tectonic setting of Japan, in a one page essay, please address the question of whether or not the world community should, or should not have expected this disaster. In your essay you must provide the plate tectonic setting, the kind of plate boundary, and the lithospheric plates involved in the March 11 earthquake. A Google search should provide you plenty of information. Use 1.5 spacing for this and all other essays.

Essay Question 2 for Exam 2. Your best friend from back east has decided to move to Seattle, Washington.  Please describe to your best friend in a one page essay (1.5 spacing) some of the dangers that she/he should be aware of in moving to a location along a convergent margin. Use 1.5 spacing for this and all other essays.

Essay Question 3 for Exam 3. Imagine that you are sitting at your desk writing the answer to this question on your computer on Sunday April 4, 2010.  Suddenly you hear a rumbling noise that seems to get louder and louder and closer and closer, and then it hits you – it’s an earthquake!  Recall that the various types of seismic waves travel at different speeds.  Based on your understanding of earthquakes, describe below in no more than a single page what you would feel as the various seismic waves reach you, and then move on to disturb other students more distant from the epicenter then you are.

Essay Question 4 for Exam 4. Landslides are a large problem in many areas of California, and especially within coastal regions. They can be deadly and costly. Based on your knowledge of the La Conchita and Mount Soledad landslides please write a one page essay that outlines what every citizen should be aware of prior to purchasing a house in coastal California.

Finally, all exam scores will be posted on Blackboard, generally no later than 48 - 72 hours after you have taken the exam.

Your final grade will be determined based on the following percentage scale.

Range/Grade
100 – 93.3 A
93.3 – 90 A-
89.9 – 86.7 B+
86.7 – 83.3 B
83.3 – 80.0 B-
79.9 – 76.7 C+
76.7 – 73.3 C
73.3 – 70 C-
69.9 – 67.7 D+
67.7 – 63.3 D
63.3 – 60.0 D-
< 60 F

Contact Information

My office phone number is 594-2552 and my e-mail address is ggirty@geology.sdsu.edu. My office is GMCS 120. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me. I will answer emails from about 8:00 am until 8:00 pm at night.  If you email me after 8:00 pm, then don’t expect an answer until the following morning.

I have open office hours Monday through Friday, but may be in the field with my graduate students. You do not have to email or phone to make an appointment, but for Fall 2011 it might be a good idea to email prior to coming in.

Objectives

This course has several overarching and content goals.

I. Overarching Goals/Outcomes
After completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Articulate the multidisciplinary integrated nature of the Earth Sciences and the importance of its role in their and others everyday lives

2. Articulate how technological advances along with the collection of a myriad of observational and analytical data over the last 200 years have lead naturally to the interpretation that the Earth's surface is broken into seven major plates, and that the interactions of these plates often directly or indirectly produces profound changes in Earth’s land surface and claims the lives of hundreds to thousands of its inhabitants

3. Articulate how laboratory experimentation and observation has lead to an enhanced understanding of dynamic earth processes such as faults and earthquakes, and, as a result, how the Earth Sciences have impacted their and others quality of life

4. Articulate how the scientific method is used to infer the causes of naturally occuring events that have affected planet Earth over time

5. Articulate examples of everyday observations that indicate that the Earth is dynamic and ever changing, and how these observations impact their daily life

The above overarching goals are intertwined with the following specific content goals.

II. Content Goals/Outcomes
To meet content goals students will be able to:

1. Convey the idea that modern day plate teconics and the structure of the atmosphere indicate that the Earth is a constant state of change

2. Articulate the role that convergent margins play in the development of island arcs and composite volcanoes

3. Distinguish the differences between the various types of volcanic hazards, including lahars, pyroclastic flows, debris avalanche, and tsunami

4. Identify the different types of faults and demonstrate an understanding of their origin, distribution, and relationship to earthquakes and tsunami

5. Convey an understanding of the historical record of past natural disasters around the Pacific Rim of Fire, and articulate the dangers of living in this area

6. Distinguish the differences between the various types of landslides, including falls, slides, and flows

7. Articulate an understanding of the historical record of landslide activity, and how one might recognize the potential danger of such an event occuring

7. Convey that the Earth's atmosphere is stratified and that the weather of the planet is confined to the troposphere

8. Articulate the role that the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells play in distributing the radiant heat received from the Sun

9. Convey an understanding of the differences between the terms cyclone, typhoon, and hurricane and the role of the Coriolis and pressure-gradient force play in their formation

10. Articulate the differences between a tropical and mid-latitude cyclone

Holidays

September 5 - Labor Day

November 11 - Veteran's Day

November 24-25 - Thanksgiving

Final

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:00 am to 9:00 am in GMCS 333

Schedule of Readings and Exams

Below is the schedule that we will follow during Fall 2011. Please adhere to it. Note that to prevent conflicts with your Monday through Friday class schedule all exams will be given Saturday mornings, from 8:00 am to 9:00 am in GMCS 333.

For each chapter, there is also an online video lecture for you to watch. You are strongly encouraged to first read the material for a given chapter, and then watch the video lecture. After you have completed this task, then download and print out the practice exam. Find a quiet place, and work through all of the questions on the practice exam. If you score a 90 or higher, then you probably know the material well enough that you can go on to the next chapter. If you do not score 90 or higher, then you need to go back over the material. Please note that none of the questions in the practice exams are repeated in the exams that you will be required to take. However, the practice exams focus your attention on the concepts and ideas that I think are important. These concepts and ideas are what I will test you on. Finally, I will post 48 hours prior to each exam a Video Review for you to watch. You are strongly encouraged to watch the video reviews.