Course Objective:
The course prepares students to examine in the field the geology of the desert southwest. The instructor will provide lectures on the geologic setting of the area to be visited. An itinerary showing exact field stops will be distributed. Photographs of rocks for each outcrop to be examined in the field shall be made available to students who will discuss the geology of the particular stop that they elect to discuss both during the lecture session and also during the field trip.
During the field trip, students are expected to keep journals (field trip
notebooks). They should describe in their field notebooks each field stop,
and make sketches that show important features of
the outcrop. The field notebooks should include the mileage from
the field van, the day, and the names of people who worked in a group.
Students are required to present a report on what they
had examined in the field. The report should include comparisons among
each of the following.
1) blocky lava, pillow lava, columnar basalt, pyroclastic layer
2) lava flow, dike, sill
3) meteorite impact crater, volcanic eruption crater, phreatomagmatic
eruption crater
4) canyon, inverted topography, monocline
5) alluvial fans, aeolian sandstone
6) dropstone, stromatolitic Limestone
6) unconformity, thrust fault, and listric normal fault.
Each of the comparisons should be illustrated with specific examples examined
in the field and supported by sketches and photographs. Students should
submit the field report before June
10. Students will lose a point a day for everyday after June 10 that
the report is delayed. This year's trip will visit Southwestern USA.
Text book: None. Handouts, and assigned reading including links on the web.
Lectures shall be on Mondays 3:00-4:50 in Bretske Hall: Room 114
Tentative schedule:
DAY DESCRIPTION
Jan 5
Introduction: discussion on trip, required clothing, medicine, etc..
Jan 12
General lecture on deformation structures and tectonic belts of area to be
visited
Jan 26
General lecture on igneous rocks and structures
Feb. 2
Sedimentary structures.
Feb.9
Orogens and sedimentary packages
Feb. 16 Discussion
on field stops to be examined
Feb. 23
Discussion on field stops to be examined
March 1 Discussion
on on field stops to be examined
March 15 Test 1
March 29 Discussion on on
field stops to be examined
April 5
Discussion on on field stops to be examined
April 12
Discussion on on field stops to be examined
April 19
Test 2, Last day of classes
April 24-May 4-- trip to the desert southwest
Grading Policy: Tests 1 and 2
30%
Journals and final report:
70%
Testing Policy: Tests will be successively cumulative and the final will be comprehensive. The field report should be submitted no later than June 10.
Grades A = 90 -100, B = 80 - 89, C = 70 - 79; D = 60 - 69, F= 0 - 59.
ADA Statement:
Students with disabilities who may require assistance or accommodations or students who have related questions concerning testers, note takers, readers, etc. should speak to their professor at the beginning of the semester. Students may also contact the office of student affairs (755-4534) with questions about such services.
Airfare: April 24: leave Chattanooga at 8:00 Am, and
depart from Nashville at 10:30 AM, Airline--Southwestern --, Flight
----1973------ to Las Vegas nonstop and arrive at 12:45.
May 4: Return
from Las Vegas: depart at 10:40 AM, Airline--Southwest--- , Flight -1601----and
arrive at Nashville at 4: 30 PM.
Last day for payment March 1, fare
$205.20-/ passenger.
rental vans from Eneterprise @ $1,010.10, excluding insurance --Confirmation-. #-DXKNM9, DXKNQ8--- ---
Requirements
for the Field report
Participants
Name
Topic
Presentation date
Barton, Mary Ellen
- Panamint range Stromatolites
Emery, Christina A
- Petrified forest
Graham, Steven Lee -Hoover
dam
Hall, Jason
- Mosaic
canyon
Hamilton, Jamie
- Ubehebe & SP Mountain
Harper Richard K
- Painted desert
Jarrett, Jeff
- Amargosa chaos
Lundberg, Benjamin Jacob - Zion National Park
Nelson, Clifford Fount
- Bryce National park
Padgett, Benjamin L.
- Sand dunes
Segrest, Glenn R.
- Meteore Crater
Camping sites:
Day 1. April 24. Saturday: Depart from--- and arrive
at Las Vegas. Night at Valley of Fire.
Day 2. April 25. Night at Panamint
range warm Springs.
Day 3. April 26. Mesquite spring
Death Valley
Day 4. April 27. Night at Lake Mead,
Valley of Fire
Day 5. April 28. Night at Joseph
City
Day 6. April 29. Night at the South
Rim of the Grand Canyon
Day 7. April 30. Night at the South
Rim of the Grand Canyon
Day 8. May 1. Night at
Chriss Lake, Capitol Reef
Day 9. May 2. Night at Chriss
Lake , Capitol Reef
Day 10 May 3. Night at Las vegas
Day 11 May 4. Wednesday:. Night at Chattanooga