Undergraduate Course: Global Tectonics and Sedimentology (EASC08019)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Earth Science |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course can be broadly divided into two components. The first part develops the concepts of plate tectonics and analyses the physical processes responsible for the formation and destruction of the plates. It considers the principle tectonic components of the earth such as mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones and mountain ranges, and develops an understanding of the physical and chemical nature of the oceanic and continental lithospheres. Practical will develop concepts from the lectures. In the second half of the course, we will consider the accumulation of sediment over the planet, how they relate to the tectonic processes, and how they are preserved as stratigraphy. We will consider the chemical precipitation of carbonate rocks (eg. Limestones), and evaporites (e.g.. salts) as well as the physical processes responsible for the transport and deposition of siliciclastic sediments (e.g., Sands and muds). Practical work will involve both theoretical analyses of data and practical descriptions of rock specimens and thin sections. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Equivalent to a pre-honours general Geology course. |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | Lecture | 1-11 | 14:00 - 14:50 | | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | Lecture | 1-11 | | | | 12:10 - 13:00 | | | King's Buildings | Laboratory | Practical | 1-11 | 15:00 - 17:00 | or 11:10 - 13:00 | | | | | King's Buildings | Laboratory | Practical | 1-11 | | | | 14:00 - 17:00 | or 14:00 - 17:00 |
| First Class |
Week 1, Monday, 14:00 - 14:50, Zone: King's Buildings. Rm 201, Grant Institute |
| Additional information |
Students must attend lab classes on EITHER Monday 3-5pm OR Tuesday 11am-1pm AND EITHER Thursday 2-5pm OR Friday 2-5pm. If you are able to, you must attend Tuesday and Friday practical sessions rather than the Monday and Thursday sessions. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 3:00 | | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 3:00 | | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. The integrated knowledge required to explain the major features of current and past tectonic activity, and associated magmatic and sedimentological processes on the Earth
2. An understanding of modern tectonic theory and plate tectonic processes
3. The ability to understand geological phenomena in a plate tectonic context, the distribution and origins of sedimentary rocks, and the processes that define their sedimentary characteristics
4. An ability to critically appraise statements about tectonic and sedimentary processes
5. The ability to identify and describe a range of rock types from hand specimens and thin sections, to recognise the principle sedimentary structures, and to accurately record these data during both field- and lab-work |
Assessment Information
| Assessment will be split 60/40 between exam and course assessment respectively. One of the course components will involve field studies at the East Lothian coastline, which, if deemed inaccessible for disabled students will be replaced by a laboratory equivalent. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
EASC09027 (Global Tectonics)
EASC08015 (Stratigraphy and Sedimentology)
|
| Syllabus |
1. Plate motions
2. Properties of Oceanic Lithosphere
3. Plate Driving Mechanisms
4. Constructive Margins
5. Destructive Margins
6. Orogens
7. Plumes and hotspots
8. Palaeogeography
9. Carbonates
10. Evaporites and other chemical sediments
11. Sedimentary processes
12. Sedimentary logging and depositional environments
|
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
1. Kearey, P., Klepeis, K.A. and Vine, F.J. 2009. Global Tectonics. Wiley-Blackwell 3rd edition
2. Rogers, N., Blake, S., Burton, K., Widdowson, M., Parkinson, I. and Harris, N. 2008. An Introduction to Our Dynamic Planet. Cambridge University Press.
3. Leeder, M., 1999, Sedimentology and Sedimentary Basins: from turbulence to tectonics. John Wiley and Sons.
4. Bridge, JS. and Domecco, R. 2008. Earth Surface Processes, Landforms and Sedimentary Deposits. Cambridge University Press
|
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Lectures, practicals and 2 day field trip |
| Keywords | Plate tectonics, lithosphere, palaeogeography, sediments and sedimentary rocks |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Jennifer Tait
Tel:
Email: Jenny.Tait@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Nicola Muir
Tel: (0131 6)50 4842
Email: Nikki.Muir@ed.ac.uk |
|
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