Undergraduate Course: Evolution of the Modern Earth (EASC10090)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The course consists of a series of thematic lectures primarily relating to "Earth Surface Processes", including sedimentation and tectonics in both continental and marine settings. Fundamental processes will be illustrated with geological case histories. |
| Course description |
The course consists of a series of 22 thematic lectures primarily relating to "Earth Surface Processes" in modern and ancient settings on land and under the sea.
Week 1
Tuesday 16th Sept, 9-9.50 am, Andy Bell
Structure and rheology of the lithosphere
What is the lithosphere? Fundamentals of lithosphere rheology.
Tuesday 16th Sept, 10-10.50 am, Andy Bell
Structure and rheology of the lithosphere; continued
Week 2
Tuesday 23th Sept, 9-9.50 am, Hugh Sinclair
The growth of mountain topography
Mountain Building, erosion, critical wedges, plateaux;
Post-orogenic landscapes.
Tuesday 23d Sept, 10-10.50 am, Hugh Sinclair
Controls on sediment yields from mountain belts.
Geomorphologica/tectonic control of sediment discharge to the ocean: importance of small mountainous rivers; sediment flux from a mountain belt derived by landslide mapping; Bedrock incision, rock uplift and threshold hillslopes in the NW Himalayas.
Week 3
Tuesday 30th Sept, 9-9.50 am, Hugh Sinclair
Sediment flux by mountain rivers.
River catchment shape; distorted drainage basins as markers of crustal strain east of the Himalayas; contrasting sediment flux to foreland basins.
Tuesday 30th Sept, 10-10.50 am, Hugh Sinclair
Sediment trapping in foreland basins
Thrust loads and foreland basin evolution;
Foreland basin subsidence driven by topographic growth versus plate subduction.
Week 4
Practice essay: Formative Feedback and practice for the degree exam. The title will be given out on Tuesday 30th Sept. and the essay is to be handed in to the Grant Inst. Teaching Organisation by 12 noon Monday 13th October.
Week 5
Tuesday 14th October 9-9.50 am, Dick Kroon
Pelagic sedimentation
Principles; modern, sedimentation pattern and proceses on a global basis.
Tuesday 14th October 10-10.50 am, Dick Kroon
Pelagic sedimentation processes
Essentials of palaeoceanograpy; selected examples largely drawn from the results of ocean drilling.
Week 6
Tuesday 21st October 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Rift sedimentation and tectonics
Early Rift phase; sedimentary processes;
Modern and ancient examples; clastic and carbonate settings.
Tuesday 21st October 10-10.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Transition to passive margins
Clastic- and carbonate-dominated rifted margins. Ancient examples.
Alpine case history.
Week 7
Tuesday 28th October 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Sedimentation on mature passive margins
Recent sedimentary processes. E USA example;
E USA margin deep sea drilling case history
Tuesday 28th October 10-10.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Pelagic sediments
Importance for ancient record; examples in orogenic belts; processes of formation; specific examples from the Alpine-Mediterranean Tethys mainly.
Week 8
Tuesday 4th November 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Arc-trench sedimentation and structure
Form, structure and fill of trenches and accretionary
prisms. Accretion: geophysical, bathymetric and heat-flow;
Subduction erosion; Franciscan melange case history
Tuesday 4th November 10-10.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Back-arc and fore-arc processes and settings
Modern and ancient back-arc basins. e.g. Mariana, Lau, Japan. Latest IODP results. Tyrrhennian sea case history
Week 9
Tuesday 11th November 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Seafloor spreading tectonics and processes
Key features of Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge as seen in recent submersible studies; BRIDGE (Mid-Ocean Ridge project); land-based observations in Iceland,
Tuesday 11th November 10-10.50 am, Godfrey Fitton
Large Igneous Provinces
Occurrence; importance; age range; role of plumes;
LIP-ocean interaction; geological examples.
Week 10
Tuesday 18th November 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Ophiolite geology
Ophiolites as spreading phenomena & oceanic markers. e.g. Semail, Troodos, Newfoundland, W. Mediterranean, circum-Pacific. Comparison with normal MOR's.
Integrated case histories: note that these are not examinable specifically but will provide geological examples that can be used to support exam answers related to the preceding parts of the course.
Tuesday 18th November 10-10.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Evolution of the Oman continental margin and ophiolite
Oman Regional setting; rift history; passive margin
setting; oceanic units (ophiolite); role of melanges and
metamorphic sole; ophiolite stratigraphy; sulphides;
emplacement and younger setting
Week 11
Tuesday 25th November 9-9.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Himalayas and Tibet; Rift to collision setting.
Rifting and passive margin development; northward drift of India; Subduction and ophiolite genesis; Collision; foreland basin initiation; field-based examples.
Tuesday 25th November 10-10.50 am, Alastair Robertson
Miocene-Recent evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean
Plate motions; tectonic and sedimentary effects.
Back-arc extension; slab rollback effects;
W Turkey extensional basin case history
Note-this lecture is also relevant to the Cyprus field excursion.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
| Course Start Date |
15/09/2014 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
58 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
75 %,
Coursework
25 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam: 100%, Course Work: 0%, Practical Exam: 0%.
The assessment will be based on a written exam related to the lecture course.
The Course Work assessment will involve submission of an 1,500 word (maximum) essay.
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Evolution of the Modern Earth | 3:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Students will be actively encouraged to extensively read around the subject and will therefore be able to offer professional level insights as well as being able to critically review and consolidate knowledge.
- In the exam assessment students will apply their knowledge in ways directly addressed during the course but will also be expected to utilise information from previous relevant (obligatory) courses. Students will therefore be expected to display an ability to solve professional level problems with originality and creativity.
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Reading List
Andrew Bell: Crustal rheology
Jackson, J, Mckenzie, D, Priestley, K, et al., 2008. New views on the structure and rheology of the lithosphere, J. Geol. Soc. 165, 453-465
Scholz, C.H. 2002. The mechanics of earthquakes and faulting (2nd ed.), Chapter 3
H. Sinclair: The growth of mountain topography
Davis, D., Supper, J. & Dahlen, F.A. (1983) Mechanics of Fold-and-Thrust Belts and Accretionary Wedges. Journal of Geophysical Research, 88, 1153-1172
Lave, J. & Avouac, J.P. (2000) Active Folding of Fluvial Terraces across the Siwaliks Hills, Himalayas of Central Nepal. Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, 105, 5735-5770
H Sinclair: Controls on sediment yield from mountain belts
Milliman, John D., and James PM Syvitski. "Geomorphic/tectonic control of sediment discharge to the ocean: the importance of small mountainous rivers." The Journal of Geology (1992): 525-544.
Burbank, Douglas W., et al. "Bedrock incision, rock uplift and threshold hillslopes in the northwestern Himalayas." Nature 379.6565 (1996): 505-510.
H Sinclair: Sediment flux by mountain rivers
Hallet, B., and Molnar, P., Distorted drainage basins as markers of crustal strain east of the Himalaya. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 106, NO. B7, PP. 13,697-13,709, 2001 doi:10.1029/2000JB900335
Burbank, Douglas W., and Robert S. Anderson. Tectonic geomorphology. Wiley. com, 2011. (relevant parts; ask Hugh Sinclair).
H Sinclair: Sediment trapping in foreland basins
Jordan, T. E., (1981) Thrust Loads and Foreland Basin Evolution, Cretaceous, Western United States, AAPG Bulletin. Volume 65, Issue 12. (December), Pages 2506 - 2520
Naylor, M., Sinclair, H. D., (2008) Pro- versus retro-Foreland Basins: Basin Research Volume 20, Issue 3, pages 285¿303, 2008
D. Kroon: pelagic sediments
Seibold, E and Berger, W.H., 1982. The Sea Floor, chapter 3. Sources and composition of marine sediments, Springer-Verlag, pages 54-76.
Seibold, E. and Berger, W.H., 1982. The Sea Floor, chapter 8. Patterns of Deep Sea Sedimentation, Springer-Verlag, pages 181-201.
A Robertson: Sedimentation-Early rift phase
Gawthorpe, R.L., Leeder, M.R., 2000. Tectono-sedimentary evolution of active extensional basins. Basin Research 12, 195-218.
Tucholke, B.E., Sawyer, D.S., Sibuet, J.-C., 2007. Break-up of the Newfoundland-Iberia rift. In Karner, G.D. et al. (eds). Imaging, Mapping and Modelling Continental Lithosphere Extension and Breakuo Geological Society, London Special Publication 292, 9-46.
A Robertson: Rift and passive margin sedimentation
Larsen, H.C., 2005. Investigations of rifted margins. JOIDES Journal 85-90.
Manatschal, G., Müntener, O., Lavier, L.L., Misshull, T.A., Peron-Pinvidic, G., 2007. Observations from thee Alpine Tethys and the Iberia-Newfoundland margins pertinent to the interpretation of continental breakup. In Karner, G.D. et al. (eds). Imaging, Mapping and Modelling Continental Lithosphere Extension and Breakuo Geological Society, London Special Publication 292, 291-324.
A Robertson: Arc-trench sedimentation
Plank, T., 2002. Subduction factory input and output JOIDES Journal, 28, No 1, 73-77.
Moore, C. and Silver, E., 2002. Fluid flow in accreting and eroding convergent margins. Journal, 28, No 1, 91-96. (given out in class)
A. Robertson: Backarc basins
Underwood, M B and others, l995. Sedimentation in forearc basins, trenches and collision zones, of the western Pacific: a summary of results from the Ocean Drilling Program. American Geophysical Union, Geophysical Monograph 88, In B Taylor and J Natland (eds). Active Margins and Marginal Basins of the Western Pacific, 315-354. (copies in the 4th yr. room),
Kastens, K.A., J. Mascle and Shipboard Scientific Party, l988. ODP
Leg 107 in the Tyrrhenian Sea: insights into passive margin and back
arc basin evolution. Geological Society of America, Bulletin 100,1140
1156.
G. Fitton: Large igneous provinces
Coffin, M.F. & O. Eldholm (1994) Large igneous provinces: crustal structure, dimensions, and external consequences, Reviews of Geophysics, 32, 1-36.
Wignall, P.B., (2001) Large igneous provinces and mass extinctions. Earth-Science Reviews 53, 1 ¿ 33.
A. Robertson: British Mid-ocean Ridge project and oceanic crust.
Humphries, S., 2002. Altered rock and seafloor massive sulphide deposits: the record of hydrothermal processes. JOIDES Journal, 28, No 1, 67-72
J. A. Pearce., 2002. The Oceanic Lithosphere. JOIDES Journal, 28, No 1, 61-66.
A. Robertson: Ophiolite geology
Special issue of ¿Elements¿, 2014, (vol 10, no. 2). International Magazine of Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Petrology, Ed. Y Dilek and H. Furness (browse several papers; e.g. by Julian Pearce).
Hawkins, J. 2003. Geology of supra-subduction zones-implications for the origin of ophiolites. In: Dilek, Y and Newcomb, S. (eds). Ophiolite Concept and the Evolution of Geological Thought.Geological Society of America Special Paper 373, 227-268.
A. Robertson: Ancient pelagic sediments
Jenkyns, H.C. Pelagic sediments, In Reading, H.G. Sedimentary Environments and Facies, 2nd. l986
Robertson, A H F Robertson and Hudson, J.D., l974 Pelagic sediments in the Cretaceous-Miocene development of Cyprus. In: Hsu, K and Jenkyns, H.C. (eds). Pelagic Sediments on Land and Under the Sea. Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, No. 1.
A. Robertson: Oman: continental margin-oceanic crust emplacement
A.H.F. Robertson and M.P. Searle (l990). The northern Oman Tethyan continental margin: stratigraphy, structure, concepts and controversies. In: Robertson, A.H.F., Searle, M.P. and Ries, A.C. 1990 (Eds). The Geology and Tectonics of the Oman Region. Special Publication of the Geological Society of London, 49, 3-44
A. Robertson: Himalayas
1. Gaetani, M and Garzanti, E., l991. Multicycle history of the northern India continental margin (North western Himalayas). American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 75, 127-1446.
2. Robertson, A H F and Degnan, M P l993 Sedimentology and tectonic implications of the Lamayuru Complex: deep-water facies of the Indian passive margin, Indus Suture Zone, Ladakh Himalaya. In: Treloar, P.J. & Searle. M.P. (eds). Himalayan Tectonics. Geol. Soc. London, Spec. Publ., 74, 299-321.
3. Khan, M.A. et al. l993. Evolution of the lower arc crust in Kohistan, N Pakisatan: temporal arc magmatism through early, mature and intra-arc rift stages. In: Treloar and Searle (eds). Himalayan Tectonics, Geol. Soc. London Special Pub., 74, 123-138.
A. Robertson: Neotectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Taymaz et al. 1991, Active tectonics of the north and central Aegean Sea. geophysics Journal international, 106, 433-490.
Kahle et al., 2000. GPS-derived strain rate field within the boundary zones of the Eurasian, African and Arabian plates. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105, 23353-23370 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Lectures on Tuesdays at 9:00-10:50, Weeks 1-11.
The course will use the Monday lectures in the timetable as occasional feedback sessions, which the Course Organiser will discuss and agree with the students first. Students will receive an email advertising the session. |
| Keywords | Earth Surface Processes |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Alastair Robertson
Tel: (0131 6)50 8546
Email: Alastair.Robertson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ken O'Neill
Tel: (0131 6)50 8510
Email: koneill3@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
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