Undergraduate Course: Formation and Evolution of Continents (EASC10080)
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 Formation and Evolution of Continents (FEC) course is multidisciplinary and integrative. The course integrates the magmatic, structural, metamorphic, sedimentary and geophysical features and concepts reflecting the operation of major physiochemical and tectonic processes in the Earth that have controlled its evolution since 4.5 billion years ago. FEC fosters a deep-Earth (solid Earth processes)/deep-time orientated view of the Earth and its differentiation, with a focus on the formation of the Earth¿s crust, culminating in the development and growth of continents.
The course consists of 18 thematic lectures, each supported by PowerPoint notes, and by short reference lists issued at key points during the course. Key references are deposited as PDFs on the LEARN site for the course, along with all lecture materials. The keynote references for each lecture or group of lectures are designed to complement and extend the lecture content. For each lecture students are expected to spend about 3-4 hours of reading and supplementary study, which should firstly focus on the papers detailed in the course reference list. The content of these papers will be examinable in the same way as the lectures will be.
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| Course description |
1. Key features of continents and continental crust composition: evidence and implications
2. Contributions to continents: magmatic processes since plate tectonics
3. Contributions to continents: Arcs, accretionary orogens and collisional orogens
4. Forming and growing the continents: The lines of evidence and reading the record
5. The Archaean and Secular Change: geological evidence for processes and tectonics
6. Continental growth and Supercontinent Episodes
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Passing of courses equivalent in content and level to those listed in the UoE prerequisites for this course. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 60 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 12,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
75 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam: 100%, Course Work: 0 %, Practical Exam: 0%.
The FEC course is examined by one 2-hour long theory paper sat in the December Examination diet. Students answer two questions, one from Part A and one from Part B. Each Part allows a choice from 3 questions.
The questions in Part A will be those developed from the first part of the FEC course, focussed on the nature of the lithosphere, magmatism and its role in forming crust, and accretionary and collisional mountain building processes that lead to continental growth or stabilisation (Syllabus content 1-3).
The questions in Part B will focus on the evidence from the geological record, from the Archaean through to early Phanerozoic, for tectonics and continental evolution and growth over time, as well as on the modelling of such key issues as the onset of subduction, and supercontinent cycles (Syllabus content 4-6).
The summative assessment is by examination only, the date of which is given in the examination calendar / timetable for the academic year.
Assessment deadlines
Written Exam ¿ Semester 1, December Exam Diet
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| Feedback |
A formative assessment will be provided in week 6 of semester for students to self-test against. This will consist of a number of questions requiring short answers (one word to 3 sentences, typically). Questions will relate to the main concepts addressed in the first half of the FEC course, and require students to link specific features, processes or definitions to the themes of FEC.
Definitive answers to the formative questions will be provided to students via the course LEARN site in week 8 of the semester. These will directly reflect material provided in a set of ¿What you should take away from the lectures¿ summaries distributed during the course.
A Q&A session will be held at the end of the course, in the final week of semester.
Definitive answers to the formative questions are provided on-line to students following their submission of their responses.
Topic- or theme-focussed Q&A sessions are scheduled in the FEC timetable as part of the final lecture session in selected thematic areas (Crust & Mantle, Arc processes, Accretion and Collision, Archaean processes and evidence, continental growth, secular evolution in tectonics).
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Developed and enhanced their fundamental critical understanding of the operation of major physiochemical and tectonic processes in the Earth that have controlled its evolution since 4.5 billion years ago.
- Attained an integrated knowledge of the magmatic, structural, metamorphic, sedimentary and geophysical features and concepts relating to these physiochemical and tectonic processes.
- Developed an appreciation of the relative roles of periodic, cyclical and irreversible processes in shaping the Earth through time
- Enhanced their range of transferable skills in critical reading and synthesis of diverse data and sources.
- Developed their skills to address problems with originality and creativity and have translated this into clear and concise written work in an examination context.
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Reading List
Harmon, R.S. & Parker, A. (2011). Frontiers in Geochemistry. Wiley-Blackwell. (Chapters 1 and 2).
Johnson, M.R.W. & Harley, S.L. (2012). Orogenesis The Making of Mountains. Cambridge University Press. (Chapters 3, 5-7, 10, 12).
Rollinson, H. (2007). Early Earth Systems: A Geochemical Approach. Blackwell.
White, W.M. (2013). Geochemistry. Wiley-Blackwell. (see especially Chapter 11: Geochemistry of the Solid Earth).
Numerous primary papers are also recommended, with several available on the course's LEARN site.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | FEC |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Simon Harley
Tel: (0131 6)50 8547
Email: Simon.Harley@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katerina Sykioti
Tel: (0131 6)50 5430
Email: Katerina.Sykioti@ed.ac.uk |
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