Environmental, multidisciplinary approach to volcanic and earthquake hazards. A methodology course devoted to mineral identification by means of polarized light microscopy. A prerequisite to all 400-level petrography courses. This is mainly a laboratory course. Students are responsible for pre-lab preparation that includes readings in the text, and occasional use of video tapes and computer simulations.
Brief lectures supplement as necessary.
In sedimentology we study how sediments are transported, deposited, lithified, and altered by pore waters following lithification. We will also learn how to interpret sedimentary rocks to learn about the paleo-environment and tectonic setting of deposition. Much of your learning will take place in lab and on field trips. In lab we will investigate unconsolidated sediment, look at sedimentary rocks in hand sample and thin section, interpret changes in sedimentation resulting from sea level fluctuation and tectonics, and work on a final project. We will look at a lot of thin sections of sandstone and limestone under a polarizing microscope, paying particular attention to clast and cement composition and the relative order of growth of cementing minerals and changes in porosity.