Origin and development of plants, animals, and man on earth, as interpreted from the study of fossils and the sedimentary rocks in which they occur. Not for geology majors. The stratigraphic and paleo-ecologic relationships of the major groups of fossil invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Fundamentals, applications, and use of analytical methods in the analysis of earth materials. Analytical methods will include optical and X-ray methods and introduction to microthermometric analysis, differential thermal analysis, and granulometry.
Radiation safety is acceptable as a corequisite.
Petrographic methods in description and classification of igneous rocks. A survey of geochemistry. Emphasis on distribution of elements in the earth, nuclear geochemistry and thermodynamics of geologic systems. The study of low temperature aqueous groundwater geochemistry with emphasis on factors which change chemical composition of groundwater and factors which influence the transport of both inorganic and organic contaminants. Topics will include geochemistry of equilibrium reactions, mineral solubility, complexing, oxidation-reduction reactions, surface reactions and vadose zone processes.