3 hrs. lect. It is a dark but dynamic place. Earthquakes cause underwater mud avalanches that travel over 60 m.p.h. Hydrothermal vents along the ocean ridges host a variety of unusual plant and animal life. This course will explore the ocean depths via the classroom and will introduce the development of ocean basins, their evolution, and processes occurring within them.
Oceanographic exploration is introduced through study of ocean basins and continental margins.
The multidisciplinary nature of oceanography is emphasized by using principles of marine geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and biology to address contemporary problems. Sea-floor spreading and continental drift, earthquakes and volcanoes, origin and evolution of mountain systems, and concepts of plate tectonics are viewed in light of the geology of ocean basins and continents. Modern processes such as river, coastal, wind, and glaciers will be studied and their effect on shaping the geologic landscape. One designated lab section fulfills the College writing requirement. This course explores the fascinating geology of Vermont.