Spring 2020

Physical, chemical, and geological character of the oceans andocean basins. Origin of the oceans. Ocean processes and agents.Economic value of the oceans. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day field trip required.

Topically-driven exploration of evolution, environmental change, and the history of life on Earth via the fossil record with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles as a laboratory. How the changing Earth and life co-evolved through time.

Examination of the scientific process: what constitutes science; evolution of ideas about the nature of space, time, matter, andcomplexity; paradigm shifts in the biological and earth sciences.Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours.

Quantitative reasoning tools to form reliable judgments from quantitative evidence, discerning truth from lies, science from pseudoscience. Application to contemporary scientific and social issues.

Energy resources from a global perspective, including fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable energy.

Laboratory component for GEOL 105Lg, 107Lxg, 108Lg, 125Lxg, 130Lxg, 150Lxg, or 240Lxg for students with equivalent lecture credit from another institution.

Principles of geology with emphasis on structural geology, hydrogeology and geologic hazards; basic geologic considerations in civil engineering practice; introduction to mineralogy and petrology. Field trip required. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Duplicates credit in GEOL 105Lg and 108Lg.

Formation and identification of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks; interpretation of tectonic and environmental settings based on rock type and chemistry. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 6 hours; required field trips.

Introduces systems behavior in the context of climate dynamics. Modules of instruction geared to climate system application to real world problems. Prerequisite: MATH 125.

Introduction to scientific inquiry, field research opportunities, and history of physical sciences; strategies, research methodologies, and writing skills for proposals, abstracts, papers, and professional development. Duplicates credit in the former GEOL-385. Recommended preparation: A GE course in Earth Science.

Earth's development as a habitable planet, from origin to human impacts on global biogeochemical cycles in the ocean, land, atmosphere. Discussion of environmental alternatives.

Plate tectonics, magnetic and gravity fields, earthquakes, seismic waves, reflection and regraction seismics, heat transport, mantle convection, deep Earth structure, data analysis. Includes field trip.

GEOL 465 Field Geology (4, SmSp)Ten days to four weeks of field study in an area of geological complexity, with preparatory instruction.

Concepts in hydrogeology and application to environmental problems. Topics include groundwater and surface water hydrology, chemistry, and contamination. Includes labs, guest lectures, and field trips. Recommended preparation: GEOL 105, GEOL 160, or equivalent.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Writing of a thesis under individual faculty supervision. Not available for graduate credit.

Special topics in the earth sciences. Field trip required when appropriate to the topic. Departmental approval required.

The mechanical description of deformational processes at both crustal and lithospheric scales, and the interpretation of geological and geophysical data in terms of these processes.

Statistical analyses of data sets, development of modeling frameworks, numerical models of varying complexity, and techniques for analyzing model results.

Aspects of deformation and associated seismicity at active plate margins around the world. Includes review of plate tectonics, seismology, geodesy, paleomagnetism, geodynamics, Quaternary dating techniques, tectonic geomorphology, paleoseismology, and seismic hazard assessment. Two weekend field trips required. Recommended preparation: GEOL 530, GEOL 531

Current topics in geochemistry.

Advanced course on the fundamentals and frontiers of organic geochemistry. Topics include biomarker and isotope geochemical approaches to reconstructing past marine, terrestrial environmental change. Recommended preparation: CHEM 105abL, CHEM 322abL, GEOL 150L, GEOL 412, or equivalent background.

Advanced treatment of probabilistic forecasting of natural hazards: physical-process modeling, statistical forecasting, representations of uncertainty, proper scoring, testing and use in risk analysis and decision-making.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Special topics in the geological sciences. Field trip required when appropriate to the topic.

Analysis and discussion of current topics in sedimentary geology; topics will be chosen by students and faculty to focus on areas of recent advances.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.