GEOL460G Sedimentology
CONTENT: This course is an introduction to the processes of erosion,
transportation, and deposition of sediments and their subsequent digenesis.
Interpretation of sedimentary depositional environments is emphasized.
Associated laboratory work includes field trips. Prerequisite: GEOL370.
4 hours. Graduate Standing.
OFFERED: Spring Semester.
Current Syllabus:
Spring 1998
Instructor: Dr. Deborah Kuehn Office: 433 EST Phone: 745-5984
Office Hours: M,W 8:00-11:30,2:15-3:15; T,Th,F 10:30-11:30; others by
chance or by appointment.
Purpose of the Course: Sedimentology (4 hrs.) is a required course for geology
majors and may be taken for the geology minor. A co-requisite laboratory
(Geol 460L) is included. Prerequisite is Geol 380 (Stratigraphy). The course
will deal with the formation, transport, and deposition of sediments and their
application to the interpretation of sedimentary environments.
Text (required): Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, 2nd edition,
Sam Boggs, Jr., Prentice-Hall Publishing Co., 1995.
*ALWAYS BRING YOUR TEXT TO CLASS*
Course Outline:
Day Topic Reading
Jan. 20 - T - Development and Applications 7-14
22 - R - Tectonic Regimes 147-162*, 667-678
27 - T - Siliciclastic Depositional Bedforms 36-71
29 - R
30 - F - Sedimentary Textures Chapter 4
Feb. 3 - T
5 - R
10 - T - Sedimentary Structures Chapter 5
12 - R
13 - F
17 - T - EXAM
19 - R - Lithification and diagenesis 184-193,692-694
24 - T
26 - R - Origin of Carbonate Rocks 210-227
27 - F
Mar. 3 - T - Diagenesis of Carbonate Rocks 227-235
5 - R - Other Chemical/Biochemical Rocks 236-275
10 - T -
12 - R - EXAM
13 - F - Environmental Interpretation Chapter 9
24 - T - Marginal Marine Environments Chapter 11
26 - R
31 - T
Apr. 2 - R
3 - F
7 - T
9 - R - Marine Environments Chap 12,13
14 - T
16 - R
17 - F
21 - T
23 - R
28 - T - Continental Environments Chapter 10
30 - R
May 1 - F
5 - T
7 - R
* Reading is in your lab book
Grading Policy
: Two Hour Tests 40%
Final Exam 25%
Homework 10%
Lab Assignments 25%
The hour tests will consist of short-answer and essay questions. The final exam
will be comprehensive and cover both lecture and lab material. It will be in
the form of a take-home, open-book problem, due on Friday, May 15 at 12:00
noon.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory for both lecture and laboratory.
Scheduling conflicts with the laboratory will not be permitted under any
circumstances.
Course Drop Policy: The Department of Geography and Geology strictly
adheres to the course drop policy found in the Undergraduate and Graduate
Catalogs. It is the sole responsibility of individual students to meet the cited
guidelines for dropping a course. In exceptional cases the deadline for
schedule changes(dropping a course) may be waived. The successful waiver
will require a written description of extenuating circumstances and relevant
documentation. Poor academic performance, general malaise, or
undocumented general stress factors are not considered as legitimate
extenuating circumstances. Since granting of such waivers are rare, we urge
you to follow the established guidelines.
Syllabus for Geol 460 Lab:
Laboratory Text (required): Ancient Environments and the Interpretation
of Geologic History, Fichter and Poch, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1993.
Lab Outline
Date Topic Reading
Jan. 22 Transport and Settling of Sediments Handout
29 (cont.)
Feb. 5* SEM Handout
12 Grain Size Analysis and Environmental Interpretation
19 (cont.)
26**
Mar. 5 Interpretation of Sedimentary, 30-32, 56-68, Structures and Facies
71-83
12 Structures and Facies (cont.) 85-95
26+ FIELD TRIP
Apr. 2 FIELD TRIP
9 Correlation 177-195
16 Oral Presentations
23 Sedimentary Tectonics 128-135
30 Sedimentary Tectonics 163-171
May 7++ FIELD TRIP
* Settling Velocity exercise to be handed in
** Grain-size exercise to be handed in
+ Abstract of SEM project to be handed in
++ Lab book and research report (unless you are presenting at Sigma Xi) to
be handed in; field notebook to be turned in at conclusion of field trip
** Grading Policy: Settling velocity exercise 15%
Grain-size exercise 15%
Oral Presentation 15%
Report (Sigma Xi presentation) 20%
Lab book 25%
Field notebook 10%
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