Undergraduate - UnitESC2111 - The dynamic earth I: Building of continents and the environment

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Science
Organisational Unit	School of Geosciences
Offered	Clayton First semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Jeffrey Stilwell

Synopsis

An integrated understanding of processes that build and modify the Earth's crust. This unit uses the broad framework of plate tectonics to define the nature of all major geological environments and processes. The unit deals with where and how mountain belts form, an introduction to describing structures and their significance, and where and how sedimentary basins form. It also covers sedimentation and understanding the evolution of the atmosphere through time, changes in climate and hence palaeobiology in a plate tectonic context.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

Relate geological processes to global tectonic settings and to demonstrate a broad, integrated overview of crustal processes on planet Earth;

Understand global volcanism and how volcanic rocks constrain past tectonic regime;

Comprehend mountain-building processes, and to be able to recognise the products of tectonics (metamorphosed and deformed rocks) to decipher tectonic processes;

Explain earthquakes and deep earth structure;

Recount basin evolution and evaluate the sedimentological and palaeontological record of basins.

Assessment

Two closed book examinations (2 hours each): 50%
Practical examination: 10%
Practical/fieldwork: 40%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Jeffrey Stilwell

Contact hours

Three 1-hour lectures, two hours of practical/tutorial classes per week and two 2-day field trips

Prerequisites

ESC1011 and ESC1022, or by permission from the Head of School

Prohibitions

ESC2011