GEOL333 (Fall 2005) Structural Geology and Orogenesis
MWF 10:00 Ð 10:50. Labs M 1:00 - 3:50. Mount Holyoke College
office: 326 and 329 Clapp Hall ; office phone: 538-2814; email: mmarkley
office hours: Wednesday 6:30-7:30 in Clapp 3rd floor lobby. Email: szujo
Objectives
This course covers the basic techniques of field geology, structural analysis, and multidisciplinary approaches to mountain building (orogenesis). Lectures concentrate on field techniques, stress, strain, faulting, folding, fabric, rock strength, the relation between rock deformation and metamorphism, and deformation mechanisms. Of seven labs, five are field trips that involve collection of original data. Seven short problem sets emphasize quantitative skills. During the final weeks of the semester, students research the Pyrenees of Spain. A final paper and two oral presentations emphasize fluency in the published literature of structural geology. Class participation constitutes 10% of the final grade.
Text
G. H. Davis and S. J. Reynolds, 1996, Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions, second edition (Wiley) is available from the Odyssey bookstore.
Problem sets
The purpose of problem sets is to hone your quantitative skills. I will pass out homework assignments on the days specified in the syllabus. In general, the completed assignment will be due on the Friday after you receive it. Each homework assignment is worth 2 points--the first for its timely completion and the second for the correct answer. I encourage you to work in groups on these problem sets, and Sonja will work with students on them during her office hours. Problem sets constitute 10% of the final grade.
Labs
Labs include two components: (1) making and documenting original observations, and (2) interpreting these observations in the context of class lecture material. Although I expect each of you to make original observations and interpretations, I encourage you to work together to develop strategies and ideas.
Lab write-ups are due to me a week after they are introduced to you, and I will return them one week later. Write-ups are late if I receive them after I have begun grading. Late write-ups garner no credit, but I will make comments on them as I do on graded ones. An enclosed set of "guidelines" summarizes my expectations. The syllabus contains a sheet called ÒLab Write-upsÓ that will serve as the format for grades on labs. Labs constitute 40% of the final grade.
Oral presentations
Each student will make two oral presentations to the class. During each presentation, you will present material from an article on the geology of the Pyrenees. Please practice your presentations at the Speaking Center. The syllabus contains a sheet called ÒClass PresentationsÓ that will serve as the format for grades on oral presentations. Each oral presentation constitutes 10% of the final grade.
Final paper
A short (3 page) paper is due at the end of the semester. This paper is the only final assignment in the class, so use it as an opportunity to review and clarify material from the lectures and labs, or as an opportunity to extend your new knowledge into other disciplines. The final paper constitutes 20% of your final grade. This syllabus contains detailed descriptions of possible paper topics and format. I will run lab-time peer review sessions of the first draft of this paper. You must bring two copies of the complete first draft of your paper to the peer review session and turn in the second draft on the date specified in the syllabus.
Required field trip
Attend a New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference (NEIGC) field trip with me (see http://www.geology.yale.edu/neigc/). You can choose between field trip B-4 on Saturday October 1, or field trip C-4 on Sunday October 2 (WARNING--this is the weekend before mid-semester break).
Books on reserve at the library
G. H. Davis and S. J. Reynolds, 1996, Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions, 2nd edition (Wiley). This is your text. (QE601.D3 1996 Folio)
S. Marshak and G. Mitra, 1988, Basic Methods in Structural Geology (Prentice Hall). This is a standard lab manual for structural geology that has two parts: (1) "Elementary Techniques," with great how-to chapters on stereonets, attitude calculations from field data, and contour map construction; and (2) "Special Topics," with a wide range of mostly excellent chapters on topics such as rock deformation experiments, folds, cross-sections, and strain analysis. (QE601.M365 1988)
E. M. Moores and R. J. Twiss, 1995, Tectonics (W. H. Freeman and Company). This is a good introduction to plate tectonics. (QE601.M65 1995 Folio)
C. W. Passchier and R. J. Trouw, 1996, Microtectonics (Springer-Verlag). This is a beautiful book intended for students at an advanced level. It has great photomicrographs (photos of thin sections of deformed rocks) and contains unusually well written chapters on a range of topics including flow and deformation, deformation mechanisms, small scale structures, and how-to advice on orienting and cutting samples for structural analysis. (QE440.P38 1996)
R. J. Twiss and E. M. Moores, 1992, Structural Geology (W. H. Freeman and Company). This is a solid intro level text for structural geology that goes into more detail on most topics than your text does. (QE601.T894 1992 Folio)
B. van der Pluijm and S. Marshak, 1997: Earth Structure; an Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics (WCB/McGraw-Hill). This is another good intro level text. (QE601.V36 1997 Folio)
CLASS SCHEDULE
If it's in italics, then bring it in or suffer!
If it's a Chapter in bold, read it in Davis and Reynolds or fall behind!
I. Introduction (Chapter 1; Part III sections A-D & H)
Monday 9/12: Location and Orientation
PROBLEM SET #1: Strike and Dip
LAB #1: Journal of Structural Geology
II. Brittle structures (Chapters 3, 5, and 6)
Wednesday 9/14: Stress
Friday 9/16: PS #1 due
Monday 9/19: Mohr Circles and Joints, LAB #1 due
PROBLEM SET #2: Pressure at Depth
LAB #2: Primary Structures (*field trip*)
Wednesday 9/21: Joint and Fracture Geometries
Friday 9/23: PS #2 due
Monday 9/26: Fracture Geometries and Failure Envelopes, LAB #2 due
PROBLEM SET #3: Mohr Circle problem
LAB #3: Fractures (*field trip*)
Wednesday 9/28: Fault Geometries and Fault Rocks
Friday 9/30: PS #3 due
III. Ductile Structures (Chapters 7 and 8)
Monday 10/3: Folding, Lab #3 due
PROBLEM SET #4: Beta Diagrams
LAB CANCELLED
Wednesday 10/5: Folded Rocks
Friday 10/7: PS #4 due
PROBLEM SET #5: Rotation on a Stereonet (Part III section I)
Monday 10/10: MID-SEMESTER BREAK
Wednesday 10/12: GSA-style presentations
Friday 10/14: PS #5 due
Monday 10/24: Foliation and Lineation
LAB #4: Foliation and Lineation, part 1 (*field trip*)
Wednesday 10/26: Foliated and Lineated Rocks
Friday 10/28: TBA
Monday 10/31: Multiple Deformation Events, LAB #4 due
LAB #5: Foliation and Lineation, part 2 (*field trip*)
Wednesday 11/2: Multiple Deformation Events
Friday 11/4: Introduction to the Pyrenees
IV. Kinematic Analysis and Strain (Chapters 2 and 9)
Monday 11/7: Strain Analysis, LAB #5 due
PROBLEM SET #6: Strain Rates
LAB #6: Clay Experiments
Wednesday 11/9: Coaxial and Non-coaxial deformation
Friday 11/11: PS #6 due
Monday 11/14: Kinematic Indicators, LAB #6 due
PROBLEM SET #7: Pure Shear vs. Simple Shear
LAB #7: Kinematic Indicators (*field trip*)
Wednesday 11/16: Kinematic Indicators
Friday 11/18: PS #7 due
Monday 11/21: Transpression and Transtension, LAB #7 due
LAB TIME: Preparation for Oral Presentations
V. Orogenesis and Conferences (Chapters 4 and 10)
Monday 11/28: First Oral Presentations
LAB TIME: First Oral Presentations
Wednesday 11/30: Diffusion Creep
Friday 12/2: Dislocation Creep
Monday 12/5: Second Oral Presentations
LAB TIME: Second Oral Presentations
Wednesday 12/7: Rock Strength
Friday 12/9: Strength of the Lithosphere
Monday 12/12: TBA and evaluations
LAB TIME: Peer Review of Final Papers
Wednesday 12/14: TBA
Thursday 12/22: Final draft of final paper due
Lab Write-up Guidelines
¥ Do not exceed the one page limit. One page means one 8.5 x 11 page with 1 inch margins, 1.5-spaced text, using a 12 point font such as Times.
¥ If you are writing about the results of field research, carefully describe the rock types (lithologies) you examined.
¥ Use tables to present your raw data on the orientations of various structures. Label each table and its column headings carefully (for example, Table 1: measurements of the orientation of primary and secondary features, including column headings like strike and dip of bedding, and trend and plunge of amphibole lineation).
¥ Use figures to clarify your arguments and present visually your results. Refer to each figure in the text of your one-page write-up, and label and title each figure.
For example:
Figure 1 shows that foliation is subhorizontal at the western end of the roadcut, although the orientation of schist foliation varies locally. Pegmatite veins consistently crosscut this schist foliation (Figure 2).
These statements are appropriate if the label to Figure 1 reads Figure 1: Equal angle stereographic projection of poles to schist foliation surfaces, western side of the roadcut, and the label to Figure 2 reads Figure 2: sketch of intrusive contact between schist and pegmatite, with 1 meter bar for scale.
¥ Write clearly and use scientific language (try reading your text if you lack vocabulary). Use the active voice whenever possible.
For example: During pure shear, a line with an initial orientation of 45¡ to the positive x axis experiences elongation and clockwise rotation.
¥ Elaborate on your observations and results. Spend the bare minimum of time on descriptions of how you made these observations.
For example: In general, bedding strikes east-west and dips ca. 30¡ to the north. Cylindrical open folds locally reorient bedding. b diagrams (Figure 1) show that fold axes trend north-south and plunge shallowly to the north.
¥ Remember that you are identifying plausible explanations for patterns in the data you collected. Think creatively, and justify your arguments and conclusions carefully.
For example: Joints tend to strike east-west, and this single orientation for the many joint surfaces is most consistent with predictions from the tensile fracture criterion (critical sn is constant). Joint geometry therefore suggests that this joint system developed in tension. This hypothesis, however, does not explain the few joints I observed that strike north-south. Joints in these orientations may result from...
¥ Discuss your results positively and consider the broad implications of your research rather than berating yourself or speculating about research you did not conduct.
For example: During the strike-slip experiment, fracturing occurred first along the edge of the block near my thumb imprint. This observation suggests that brittle structures such as fractures may nucleate at perturbations or inhomogeneities in materials.
Good scientific writing requires clear presentation of research and succinct and creative discussion of ideas. Please follow these guidelines.
GEOL333 Lab Write-ups
Your write-up must answer these questions:
What are your detailed, scientific observations?
How do you interpret these observations within the context of the goals of the lab?
Student:___________________________________________________ 4 = excellent
3 = good
Lab:____________________________________________________ 2 = poor
1 = wretched
Date:_____________________________________________________
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Elements |
Rating |
Comments |
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figures -scale and orientation -informative and clear -number and title for each -text refers to figures
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writing -uses active voice -uses scientific language -good grammar -accurate spelling -elegance
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observations -distinct from interpretations -include clear descriptions -appropriate -accurate and detailed
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interpretations -distinct from observations -based on clear argumentation -original and creative -realize goals of lab
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TOTAL (out of 16) |
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Further comments:
GEOL333 Class Presentations
The point I most hope to convey to my audience is:
_______________________________________________________________________
Your talk must answer these questions:
Why should your audience care about this article?
What is the methodology and/or data set presented in this article?
What are the main conclusions of this article?
In your opinion, are these conclusions valid?
Student:___________________________________________________
4 = excellent
Paper:____________________________________________________ 3 = good
2 = poor
Date:_____________________________________________________ 1 = wretched
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Elements |
rating |
weight |
total |
Comments |
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organization -talk contains main divisions, clear sub-points, and transitions
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x 2 = |
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content -appropriate important point -conveys important point to audience -reports methods and main conclusions of article -contains clear explanations -time length -rich in detail
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x 3 = |
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visual aids -clear, large, simple -appropriate -well-timed and presented -enhancement of message -clearly explained
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x 2 = |
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physical delivery -eye contact, gestures, poise -vocal rate, pitch, volume -vocabulary
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= |
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introduction and conclusions -introduction gains attention & contains central idea -introduction previews organization of talk -conclusion contains summary review and effective final thought
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x 2 = |
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TOTAL (out of 40) |
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Guidelines for Final Paper
You MUST bring two copies of your first draft of your final paper to lab on
Monday December 12 in order to review it with your peers.
The final draft of your final paper is due under my office door on Thursday December 22.
Attached MUST be the two copies of peer reviewed first drafts
Paper format
Typed and three pages long. Three pages means three 8.5 x 11 pages with 1 inch margins, 1.5-spaced text, using a 12 point font such as Times. The format and organization of your paper are up to you to decide, but you should include subheadings and references (consult any published article in the Journal of Structural Geology for format).
Topics
Please choose one of the following topics:
¥ Identify an unresolved question about the Pyrenees that is geological, geophysical, or tectonic. Convince your reader that this question is both unresolved and interesting. Propose a research project that addresses this problem.
¥ Identify and discuss a conflict between the observations and/or interpretations in some of the articles. What is the nature of this conflict (i.e. does it relate to conflicting observations or interpretations)? Do you foresee any resolution to the conflict?
¥ Identify and discuss a common observation in some of the articles. Discuss the consequences of this observation for either structural or regional geologists.
Citations
Use five or more references (i.e. five articles from the list of literature on the Pyrenees). You may use your two articles, although this is not required. In other words, you will probably reference and discuss your two articles and at least three other presentations. You may also read and reference some of the articles that no one presented.
GEOL333 Final Paper
Student:___________________________________________________
Date:______________________________________________________
Ratings
0 not OK
1 OK
2 great
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Elements |
Rating |
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Quality of first draft
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Quality of peer review
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Use of figures
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Organization of paragraphs and sections
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Writing style and polish
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Explains observations in literature
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Explains interpretations in literature
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Builds creatively and/or critically on literature
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Presents and defends an original opinion or idea
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Final draft turned in on time with reviews
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TOTAL (out of 20) |
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Further comments: