Earth 305 - Sediments and Surface

Earth's Surface and Sediments (Earth 305, 4 credits). Topics covered include properties of sediments and their origin, the physics of sediment transport and deposition, depositional environments and sedimentary facies, the processes of lithification and diagenesis, ecology and environmental analysis, paleoecology, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphic, and chronostratigraphy, an introduction to geochronology and geologic time and field trips emphasizing stratigraphic methods and principles.

The course consists of three weekly lectures and one weekly lab section. A course field trip to southern Ohio will take place late in the term, weather permitting. Course grade will be based on homework assignments, laboratory exercises, mid-term and final exams and a field trip report.