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Tulane University

EENS 340 STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

Spring Semester 2009

Dr. Nancye Dawers -

·  Office: 202 Blessey Hall; 862-3200; Office Hours: TBA & by appt.

·  Lectures: MWF 10:00-10:50, 219 Science & Eng. Lab Complex (formerly Mech. Services Bldg.)

·  Lab: M 2:00-4:00 pm, 225 Science & Eng. Lab Complex (formerly Mech. Services Bldg.), on 2nd floor hallway connecting Blessey and Stanley Thomas Halls

·  Websites: http://tulane.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp

http://tulane.edu/sse/eens/faculty/ndawers/eens-340.cfm

Goals of this course:

·  to acquire a basic understanding of the processes and manifestations of rock deformation;

·  to gain an understanding of how these processes relate to tectonics;

·  to learn how to apply structural analyses in interpreting tectonically deformed terranes.

Learning Outcomes:

·  Student should be able to relate stress-strain plots, creep curves (strain versus time), and the mathematical forms of flow laws to the underlying rock rheology

·  Student should be able to describe the effects of varying temperature, confining pressure, fluid pressure, stress state, and strain rate on rock deformation

·  Given a photograph, sketch, map or cross-section, student should be able to explain mechanically how any geological structures present formed

·  Student should be able to relate styles of tectonic deformation to plate tectonic environment

Geology Degree Program Learning Outcomes that are Addressed by this Course:

This course addresses the following learning outcomes of the Geology undergraduate program:

·  solve a wide variety of scientific problems (by focused discussions in lecture followed up by labs on solving geological problems)

·  analyze and interpret scientific data (though numerous examples of structural geology datasets discussed in lecture and lab)

·  use and interpret geologic maps in cross-sections in terms of the geologic and tectonic history of any region (assigned lab problem sets)

·  construct a geologic map based on field studies (using data collected on the field trip)

Textbook(s)

Lecture: Earth Structure: An Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics, 2nd edition, by Ben A. van der Pluijm and Stephen Marshak, W.W. Norton & Co.

Lab: Structural Analysis and Synthesis: A Laboratory Course in Structural Geology, 3rd edition, by Rowland, Duebendorfer and Schiefelbein, Blackwell. Do not buy this used.

Some lectures will incorporate material from:

Structural Geology, by Twiss and Moores

Tectonics, by Moores and Twiss

Tectonic Geomorphology, by Burbank and Anderson

Fundamentals of Structural Geology, by Pollard & Fletcher

Some labs may incorporate material from Basic Methods of Structural Geology, by Stephen Marshak and Gautam Mitra, Prentice-Hall.

A variety of textbooks will be on the bookshelf in the lab.

Prerequisites

·  Physical Geology Lecture (EENS111) & Lab (EENS113)

·  Mineralogy (EENS 211, formerly known as Earth Materials)

·  Physics to meet the Geology BS Degree Program recommended

Course Grading

·  Labs: Lab Exercises 35%

·  Lecture Mid-term Exam 30% (Lecture + Lab material)

·  Final Exam 35% (Non-cumulative, Lecture + Lab material)

Policies

·  We will abide by the LAS Honor Code (http://college.tulane.edu/code.htm).

·  Please see me about any absences.

·  No make-up exams (see Dean’s Office about extreme family emergencies).

Fieldtrip

·  Appalachian Mountains, NE Alabama field area. Friday-Sunday in early April.

·  Plan to camp, of course. See info on web; more details later.

Tentative Schedule of Lecture Topics

Date / Topic / Reading
(M) Jan 12 / What is Structural Geology? / See Ch. 1-2
(W) Jan 14 / Forces / Ch. 3
(F) Jan 16 / Stress in the Lithosphere / Ch. 3; TBA from Pollard & Fletcher
(M) Jan 19 / Martin Luther King Day
(W) Jan 21 / Strain / Ch. 4
(F) Jan 23 / Rheology / Ch. 5
(M) Jan 26 / Rheology continued / Ch. 5
(W) Jan 28 / Brittle Deformation / Ch. 6
(F) Jan 30 / Brittle Deformation / Ch. 6
(M) Feb 2 / Fracture / Ch. 7; TBA from Twiss & Moores
(W) Feb 4 / Fracture continued / Ch. 7; TBA from Twiss & Moores
(F) Feb 6 / Faulting / Ch. 8
(M) Feb 9 / Faulting continued / Ch. 8
(W) Feb 11 / Fault Growth, Interaction & Linkage / TBA from Scholz
(F) Feb 13 / Fault Evolution continued / TBA from Scholz
(M) Feb 16 / Intro to Stereographic Projections / (see Ch. 5 in lab textbook)
(W) Feb 18 / Earthquakes & Active faulting / TBA
(F) Feb 20 / Fault-related Folds / Ch 8(.3.4); TBA Burbank & Anderson
(M) Feb 23 / Lundi Gras
(W) Feb 25 / Review Session / -
(F) Feb 27 / Mid-term Exam / Lecture & Lab Material to Date
(M) Mar 2 / Folding / Ch. 10
(W) Mar 4 / Go over mid-term / -
(F) Mar 6 / Mechanism of Folding / Ch. 10; TBA Twiss & Moores
(M) Mar 9 / Mechanism of Folding continued / Ch. 10; TBA Twiss & Moores
(W) Mar 11 / Microstructures / Ch. 9
(F) Mar 13 /

Microstructures continued; Fabric

/ Ch. 9 & 11
(M) Mar 16 /

Fabric continued; Shear Zones

/ Ch. 11 & 12
(W) Mar 18 / Shear Zones continued / Ch. 12
(F) Mar 20 /

Shear Zones continued

/ Ch. 12
(M) Mar 23 / Spring Break
(W) Mar 25 / Spring Break
(F) Mar 27 /

Spring Break

(M) Mar 30 / Compressional Tectonics / Ch. 17
(W) Apr 1 /

Fold-Thrust Belts; Appalachian Trip

/ Ch. 18; Ch. 22(.4); a few figs. Ch. 17
(F) Apr 3 /

Fieldtrip to Appalachians

/ -
(M) Apr 6 / No lecture; lab will meet.
(W) Apr 8 / Extensional Tectonics / Ch. 16
(F) Apr 10 / Good Friday
(M) Apr 13 / Monday after Easter Holiday
(W) Apr 15 / P-T-t Analyses / Ch. 13
(F) Apr 17 / No class – Petrology Class Trip
(M) Apr 20 / TBA
(W) Apr 22 / Strike-Slip Tectonics / Ch. 19
(F) Apr 24 / Tectonics of North America / Ch. 22(.1-2, .6-.7)
(M) Apr 27 / Tectonics of North America continued / Ch. 22(.1-2, .6-.7)
(Sat) May 2nd, a.m. /

Final Exam

8:00 to Noon, 219 Blessey Hall / Lecture & Lab; Non-Cumulative, i.e. Material Since the Mid-term

“TBA” means that you should look at the sections in the relevant book that I have marked with post-it notes; they are on the bookshelf in the lab with other textbooks.

Tentative Schedule of Lab Topics

Dates /
Lab Topic
/
Reading
Jan 12 / Lines & Planes; Outcrop Patterns & Structure Contours / Ch. 1 & 2
Jan 19 / Martin Luther King Day
Jan 26 / Rheology & Strain / Ch. 12 & 14
Feb 2 / Analysis of Brittle Deformation / Ch. 13
Feb 9 / Faulting / Ch. 9 & 10
Feb 16 / Stereographic Projection / Ch. 5
Feb 23 / Lundi Gras
Mar 2 / Folds / Ch. 6
Mar 9 / Folds / Ch. 7 & 8
Mar 16 / Ductile Deformation & Microstructures / Ch. 16
Mar 23 / Spring Break
Mar 30 / Geological Map Interpretation & Structure Sections / Ch. 3 & 4
Apr 6 / Stereonet analyses of your field data / Refer to Ch 7
Apr 13 / Monday after Easter
Apr 20 / Structural Synthesis & Report / Ch. 11
Apr 27 / Balanced Cross Sections / Ch. 15

Lab Policies

·  Due at the beginning of the following lab meeting.

·  Late labs: 5% penalty/day (weekend considered as 1 day).

·  Note that we will only be doing selected problems in the chapters listed; these are short chapters.

Learning Outcomes:

·  Student should be able to measure strain using appropriate deformation features

·  Student should be able to plot and analyze directional data using a stereonet

·  Student should be able to interpret tectonic history from a geological map

·  Student should be able to construct a valid, balanced geological cross-section

Geology Degree Program Learning Outcomes that are Addressed by this Course:

This course addresses the following learning outcomes of the Geology undergraduate program:

·  solve a wide variety of scientific problems (by focused discussions in lecture followed up by labs on solving structural geology problems)

·  analyze and interpret scientific data (though numerous examples of structural datasets discussed in lecture and lab)

·  use and interpret geologic maps in cross-sections in terms of the geologic and tectonic history of any region (via assigned lab exercises)

·  construct a geologic map based on field studies (using data collected on the field trip)