Lecture 1

Course Introductionand

Geology of the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture OutlineI Course Introduction

A) Instructor IntroductionB) Course Overview

i. Times and Locationii. Required Textsiii. Class URL and Web Resources

C) Course Schedulei. Important Datesii. Structure

D) Policiesi. Attendance and Participationii. Gradingiii. Honor Codeiv. Laboratory

E) TestsII Why Study Geology?

Lecture 1i

III Geology of the Chesapeake BayA) Formation of the Chesapeake BayB) Characteristics and Importance of the BayC) Geography of the BayD) Physiographic Provinces of the Bay Drainage Area

i. The Appalachian Plateauii. Ridge and Valley

- Appalachian Mountain Section- Great Valley Section

iii.Blue Ridgeiv.Piedmont

- Mesozoic Lowlands Section- Piedmont Lowland Section- Piedmont Upland Section

v. Coastal Plain

E) Chesapeake Bay Bolidei. Event

Lecture 1ii

Lecture Outline

III Geology of the Chesapeake BayE) Chesapeake Bay Bolide

ii. Influence- Stratigraphy- Geomorphology- Groundwater- Modern Sea Level Changes

IV Conclusions

Lecture 1iii

Lecture Outline

Stephen B ParsonsOceanography 327

683-6058 (offc)581-5223 (cell)

sparsons@ocean.odu.edu

Office Hours: Daily 1030-1230; other times by appointment

Lecture 1I.A

Instructor Information

Course OverviewGoal

This course gives an introduction to physical geology, which includes the basic materials and processes that form the earth, the application of scientific methodology to

understanding the earth, and the processes that shape and change the earth. Special attention will be paid to the concept of the rock cycle and the theory of plate tectonics.

Meeting TimesMondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1200-1250

TextsPlummer, C.C., McGeary, D., and Carlson, D.H., 2002. Physical Geology, 9th edition,

McGraw-Hill, 574pp.Busch, R.M. And Tasa, D., 2002. Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology, 6th edition,

Prentice-Hall, 288 pp.

Class URL http://www.ocean.odu.edu/~spars001/geology_111/index.html

Lecture 1I.B

09/26/03 Exam 1 Composition of the Earth

10/31/03 Exam 2 Historical Geology and Geomorphology

12/05/03 Exam 3 Earth Architecture and Geophysics

12/12/03 Comprehensive Final Exam

Lecture 1I.C

Course Schedule

Scale

Lecture 1I.D

WeightsExams 1-3 1/3 of final gradeFinal Exam 1/3 of final gradeLaboratory 1/3 of final

grade

AttendanceGrading

A A- B+ B B- C+ C C-

93 -100 90 - 92 87 - 89 83 - 86 80 - 82 77 - 79 73 - 76 70 - 72

Honor CodeLaboratory

Course Policies

Lecture 1I.E

T F 1. The Earth's lithosphere is composed entirely of crustal material.

True/False

Multiple Choice

Tests

Short Answer

____ 2. Approximately how old is the Chesapeake Bay?(a) 1,000 years (d) 1,000,000 years(b) 10,000 years (e) 10,000,000 years(c) 100,000 years

3. Name four of the eight rock-forming minerals common to igneous rocks.

Why Study Geology?provides information on the structure of the Earth, its evolution and the processes that shape it

preserves the history of our planet providing insights into lost worlds of Earth's past

provides clues to Earth's past and future climate

links the very large with the very small

provides the food we eat and the water we drink

provides the raw materials of everyday life and teaches us about their conservation

provides information to help prepare for geologic hazards

Lecture 1II

Formation of Chesapeake Bay

Lecture 1III.A

Lecture 1III.B

Characteristics and Importance of the Chesapeake Bay

Largest Estuary in the United StatesWhat is an estuary?

Supports more than 3600 species2700 plant species348 species of finfish173 species of shellfish29 species of waterfowl

Commercial resource500 million lbs seafood/year2 major ports

Recreational resource

Geography of the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture 1III.C

Geography of the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture 1III.C

Length: 332 kmWidth(max): 56.3 kmWidth (min): 5.5 kmArea: 11,400 km2

Depth (ave): 6.4 mShoreline: ~19000 kmAve. Tidal Range: 0.3 m - 1.0 mVolume: 6.813 x 1013 l

Geography of the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture 1III.C

Drainage Area: 165,800 km2

50% of H2O from Atlantic Ocean

50% of H2O from freshwater sources

50% from Susquehanna~90% from western rivers~10% from Eastern Shore streams

Physiographic Provinces

Lecture 1III.D

Physiographic ProvincesThe Applachian Plateau

Lecture 1III.D.i

elevated plateau with dendritic drainagepattern

280 million years ago it was a marshy seathe horsetail ferns that populated that sea

have been compressed and now form the large coal seams that run through the region

heavily forestedgreatest rainfall of all Chesapeake Bay

provinces

Physiographic ProvincesRidge and Valley

Lecture 1III.D.ii

parallel ridges and valleys of the Applachian Mountains form an alternating pattern. slightly lower in elevation from Appalachian Plateau mountainous soils composed of clay and clay loams as

well as sandy and stony loams. deep limestone soils make this region extremely fertile dry climate

Physiographic ProvincesThe Blue Ridge

Lecture 1III.D.iii

narrow line of old mountains extending from Carlisle, PAsouth to Gainesville, GA

some rocks are 1.2 billion year old granitessedimentary rocks here were formed when Africa was

ripping away from Virginia forming the IapetusOcean early in the Cambrian

Physiographic ProvincesThe Piedmont

Lecture 1III.D.iv

gently rolling topographydeeply weathered bedrock composed of

igneous and metamorphic rocks, some from ancient volcanic island arcs

some rocks may have been formed outsideNorth America

Triassic basins includealluvial fan conglomeratestropical lake and mudflat deposits

Triassic basins

Physiographic ProvincesThe Coastal Plain

Lecture 1III.D.v

youngest rocksterraced landscape bounded on west by Fall Lineunderlain by wedge of sediments increasing

in thickness with distancefrom the fall zone (A) to more than 4000m under shelf

1200m of young sediments cover the Chesapeake Bay impact structure

Chesapeake Bay Bolide

Lecture 1III.E

Chesapeake Bay BolideEvent

Lecture 1III.E.i

35 million years agobillions of kg of water instantly evaporatedbillions more shot 100km into atmospheretsunamis 1.2km high

Graphics: Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Stratigraphy

Lecture 1III.E.ii

USGS

USGS

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Geomorphology

Lecture 1III.E.ii

Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Groundwater

Lecture 1III.E.ii

Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

USGS

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Modern Relative Sea Level

Lecture 1III.E.ii