Welcome to Geology 218: Environmental Geology Dr. Ralph Dawes, Instructor Today’s plan....
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Transcript of Welcome to Geology 218: Environmental Geology Dr. Ralph Dawes, Instructor Today’s plan....
Welcome to Geology 218: Environmental Geology
Dr. Ralph Dawes, InstructorToday’s plan.
IntroductionsSyllabus
Active learning is key.Geology learned by reaching out, taking part. HP Compaq tc4200
tablet computer and Earth, ca. 2005
Image Source: http://www.dell.com
Talk to another student and introduce her or him to the rest of the
class in terms of…First and last nameTown where they live Geologic hazard or environmental issue most interested in
Image Source: http://www.k5geosource.org/content/esimage/sea.html
Thinking about Earth / Environment1. Scientific Method 2. Empirical, experimental, &
theoretical approaches3. History of science/geoscience 4. Evolution and environment5. Population growth and
humanEarth interactions6. Earth systems science 7. Dynamic Earth Systems 8. Links & Cycles Among Earth
Systems: Matter and Energy
Image Source: http://www.nasa.com
The Scientific MethodIdeas about nature in terms that are logical, rational, verifiable, repeatable, and yield manipulative/predictive powerMathematical: most elegantly logicalMeasurable, observableHypothesis (what most people mean when they say “theory”)Theory: Verified, repeatedly confirmed, powerful, insightful, predictive.Some common misconceptions…
Image source: http://courses.ncssm.edu/math/CPTA/data/DECAY/decay.gif
Empirical, experimental, & theoretical
Empirical: based on many careful measurements and observationsExperimental: controlling the variablesTheoretical:
may or may not be mathematically expressedprovides explanations that account for the evidencemakes predictions that prove true
E = mc2
Image Source: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/1274
Image Source: http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Geology/Structure/fieldphotos/4_03/
History of science/geoscienceGeology was one of the leading sciences that arose from the EnlightenmentRanks with physics, chemistry, biologyIn 1800…
Chemistry still separating from alchemyAstronomy separate from astrology for ~200 years (since Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo)Biology post-Linnaeus, pre-DarwinPhysics 100 years since NewtonGeology still over 200 years old, but age of Earth not resolved
Image Source: http://www.scottishgeology.com/history/people/james_hutton_image.html
Evolution and environment
Given that natural selection favors those most well-adapted to the environment, changing environments are a key factor in evolution10,000 years ago wooly mammoths, mastodons, giant elk, etc. existed, but soon after became extinct, probably due to environmental change
At that time the earth warmed up from the last glaciation of the Pleistocene ice ages, driving rapid environmental change
Changes in future earth environments will also change ecosystems and cause extinction of species
Image source:http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/mam-mis.htm
Population growth and humanEarth interactions
As populations grow and societal infrastructure expands, so does exposure of society to earth hazards
Hurricanes striking increasingly populated coasts is just one example
More humans require more resources (or do they?)Population growth causes:
More land developedMore air, water, and soil pollutionMore floods (why?)Climate change (why?)etc. Image Source:
http://blog.frogbody.com/frogblog/2005/01/
Earth systems science
Geosphere
HydrosphereBiosphere
Atmosphere
Dynamic Earth SystemsFollow a molecule of water in the oceanInto an altered basalt on the ocean floorDown a subduction zoneInto magma (molten rock)Up a volcanoOut with a steam-exploded eruptionInto the atmosphereDown as rainEtc…One tiny example.
Image Source: http://www.island-air.com/ScenicTours/Mt%20St%20Helens.htm
Links & Cycles Among Earth Systems: Matter and Energy
The earth’s surface gets much of its energy from the sun:
WindRainRiversErosionHurricanesEtc.
The earth’s interior gets its energy from remnant heat of earth formation plus natural radioactivity in the rocks:
VolcanoesMountain range upliftEarthquakesPlate tectonics
Image Source: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2372.htm
Image Source:http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/Phys-earth-core.html
Earth Systems4 main systems:
AtmosphereBiosphereHydrosphereLithosphere (Geosphere)
Lithosphere also has other meanings
Each OtherBoundaries arbitraryEnergy and matterReservoirs and fluxesImage Source:
http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/rbehl/300i-L01.htm
Earth systems compositionsAtmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere (Geosphere)
Image Source:http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/rbehl/300i-L01.htm