Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Course Offerings for the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 Academic Years

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101-0 Earth Systems Revealed Replaced by 201.

102-6 - Death of The Dinosaurs (Freshman Seminar)

The death of the dinosaurs as well as theories and evidence for other catastrophic extinctions will be examined. Geologic time and the history of life on Earth; plate tectonics; dinosaur classification and behavior, periodicities, and the search for Nemesis, the "Death Star", will be included in the seminar.   Instructor: Jurdy   Course Website

102-6 - Voyages of Discovery (Freshman Seminar)

This course focuses on a selection of scientific expeditions. We will strive to understand the expedition goals, environmental challenges, navigation techniques, and the valuable knowledge provided with the risk, if not the sacrifice, of lives. In the first half of the course, we will focus on great historical explorers who have revealed the unknown continents, the world's extreme poles, and the highest mountains. The age of discovery continues today. The second half of the course will focus on modern exploration to the deepest ocean, bottomless caves, and the search for habitable planets. It is the specific aim of this freshman seminar to foster the spirit of adventure and desire to explore the natural world.   Instructor: Beddows

102-6 - The Future of Renewable Energy (Freshman Seminar)  

Sometime during the next few years, the rate of global oil production is expected to decline. Fossil fuels in the Earth required millions of years to form, but the consumption of oil will ultimately be a brief episode in human history. The energy economy will change entirely during the lifetime of students taking this seminar. What does the future of energy look like? After traditional hydrocarbons become economically unaffordable or exceedingly dangerous to the environment and national security, planet Earth will remain central to human sustenance because renewable energy from wind, solar, biofuels, tides, and geothermal heat are similarly linked to natural sources from the sun and Earth. Technology will also play an important role in harnessing energy from photovoltaic arrays, fission, fusion, and energy carriers such as hydrogen. Here, we meet at the crossroads of economics and science.  Instructor: Jacobsen

102-6 - Earthquakes and Other Earth-Shaking Events (Freshman Seminar)

Earthquakes occur each hour, day, week, month, etc. Many go barely noticed while others turn catastrophic. Recall the December 26, 2004 Sumatra earthquake, tsunami, and aftershocks. Learn about causes and consequences of earthquakes and why we can't yet predict them. Learn about non-earthquake events that send tremors through our planet and alter its evolution, locating and classifying earthquakes, plate tectonics, and using earthquakes to CAT-scan the Earth.   Instructor: Van der Lee

102-6 - Global Warming: The Scientific Evidence (Freshman Seminar)

Global warming is more than a media catch-phrase. It represents a massive global experiment with unknown consequences. In this course we will discuss the scientific evidence for modern-day global warming including melting ice sheets, long-term temperature records from ice cores and extreme weather events such as hurricanes. Current trends and the role of human activities will be examined in the context of the geologic record of natural climate variability and the feedbacks inherent in the climate system. Anticipated future impacts include sea level rise, spread of infectious diseases, drinking water shortages, habitat loss and extinctions. Given these forecasts, strategies for managing the effects of global warming will be assessed.   Instructor: Axford

103-0 - Geologic Hazards

An examination of the principal sources of natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes ...) in the framework of modern geological theories. Lectures and discussion.   Instructor: Okal

105-0 - Climate Catastrophes in Earth History

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental components of the Earth system--the atmosphere, hydrosphere and solid Earth--and more importantly, examine how these components interact in response to internal and external influences to control climate. Within this Earth systems context, we will explore how climate is changing today, how it has changed (sometimes catastrophically) in the geologic past, and how it may change in the future.   Instructor: Hurtgen

106-0 - The Ocean, The Atmosphere and Our Climate

The course presents basic concepts of the Earth System that control and regulate the planetary climate. The uniqueness of planet Earth is discussed in the context of its oceans, land, atmosphere, organisms, and climate. Specific questions addressed are: What are the essential factors that determined the climate of a planet? How do living organisms affect the atmosphere, land, ocean, and climate? How is the Earth's climate controlled by the greenhouse effect, solar radiation, orbital parameters, and other factors? How has the growing human population affected the Earth's atmospheric composition and hence climate? What has human society done to deal with the potential of global warming of the planet?  Instructor: Blair

107-0 - Our Dynamic Planet

Plate tectonics is the primary process that controls our planet's evolution, shapes its surface, allows it to support human life, but also endangers society via natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The course explains how plate tectonics works and how plate motions control the history of the continents and ocean basins, build mountains, cause earthquakes and volcanoes, provide natural resources and affect our climate.   Instructor: Jurdy or Stein

108-0 - Geological Impacts on Civilization

Geological processes and materials have had a profound impact upon the development of civilizations on Earth. By examination of the geological, archaeological, and historical records, we will explore societal responses to factors such as natural disasters, environmental changes, and the distribution of natural resources. We will focus largely upon the ancient world, with reference to modern analogues. (For example, we may discuss sediment transport by rivers, the effects of sedimentation upon ancient Roman harbors at Ostia and Ephesus, and the role of sedimentation in the modern Mississippi delta.)   Instructor: Bina

110-0 - Exploration of the Solar System

Examination of the earth from a planetary perspective: how the Earth and the planets formed; what the other planets tell us about the Earth; and how the Earth continues to evolve through continental drift, earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. Emphasis on large-scale processes and features including the implication of meteorite impacts, nature of the deep interior, formation of the oceans and atmosphere, and origin and evolution of life.   Instructor: Okal, Van der Lee, or Jurdy 

111-0 - Human Dimensions of Global Change

Natural and human causes of global change. Growth of human populations-- historical patterns and future trends. Make-up of the environment in the past and present. The major environmental reservoirs: atmosphere, waters, land, biosphere.   Instructor: TBD

114-0 - Evolution and the Scientific Method

The underlying philosophy, practical approaches, and impact of the scientific method are examined using the history of evolutionary theory as subject matter. This history provides an excellent example of the application of scientific method to a problem that spans the disciplines of biology, geology, physics, and chemistry. Furthermore, it chronicles a major paradigm shift within the scientific establishment that has had (and continues to have) a profound impact on society. This topic is uniquely well-suited for relating the nature of science to non-science majors. It does so conceptually through readings from the excellent compendium on evolutionary thought by Philip Appleman (Darwin, The Norton Critical Edition) and practically through tutorials with scientists at Northwestern and the Field Museum of Natural History who are working in disciplines relevant to evolution. EARTH 114 is part of the SERTS program.   Instructor: Sageman

201-0 - Earth Systems Revealed

Rocks, minerals, Earth surface and interior processes, basic field methods. Course includes mandatory field trip to Baraboo, WI.   Instructor: Jacobson

202-0 - Earth's Interior

Size, mass, & density of the earth, seismic waves; earth structure from seismology; minerals and rocks; composition of mantle and core; heat and temperature in the earth, radiometric age dating; origin of the elements, formation of the solar system; meteorites, formation of the planets; continents and oceans, paleomagnetism, continental drift; earthquake focal mechanisms, plate boundaries and kinematics, mechanics of plate tectonics. Prerequisites: MATH 224, PHYSICS 135-1, and CHEM 101; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Stein

203-0 - Earth System History

Evolution of the earth system and its record through geological time. Interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, sediments, and life on earth. Prerequisite: EARTH 201 or permission of instructor.   Instructor: Klapper or Hurtgen

ISEN 230 - Climate Change and Sustainability: Political and Ethical Dimensions

Interdisciplinary analysis of the politics and ethics underlying a sustainable approach to climate change; includes introduction of the scientific evidence for anthropogenic global warming, discussion of the politics of sustainability in relation to the climate, and exploration of the ethics of resource use, conservation practices, and environmentalism.  Instructors: Sageman, Kiesling, and Sheldon (Visit ISEN on the web)

300-0 - Earth and Planetary Materials

Mineralogy of the earth and planets from atomic to continental scales, focusing on structure, composition, identification, and physical properties of minerals as they pertain to geological and societal applications. Prerequisites: EARTH 201, CHEM 103; MATH 220, and PHYSICS 135-1.   Instructor: Jacobsen

301-0 - Petrology: Evolution of Crustal and Mantle Rocks

Origin, composition, and classification of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Application of laboratory characterization and basic thermodynamics to interpreting observed rock textures and mineral assemblages in terms of geological processes. Prerequisite: EARTH 300 or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Jacobsen or Bina

302-0 - Physics and Thermochemistry of the Earth's Interior

Finite strain theory, solid solution thermodynamics, phase transitions, subduction zone processes, seismic velocity structures, mineral equations of state. Prerequisite: EARTH 301 or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Bina

310-0 - Introductory (Aqueous) Geochemistry

The geochemistry of rivers, groundwater, lakes, and seawater. Topics include thermodynamics, kinetics, acids and bases, pH and alkalinity, carbonate equilibria, redox chemistry, chemical weathering, and numerical modeling. Prerequisites: EARTH 201 and CHEM 103; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Jacobson

311-0 - Sedimentary Geochemistry

Geochemical differentiation of the Earth's surface. Primordial volatiles and the beginnings of sediment formation. Sedimentary environment on the prebiotic Earth. Control of Earth's climate by sediment-water interactions. Oceanic carbon system: inorganic and biological sedimentation. Sedimentary history from the isotope records. Burial and diagenesis of carbonate and silicate sediments. Prerequisites: EARTH 201, 330,and CHEM 103; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: TBD

312-0 - Stable Isotope Geochemistry

We will examine both the traditional stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, etc.) and some of the more novel ones (lithium, boron, transition elements, etc.). The aim is to understand the principles governing these isotopic systems and apply these isotopic tools to important problems in Earth Sciences. Emphasis will be on the Earth surface processes and climate change. Prerequisites: EARTH 201 and 310; or consent of the instructor.   Instructor: Hurtgen

313-0 - Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry

Application of radiogenic isotopes to problems in geochemistry, petrology, hydrology, oceanography, ecology, and environmental science. Includes radioactive decay, nucleosynthesis, cosmochemistry, geochronology, mixing processes, and numerical modeling. Prerequisites: CHEM 103; or consent of instructor. Instructor: Jacobson

314-0 - Organic Geochemistry

The origin, modification and preservation of organic matter in the sedimentary record; how it relates to global carbon cycle and climate in the geologic past; implications for future greenhouse warming.  Prerequisite: one quarter of earth or environmental sciences and one quarter of chemistry; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Blair

315-0 - Geochemistry of Global Environments

The major geochemical processes that shape the Earth's surface environment, its outer shell from -150 to +30 km from the surface. Chemical and isotopic evidence from the geological past and present. Mineral-water-gas reactions near the Earth's surface. Oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Biogeochemical cycles behind the global environmental change. Prerequisites: EARTH 201 or consent of instructor.   Instructor: TBD

316-0 - Earth's Changing Climate

This course deals with (1) the principles of operation and variability of Earth's physical climate system at different spatial and temporal scales, (2) climate's interactions with the biogeochemical cycles of the land, ocean, and biosphere. The course also provides a critical appraisal and discussion of some major paleoclimatic and ocean/atmosphere issues, as studied by observations and modeling, including history of atmospheric chemistry and seawater, physical and biotic feedbacks to global warming, and the Pleistocene glaciations. Prerequisites: EARTH 201or consent of instructor.   Instructor: TBD

317-0 - Biogeochemistry

The cycling of biogenic elements (C,N,S, Fe, Mn) in surficial environments. Emphasis on microbial processes and isotopic signatures. Prerequisites: one quarter of chemistry plus one quarter of geoscience, environmental science, or biology. Taught with CIV ENV 447; students may not earn credit for both courses.   Instructor: Blair

320-0 - Global Tectonics

Kinematics of plate tectonics. Geometry, determination, and description of plate motions. Paleomagnetism, marine magnetism, and hot spots. History of ocean basins and mountain-building processes. Prerequisites: EARTH 202 and PHYSICS 135-2; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Okal

321-0 - Reflection Seismology

Theory of seismic reflection technique. Acquisition, data processing and interpretation of seismic reflection data, seismic stratigraphy. Applications to hydrocarbon prospecting, structural geology, tectonics, stratigraphy, and deep continental structure. Prerequisites: EARTH 202, MATH 230, and PHYSICS 135-1; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Jurdy

322-0 - Computer Methods in Earth and Planetary Sciences

Introduction to computer methods for processing and analyzing geophysical and geochemical data volumes.  Data formats and manipulation, Unix, Matlab, Computer programming, Shell Scripting, R, Generic Mapping Tools, Gnu Data Language, Seismic Analysis Code, Data Request Methods, Visualization, Python, Parallel Processing.  Prerequisite: EARTH 326 or consent of the instructor.   Instructor: Van der Lee 

323-0 - Seismology and Earth Structure

Elastic theory, seismic waves, seismometers, ray paths, travel times; internal structure of the Earth; earthquakes: location, characteristics, origin, mechanism and relation to plate motions. Prerequisites: EARTH 202, MATH 250, and PHYSICS 135-2; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Stein or Van der Lee

324-0 - Earthquakes and Tectonics

Earthquakes: location, characteristics, origin, mechanism, and relation to plate motions; seismic hazard. Prerequisites: EARTH 202, MATH 250, and PHYSICS 135-2; or consent of instructor.   Instructors: Stein or Van der Lee

325-0 - Tectonophysics

On short time scales, the Earth is a hard solid (kick it and see), but we know that on the scale of geologic time, the Earth flows like a viscous fluid. How can this be? We will examine some aspects of the answer to this paradox in this course by outlining solid Earth geodynamics in some detail, including: elasticity and flexure of the lithosphere; heat production, heat transfer, and the Earth's thermal budget; fluid mechanics and flow of the Earth's mantle; rock rheology; and Earth rotation, gravity, and moment of inertia. Prerequisites: MATH 250 and PHYSICS 135-2; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Stein

326-0 - Data Analysis for Earth and Planetary Sciences

Types and characteristics of earth science data, development and applications of model types, observational and systematic sources of uncertainties and their characterization, spatial and temporal predictions.   Instructor: Stein

327-0 - Geophysical Time Series Analysis and Inverse Problems

Introduction to analysis techniques applied to seismic and other geophysical data. Sampling, windowing, discrete and fast Fourier transforms, deconvolution, filtering, and inverse methods. Prerequisites: EARTH 202 and MATH 250; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Stein

328-0 - Tectonics and Structural Geology

Deformation of rock masses: strain, fracture, slip, stress, and rheologic regimes; rock structures; folds, faults, foliations; seismic parameters in tectonic studies; orogenic belts and their tectonic evolution. Lectures and lab. Prerequisites: EARTH 201, MATH 240, and PHYSICS 135-1; or consent of instructor.   Instructed by Faculty

329-0 - Mathematical Inverse Methods in Earth and Environmental Sciences

Theory and application of inverse methods to gravity, magnetotelluric, seismic waveform, multilateration, and students’ data. Nonlinear, linearized; underdetermined, and mixed-determined problems and solution methods, such as regularized least-squares and neighborhood algorithms. Prerequisites: MATH 230, STAT 232, or equivalent; MATH 240 or STAT 320-1, 320-2 recommended. Instructor: Van der Lee

330-0 - Sedimentary Geology

Review of description and classification of sedimentary rocks; principles of stratigraphy and sedimentology; methods of local, regional and global correlation; interpretation of ancient depositional systems (facies analysis); cyclostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy in the context of tectonic, eustatic, and climatic controls on deposition; tectonics and basin analysis. Prerequisite: EARTH 201 or consent of instructor.    Instructors: Sageman and Hurtgen

331-0 - Field Problems in Sedimentary Geology

Field methods in stratigraphy and sedimentology; interpretation of depositional systems and paleoenvironments; methods of observations, data recording and analysis, and presentation of geological information (maps, cross sections). Course involves 2.5-week field trip to Colorado/Utah in late August - mid September (returning to Evanston in time for regular classes) and meets through the Fall quarter. Prerequisite: EARTH 330.   Instructors: Sageman and Hurtgen

340-0 - Paleobiology

Review of major fossil groups and major events in the history of life: origin and early evolution of life, speciation and mass extinction, evolution of communities and ecosystems through geologic time. Application of paleobiologic methods to geologic problem solving and paleoenvironmental reconstruction (e.g., biostratigraphy, functional morphology, community paleoecology). Prerequisites: EARTH 105, 106, 201, or 203; or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Sageman

341-0 - Quaternary Climate Change: From the Ice Age to the Age of Oil

Methods for reconstructing and dating past environmental changes, causes of natural climate change, and major climate events of the Quaternary through the present. Their relevance for understanding current climate change. Prerequisite: EARTH 201 or consent of instructor.   Instructor: Axford

342-0 - Topics in Contemporary Energy and Climate Change

The increasing worldwide demand for energy presents a number of complex interdisciplinary challenges, from oil depletion to climate change. This class will challenge students to answer the question, How shall we power the world in the 21st century? We will examine the history and geography of energy use; links between energy and climate change; and technological, economic, and environmental benefits and drawbacks of various energy sources. Prerequisite: Open to graduate students of all disciplines, senior undergraduates majoring in natural sciences or engineering, and other undergraduates by instructor consent. Cross listed with ISEN-410.   Instructor: Axford

350-0 - Physics of the Earth for ISP

Introduction to geophysics for students with strong mathematics and physics backgrounds. Basic ideas in seismic wave propagation, plate tectonics, geomagnetism, geothermics, and gravity. Study of the earth's surface and the deep interior.  Prerequisites: Second-year standing in ISP, or equivalent background in physics and mathematics with permission of instructor.   Instructor: Bina or Okal

351-0 - Forming a Habitable Planet

Formation and evolution of planets permitting life; global geophysical and geochemical processes critical in our planet's development; prospects for life within our solar system and beyond; exoplanet discovery and categorization. Prerequisites: EARTH 202 or ISP 350 or PHYSICS 101 or BIOL 103 or 210 or CHEM 101.   Instructors: Jurdy and Stein      Course Website

360-0 - Instrumentation and Field Methods

Theory and practicum on electronic instrumentation for monitoring and measurement in earth sciences, including data loggers, hands-on design and construction of electronic sensors, signal processing, data management, and network design. Prerequisite: EARTH 201 or 202; or consent of instructor.  Instructors: Beddows and van der Lee

390-0 - Special Topics in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Instructor: Varies

398-0 - Undergraduate Seminar

Opportunity for advanced work through supervised reading, research and discussion. Open only by invitation of the department.   Instructor: Varies

399-0 - Independent Study

Special problems under direct supervision of one or more faculty members. Comprehensive report and examination required. Open with consent of department to juniors and seniors who have completed field of concentration in the department.   Instructed by Faculty

420-0 - Geodynamics of Active Plate Margins

Structure, motions, and active processes of modern trenches, island arcs, accretionary wedges, and consuming continental margins; analysis of selected ancient orogenic belts in a modern plate tectonic context; nature of collision, obduction, subduction, sliding, and microplate evolution; plate history of North America.   Instructed by Faculty  

421-0 - Advanced Structural Geology and Tectonics

Stress and strain analysis, mechanics of fracturing and faulting applied to the earth's crust, kinematic models of folding and faulting, plate boundary rheology and deformation models, fabric analysis techniques. Prerequisites: EARTH 328, Math 214-3.   Instructed by Faculty  

436-0 - Sedimentology

Modern and ancient depositional environments of clastic and carbonate sediments. Sedimentary structures, geometry, provenance, diagenesis, and bioturbation in facies analysis. Oceanographic and tectonic controls on sedimentary rock facies.   Instructor: Sageman  

**Advanced Topics courses listed below may be repeated for credit with a change of topic.  

438-0 - Advanced Topics in Geophysics

Topics include tectonophysics and the bodily structure of the earth, dislocation theory in earth motions, glaciology, geochronology, and emerging and new areas of geophysics.   Instructor: Bina, Jurdy, Okal, Stein, or Van der Lee  

440-0 - Advanced Topics in Geochemistry

Topics include organic and environmental geochemistry, global cycling of elements, stable isotope geochemistry, mineral surface reactions.   Instructor: Jacobsen

450-0 - Advanced Topics in the Geological Sciences

Topics at the frontiers of research taught by visiting or departmental faculty.   Instructed by Faculty  

451-0 - Advanced Topics in Paleoclimate

Methodology in paleoclimate: stable isotopes, paleoecological and other methods for reconstructing the past climate. Fundamental principles of climate change on the time scale of thousands to millions of years. Climate reconstructions from the Cretaceous to the present.   Instructed by Faculty  

461-0 - Advanced Topics in Plate Tectonics

Geophysical study of plate boundary and intraplate processes; intraplate earthquakes and intraplate deformation; the subduction process; physical processes at mid-ocean ridges; history of the ocean basins; evolution of the earth's mantle/crust.   Instructor: Stein  

462-0 - Advanced Topics in Seismology

Earthquake source models, normal modes of the earth, and body wave synthesis methods.   Instructor: Okal or Stein