ESCI 321 Sstructural Geology - Fall 2008

Goals of the Course: This course is an introduction to basic geologic structures, including the development of folds, faults, joints, and foliation. We will address the use of these structures in geologic mapping, and their interpretation in terms of structural geometry, and we will introduce the concepts of stress and strain. As a summary, these basic concepts will be integrated into a study of the evolution of mountain belts.  Instructor: My name is Dr. Mark A. Evans and my email address is evansmaa@ccsu.edu My office is 237 Copernicus Hall. The phone number is 860-832-2936. Please feel free to stop in to see me. If my door is closed, just knock. Alternatively, you may arrange to meet with me in my office at a mutually convenient time. I will plan on being in my office during posted office hours. This semester (Fall 2008) they are: and Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 – 12:30 and Wednesday 12:00 – 2:00.  Lecture Text: Structural Geology, by Robert J. Twiss and Eldridge M. Moores, 2007, 2nd edition. This book is required and you will need to read it and reference it.  Laboratory Text: Structural Analysis and Synthesis, by Stephen M. Rowland, Ernest M. Duebendorfer, and Ilsa M. Schiefelbein, Third edition. This book is required and you will need to read it and reference it.  Class Meeting Time: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 – 10:45 PM in Room NC 20101.  Laboratory Meeting Time: Wednesday 9:00 – 11:50 PM in Room NC 514. Since this is a 3 hour lab, please feel free to bring a refreshment and/or snack.  Course Notes: Course notes will be available on Vista (I’ll let you know ASAP) The course notes are in Powerpoint format and are basically the same slides you will see in class. However, there may be some last minute changes on the daily notes. This is done as a COURTESY for YOU. Even though the material is available online, you still NEED to come to class for several reasons:           1) There are some concepts that I will present in class that are not in the book and will             require some additional explanation.           2) You need to be able to see and hear the material in context           3) You need to be in class for important announcements           4) You need to be in class to ask questions and to hear others’ questions           5) You (or your parents) paid a LOT of money for you to be at CCSU. Don’t waste it!           6) There is a strong correlation between class attendance and grades, the more you attend             class the higher you grade will be.  Laboratory: Lab will meet once a week. Lab exercises will be from your lab manual, with an occasional handout. Labs will be introduced during the first part of lab. You will then have the remaining lab time to work on labs with my assistance. I highly suggest that you stay for the entire lab period. All lab assignments will be due at the beginning of lab the following week. LATE LAB ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT. All labs must be done in pencil, and all work should be attached to you lab assignments when you turn them in. All assignments will be graded on neatness Make sure your name is on all sheets of paper you turn in.  Laboratory materials: You should have the following: colored pencils (at least 10-12 different colors suggested) good quality pencil (0.5mm mechanical preferable) ruler (English and metric) Drafting compass for making circles erasures (preferably white drafting erasures) protractor (see-through plastic works best) good quality calculator Field Notebook (available at bookstore) 8 ½ x 11 good quality tracing paper (not ‘onionskin’) stereonet board (one will be provided for a cost of about $2) graph paper (10 divisions per inch) print your own by downloading Graph Paper Printer: http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=316  Grading: There will be three equally-weighted exams,. Each exam will include short essay questions and quantitative problem solving. Exam questions will be based on material covered in lecture and assigned reading assignments, as well as the practice homework problems.  Exam 1                                    20 percent of the final course grade Exam 2                                    20 percent of the final course grade Exam 3                        20 percent of the final course grade Field Trips                   5 percent of the final course grade Lab Exercises              35 percent of the final course grade Total                            100 percent  The final course grade will be based on A=90+, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69. if any grade adjustment takes place, it will be at the end of the quarter, not on any individual exam!           All exams will be composed of primarily short answer/discussion questions. The exams will draw from lecture, lecture notes, exercises and reading assignments. Exams will not be cumulative.             Any makeup exams will be given only by the arrangement of the instructor. The content and style of the make-up exams is at my discretion and will be based on whether the exam was missed because of a valid reason. Valid reasons for missing an exam are 1) death in the immediate family and 2) illness (doctor’s excuse required).  Bonus Mapping Problems: You will have the opportunity throughout the semester to do up to 10 bonus mapping problems. Each correctly completed problem will be worth 10 exam points (partial credit will be assigned). You may NOT collaborate with anyone on these problems. Answers will be examined carefully and identical answers that are obviously copied will receive no credit. These are for your practice only and are not required.  Software: You should download GeoOrient32V92_zip.exe and GeoCalculator from the following site. They are free for academic use and will be useful in class. http://www.holcombe.net.au/software/index.html  Academic Misconduct: It is the policy of Central Connecticut State University to not tolerate any acts of Academic Misconduct. Make sure you read the University policy on this topic on pages 30-34 of the Student Handbook.  Field Trips: One-Day Field Trips (Required):             There will be three local field trips that will involve measuring structures in the field. 1.      Saturday September 13th We will examine brittle structures in the Hartford Basin, primarily fractures and normal faults. 2.      Saturday October 25th (in conjunction with Field Methods Class). We will examine ductile structures in metamorphic rocks in central Connecticut.   One-Day General Field Trip Guidelines You must join the trip at CCSU, not at one of the stops. Clothing should be casual. Long sleeves and trousers are recommended, along with tennis shoes. Wear something you can get dirty. Bring rain gear if rain is forecast. We go rain or shine. There is no strenuous hiking. Bring a lunch. There will be rest stops at gas stations where you can buy something. Bring plenty of fluids. Even on a cold day you can get surprisingly dehydrated. No alcoholic beverages are permitted. The one-day field trips leave from in front of the Vance Parking lot (across from the Police Station) at 7:00 A.M. on the scheduled date and return about 6:00 P.M. The one-half day trips will leave at 8:00 A.M. and return by 1:00 P.M.   Four-Day Field Trip (October 16-19): This trip will leave Thursday October 16th at 6am! We will tentatively drive to Hancock, MD for our first field stop. We will then progress through the Valley and Ridge province to Keyser, WV where we will spend the first night. We will then travel briefly into the Plateau province, then back into the V&R, spending the 2nd night in Franklin, WV. We will then drive east to the Great Valley province and the Blue Ridge, ending the day in Luray, VA, where we will spend the night. We return on Sunday October 19th by about 8pm. We will need at least one volunteer driver for this trip.   Four-Day General Field Trip Guidelines You must join the trip at CCSU, not at one of the stops. Clothing should be casual. Long sleeves and trousers are recommended, along with tennis shoes. Wear something you can get dirty. Bring rain gear and warm clothes. Bring personal items for three nights in a motel. We go rain or shine. Bring a lunch for the first day. There will be stops at grocery stores where you can buy something for lunch the other three days. October in WV can get cold, with frost. all electronic toys (ipods, CD/DVD players, radios, etc.) must have earphones. The cost of the three day field trip will be determined at a later date, but will probably be around $75 -$100 per person plus daily food and incidentals. This will cover a quad room in a motel for three nights and gas. Bring plenty of fluids. Even on a cold day you can get surprisingly dehydrated. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the trip. The four-day day trip will leave from in front of the Vance Parking lot at 6:00 A.M. (sharp) on the scheduled day.   It is unfortunately necessary to verify reasons for missing a required field trip. Students who miss the trip will be given a form to fill out. Verification consists of: Name and phone number of someone who can verify the reason for missing the trip. Work: a note from your supervisor, preferably on official stationery. If you have a printed work schedule, that will do also. Funeral: a photocopy of the obituary or funeral service. Hard-to-document situations (illness, car trouble, etc.): any documentation you have, plus someone who can verify your plight. Missing the trip because of showing up late or at the wrong time or place: No Credit or makeup. It is your responsibility to put these events on your calendar. Structural Geology: Tentative Lecture Schedule  Date                Lecture Topic (bold) and Reading Assignment Sept.    2          Introduction (Chapter 1)             3          Laboratory 1: Attitudes of Lines and Planes 4          Brittle Deformation (Chapter 2)             9          Brittle Deformation Cont.  (Chapter 2) 10        Laboratory 5: Stereographic Projection             11        Introduction to Faults (Chapter 3)             12        * If you are not in ESCI 290 Field Methods, You should attend today’s class at 11:00 – 12:50 to be                                     trained in the use of the Brunton Compass. If you cannot make this class, see Dr. Evans.             13        Saturday Field trip – Fractures and faults              16        Introduction to Faults Cont. (Chapter 3)             17        Laboratory 5 (Cont.): Stereographic Projections and Rose Diagrams: Analysis of Field Data             18        Normal Faults (Chapter 4)              23        Thrust or Reverse Faults (Chapter 5)             24        Laboratory 2: Outcrop Patterns and Structure Contours             25        Strike Slip Faults (Chapter 6)                        30        EXAM 1 (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Oct.     1          Laboratory 3: Interpretation of Geologic maps             2          The Description of Folds (Chapter 10),             7          Foliations and Lineations in Deformed Rocks (Chapter 11)             8          Laboratory 4: Geologic Structure Sections             9          Geometry of Homogeneous Strain (Chapter 12)              14        Kinematic Analysis of Folds (Chapter 13)             15        Laboratory 6: Folds             16        No Class – Field Trip             17        Field Trip             18        Field Trip             19        Field Trip              21        Analysis of Foliations and Lineations (Chapter 14)             22        Laboratory 7: Stereographic Analysis of Folded Rocks             23        Analysis of Foliations and Lineations Cont. (Chapter 14)              25        Saturday Field Trip – Folds, Foliations, Lineations              28        Observations of Strain in Deformed Rocks (Chapter 15)             29        Laboratory 14: Strain Measurement             30        Observations of Strain in Deformed Rocks Cont. (Chapter 15)  Nov.    4          EXAM 2 (Chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)             5          Laboratory 9: Faults AND Laboratory 10: Analysis of Faults             6          Stress (Chapter 7)             11        Stress Cont.  (Chapter 7)             12        Laboratory 11: A Structural Synthesis Part I             13        Mechanics of Fracturing and Faulting (Chapter 8)            18        Mechanics of Fracturing and Faulting Cont. (Chapter 8) 19        Laboratory 11: A Structural Synthesis Part II             20        Mechanics of Natural Fractures and Faults (Chapter 9)             25        Mechanics of Natural Fractures and Faults Cont. (Chapter 9)             26        No Lab - Thanksgiving             27        No Class - Thanksgiving Dec.     2          Macroscopic Aspects of Rock Deformation (Chapter 16)             3          Laboratory 12: Rheologic Models             4          Macroscopic Aspects of Rock Deformation Cont. (Chapter 16)              9          Microscopic Analysis of Ductile Deformation (Chapter 17) 10        Laboratory 16: Deformation Mechanisms and Microstructures 11        Microscopic Analysis of Ductile Deformation Cont. (Chapter 17)                         16        8:00 to 10:00 AM. EXAM 3 (Chapters 7, 8, 9, 16, 17)