GEOL658: EARTH SYSTEMS THROUGH DEEP TIME:
Global Change, Paleoclimate, and Life

Drs. Ethan Grossman, Anne Raymond, Tom Olszewski, Brent Miller, Debbie Thomas, Dave Wiltschko and others)

LECTURE: Monday-Wednesday, 1:50-3:05 PM, Halb. 354

OFFICE HOURS: (Grossman): M-Th, 9:30 - 10:30 am

SYLLABUS: 2006

READING LIST (2006, 2004):  The reading list for class develops as the class progresses.  Reading is selected to provide good background and a cutting edge view.

COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT

CLASS PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  History and cause of global change in the Earth System, Archean to Holocene; impact of biotic change on the Earth System; influence of tectonics on paleochemistry and climate change; influence of climate on tectonics; methods and models for evaluating global change

CLASS SCHEDULE FOR FALL, 2006

WEEK DATE SIGN-UP SHEET LEADER ADVISOR





1. Review of the Earth System  (4 weeks)

1 28-Aug Introduction and example of connectivity of Earth Systems (slides) Ethan Grossman

30-Aug Earth's energy balance, atmospheric circulation (slides) Ethan Grossman
2 4-Sep Surface and deep ocean circulation, ocean chemistry and productivity (slides) Ethan Grossman

6-Sep Proxies for paleoclimate and the paleochemistry of Earth’s past oceans and atmospheres (slides [1. EG | 2. DT]) Ethan Grossman, Debbie Thomas
3 11-Sep Productivity and metabolism  Tom Olszewski

13-Sep Lithosphere & tectonics/climate interaction (slides-pdf; pps, animation [DW])
 Dave Wiltschko
4 18-Sep Tectonics, paleogeography, and the closing of the Rheic Ocean (slides)
 Brent Miller

20-Sep Terrestrial biosphere and productivity Anne Raymond





2. Special Topics (7 weeks)

5 25-Sep Rates of tectonic processes (e.g., mountain-building, spreading rates) through the Phanerozoic: Have they varied? (slides) Brent B. Miller

27-Sep Precambrian atmospheres: When did the atmosphere become oxygenated? (slides) Rachel Olszewski (or Grossman?)
6 2-Oct The Cambrian explosion (slides) Josiah Olszewski

4-Oct Carbon and sulfur cycling in the Paleozoic: Implications for atmospheric O2 (C and S isotopes, box models) and The early Tertiary climate maximum: Do gas hydrates modulate climate? (Stella slides; Nanping slides) Stella and Nanping Grossman (or Thomas?)
7 9-Oct Frasnian-Fammenian extinction (slides) Meaghan Raymond

11-Oct Spread of land plants and erosion–The Devonian as a case study (slides) Rachel Raymond
8 16-Oct Atmospheric CO2 throughout the Phanerozoic (slides) Dan Grossman

18-Oct  Chemistry of Phanerozoic oceans: Calcite and aragonite seas (slides) Josiah Grossman
9 23-Oct GSA (no class)  

25-Oct GSA (no class)  
10 30-Oct Chemistry of Phanerozoic oceans: Link to extinctions and originations (slides) Stella Thomas

1-Nov The Permian-Triassic extinction (slides) Cory Olszewski
11 6-Nov The Permian-Triassic extinction (slides) Meaghan Raymond

8-Nov Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction  (Dan - slides; Cory - slides) Dan and Cory Grossman
12 13-Nov Continental weathering and cooling: The Tertiary example (Sr and osmium isotopes) (slides) Nanping Thomas

15-Nov Do erosion rates control tectonics?  (slides) Brent B. Wiltschko





3. Student project presentations (2 weeks)

13 20-Nov Class presentations (Meaghan - slides; Josiah - slides)


22-Nov No class

14 27-Nov Class presentations (Dan - slides; Rachel - slides)


29-Nov Class presentations (Cory - slides; Stella - slides)

15 4-Dec Class presentations (Nanping - slides; Brent - slides)