Lecture 1

Course Introductionand

Geology of the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture Outline

I Course IntroductionA) 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?

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 PlainE) Chesapeake Bay Bolide

i. Eventii. Influence

- Stratigraphy- Geomorphology- Groundwater- Modern Sea Level Changes

Lecture OutlinePhysical Geology

Physical Geology

Instructor Information

Stephen B ParsonsVBHEC 243C368-1745 (O)435-9951 (C)

sparsons at ocean.odu.edu

Office Hours: TCC - M,T1800-1900 VBHEC - M-W 1100-1200

R 1100-1200,1430-1530other times by appointment

GoalThis 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.

TextsPlummer,C.C., McGeary,D., and Carlson,D.H., 2005.Physical Geology,11th edition.

Carlson, R., Lyle, M, and Coble, J., 2003. Laboratory Manual for Physical Geology, 3rd edition

Class URL http://www.ocean.odu.edu/~spars001/geology_105/index.html

Physical Geology

Course Overview

October 9 Exam 1 Composition of the Earth

November 13 Exam 2 Historical Geology and Geomorphology

December 11 Exam 3 Earth Architecture and Geophysics

December 18 Comprehensive Final Exam

Physical Geology

Key Dates and Course Structure

Scale WeightsExams 1-3 36% of final gradeFinal Exam 34% of final gradeLaboratory 30% of final grade

AttendanceGrading

A B C

90 -100 80 - 89 70 - 79

Extra Credit OpportunitiesHonor CodeLaboratory

Physical Geology

Course Policies

WeightsMineral Quiz 2% of laboratory gradeRock Test 18% of laboratory gradeLab Test 2 20% of laboratory gradeLab Test 3 20% of laboratory gradeBeach Project 40% of laboratory grade

True/False

Multiple Choice

Short Answer

Physical Geology

Tests

Physical Geology

Test Example

Physical Geology

Test Example

Physical GeologyCourse Overview

Class URL and Web Resources

Physical GeologyCourse Overview

Class URL and Web Resources

Physical GeologyCourse Overview

Class URL and Web Resources

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

Physical Geology

Why Study Geology?

Physical Geology

The Geology of the Chesapeake Bay

Formation

Importance

Drainage Basin

Impact Crater

Formation of Chesapeake BayPhysical Geology

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

Physical Geology

Geography of the Chesapeake BayPhysical Geology

Geography of the Chesapeake Bay

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

Physical Geology

Geography of the Chesapeake BayDrainage Area:

165,800 km2

50% of H2O from Atlantic Ocean50% of H2O from freshwater sources

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

Physical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesPhysical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesThe Applachian Plateau

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

Physical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesRidge and Valley

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

Physical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesThe Blue Ridge

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

Physical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesThe Piedmont

gently rolling topographydeeply weathered bedrock composed of

igneous and metamorphic rocks, some from ancient volcanic island arcs

some rocks may have been formed outside North America

Triassic basins include– alluvial fan conglomerates– tropical lake and mudflat deposits

Triassic basins

Physical Geology

Physiographic ProvincesThe Coastal Plain

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

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolidePhysical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideEvent

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

Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

C.W.Poag

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideEffects

Stratigraphy

Subsidence

Geomorphology

Ground Water

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Stratigraphy

USGS

USGS

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Modern Relative Sea Level

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Geomorphology

Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

C.W.Poag

Physical Geology

Chesapeake Bay BolideInfluence on Groundwater

Michael Hall, Virginian-Pilot

USGS

Salt Water Wedge

Physical Geology