Lecture 1

Introduction

Overview of course

Basic content. Geomorphology, sedimentology and stratigraphy. That is, landforms, sediments and the study of sequences of sediments. Labs, lectures, and text.

Syllabus. On website and will update as necessary.

Overview of course

Lectures. We’ll cover modern surface environments, one by one. Coastal, aeolian, fluvial, volcanic, lacustrine, glacial, carbonate, shallow marine, deep marine

Exercises. ~ 6 exercises in lab run by Aron

Overview of course

Field trips. You will have materials to read and to report on

Student presentations. Week of and after Thanksgiving

Text. Prothero and Schwab (2nd edition). Simple book. Auxiliary reading, I will not lecture from the book. In some case, e.g. Sumatra, I will cover only one eclectic aspect of a topic, so the book will give you a broader overview.

Field trip. 1-day to San Onofre beach on October 16th. 3-day to Mammoth-Mono Basin on Nov 3-5. We will give you a list of materials to bring and a choice of papers to prepare.

A microatoll “graveyard” in the intertidal zone

Influences on sedimentation and landforms

•Climate

•Weathering and erosion

• Tectonics

Influences on sedimentation and landforms

•Climate

•Weathering and erosion

•Sea-level change

• Tectonics

Influences on sedimentation and landforms

•Climate

•Weathering and erosion

•Sea-level change

• Tectonics

The concept of “facies”

A body of rock or sediment with specific characteristics

intertidal swamp beach back-beach swamp

The facies in horizontal arrangement