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Department of Earth and Environmental Science
Douglas J Jerolmack
GEOL305/545: Earth Surface Processes
Taught each Spring semester
Patterns
on the Earth’s surface arise due to the transport of sediment by water
and wind, with energy that is supplied by climate and tectonic
deformation of the solid Earth. This course presents a treatment of the
processes of erosion and deposition that shape landscapes. Emphasis
will be placed on using simple physical principles as a tool for (a)
understanding landscape patterns including drainage networks, river
channels and deltas, desert dunes, and submarine channels, (b)
reconstructing past environmental conditions using the sedimentary
record, and (c) the management of rivers and landscapes under present
and future climate scenarios. The course will conclude with a critical
assessment of landscape evolution on other planets, including Mars.
This course includes two required field trips and a hands-on laboratory
component.
Prerequisite
is one of the following: (1) ENVS 200,
(2) GEOL 100, or (3) permission of instructor (generally, some type of
quantitative background will be sufficient). Fulfills the Physical
World requirement.
The graduate section (545) requires additional project work focusing on quantitative aspects of the course.
Contact Douglas Jerolmack (sediment@sas.upenn.edu) with any questions.
This course includes an OPTIONAL FIELD TRIP OVER SPRING BREAK. Images below are from a recent GEOL305 trip to White Sands.
Left:
Digging a ground water observation well. Center: Pedestal dune created
by a plant binding sediment. Right: Trenching dune stratigraphy.
GEOL542: Advanced topics in Earth Surface Science: Numerical methods and applications
Typically taught in Fall
This
graduate level course introduces numerical techniques for analyzing
data and formulating models in Earth Science. Students are introduced
to Octave, a high level computer programming language (equivalent to
Matlab, but free of cost) that allows data analysis and manipulation,
sophisticated plotting and numerical modeling from the same interface.
Data analysis focuses on time series, pattern recognition,
image/topography analysis, and correlation statistics;
modeling includes groundwater and surface water flow, random
processes, diffusion, and erosion and deposition. This is a
seminar-style course where discussion is encouraged, and additional
topics may be covered depending on student interest. Through
project-based learning exercises students gain proficiency in Octave
which is useful for all aspects of Earth science.
Prerequisites: None for graduate students. Undergraduates must get permission of instructor.
Contact Douglas Jerolmack (sediment@sas.upenn.edu) with any questions.
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Department of Earth and Environmental Science
University of Pennsylvania, 254-b Hayden Hall, 240 South 33rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316
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