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Course Descriptions

Introductory Courses

CAS ES 101 The Dynamic Earth: Introduction to the dynamic Earth, including plate tectonics, earthquake hazards and volcanic hazards, mountain-building processes; igneous, and metamorphic processes; surface processes, erosion, soil, and sediment formation; and hydrogeology. Interactions among the litho-spheric, hydrospheric, atmospheric, and biospheric systems are emphasized. Three hours lecture, two hours lab, including field trips. Marchant or Plank. 4 cr, 1st sem. (NS) (lab)
CAS ES 105 Environmental Earth Sciences: Geological processes in environmental science; groundwater quantity and quality; geological resource supply and recovery; earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural hazards; landforms, climate, desertification, glaciation, and ocean circulation patterns. Three hours lecture, two hours lab, including field trips. Fagherazzi or Kurtz. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (NS) (lab)
CAS ES 140 Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and other Natural Disasters: Explores the large natural events that affect us; examines their geologic causes, as well as their natural and human consequences. Topics include earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, impacts of extraterrestrial objects, and other near-surface disasters, with an emphasis on destructive solid-earth phenomena. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem. (NS)
CAS ES 142 Introduction to Beach and Shoreline Processes: Coastal processes including tidal currents, wave action, longshore transport, and estuarine circulation; barrier island and spit formation; study of beaches, dunes, and marshes; effects of tectonics, glaciers, and rivers on beaches and coastal morphology. Cape Cod field trip. FitzGerald. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (NS)
CAS ES 144 Oceanography: Examines the physical, chemical, and biological processes by which the oceans serve as an agent to accelerate or moderate the pace of global change. Dynamic nature of the oceans on both a short- and a long-term scale is emphasized. Murray. 4 cr, 1st sem. (NS)

Earth Sciences Curriculum

CAS ES 220 Earth's Geological Resources: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or GG 104 or consent of instructor. Origin of nonrenewable resources, their occurrence, extraction, and recovery: petroleum, coal, and gas; minerals, rock, and metals. Geological limitations to renewable resources: wind, solar, geothermal, and tidal energy; groundwater; soils. Includes discussion of public policy. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 222 Mineralogy: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 302; CAS CH 101 or 161. Introduction to crystal symmetry; physical and chemical properties of minerals; examination and identification of important mineral groups. Three hours lecture, four hours lab. Baxter. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 301 Structural Analysis of Rocks: Prereq: CAS ES 302; ES 222 recommended. Deformation of rocks and minerals, stress, strain; kinetic and dynamic analysis of folds, faults, joints, rock fabrics; regional settings of rock structures; interpretation of geological maps. Three hours lecture, three hours lab, and occasional field trips. Faul. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 302 History of the Earth: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or CAS ES 105 or CAS ES 140 or CAS ES 142 or CAS ES 144 or CAS GG 104 or consent of instructor. Introduction to earth history; origin of the earth and solar system; origin and evolution of life; mass extinctions; interpretation of the geological record of earth history; measurement of geological time; plate tectonics and the formation of mountains, continents, and ocean basins. Three hours lecture, two hours lab, with occasional field trips. Baxter. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 317 Introduction to Hydrology: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or GG 104; CAS MA 121, 123, or 127 or consent of instructor. Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Salvucci. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 331 Sedimentology: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or 202 or GG 104, or consent of instructor. Properties and classification of clastic and carbonate sediments and sedimentary rock; processes that form, transport, and deposit sediments; environments of deposition; diagenesis; methods of analysis. Three hours lecture, three hours lab, and occasional field trips. FitzGerald. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 333 Earth Surface Processes: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 202 or GG 104. Evolution of Earth's landscapes. Topics include weathering rates, soil development, mass-movements and slope stability, desert geomorphology, tectonic landforms, and the effects of climate change in landform development. Three hours lecture, two hours lab. Marchant. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 351 Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanography: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or 202 or GG 104. CAS GG 101 recommended. Examines causes and effects of climate change throughout Earth's history. Topics include ice age climates and glaciations; oceanic history; linkages between Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets; tectonic effects; ice-core, coral, and marine sediment records; El Niño, terrestrial extinctions. Kurtz. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 360 Geodynamics I: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or 202 or GG 104; PY 211 or 241 or 251 coreg. Introduces basic physical principles of Earth's structure and dynamics. Driving mechanisms and plate motion; reflection, refraction seismology, magnetism, gravity and the Geoid, heat flow, tomography, mantle convection. Oceanic and continental lithosphere in active tectonic regions. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 371 Introduction to Geochemistry: Prereq: CAS ES 101 or 105 or 140 or 142 or 144 or 202 or GG 104; and CAS CH 101. Chemical features of Earth and the solar system; geochemical cycles, reactions among solids, liquids, and gases; radioactivity and isotope fractionation; water chemistry; origins of ore deposits; applications of geochemistry to regional and global problems. Plank. 4 cr, 1st sem.

Courses Primarily for Upper-Level Undergraduates

CAS ES 401, 402 Senior Independent Work: Prereq: approval of the Honors Committee. 4 cr, 1st and 2nd sem.
CAS ES 411 Glacial and Pleistocene Geology: Not offered 2003/2004
GRS ES 423 Marine Biogeochemistry: Prereq: CAS CH 101 and 102, BUMP semester or CAS ES 144, or consent of instructor. Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, and oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. (Offered alternate years.) Murray. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 424 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology: Prereq: CAS ES 222. Recognition and interpretation of common igneous and metamorphic rocks, both in hand sample and in thin section; the relationships between rocks and the tectonic environments in which they formed. Three hours lecture, three hours lab, and occasional field trips. Plank. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 440 Marine Geology: Prereq: CAS ES 202 and consent of instructor. Examines the evolution of ocean basins and marginal seas, changes in structure and composition of ocean basin throughout the last billion years and the contribution of oceanic geological processes to the chemistry and biochemistry of earth. (Offered alternate years.) Murray. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 443 Terrestrial Biogeochemistry: Prereq: CAS BI 107 or CAS ES 101 or CAS ES 105 and CH 101/102, or consent of instructor. The patterns and processes controlling carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include net primary production, nutrient use efficiency, and biogeochemical transformation. Meets with CAS BI 443/643. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 483 Geodynamics II: Fluids and Fluid Transport: Prereq: CAS MA 124 or 127 or 129 and CAS PY 211 and CAS ES 360 or consent of instructor. Large- and small-scale phenomena in oceanic, atmospheric, and landsurface fluids. Properties of gases and liquids; surface body forces; statics; flow analysis; continuity and momentum conservation. Darcy's Law; potential, open channel, and geostrophic flow; dimensional analysis; diffusion, turbulence. (Offered alternate years.) Salvucci. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 491, 492 Directed Study in Earth Sciences: Prereq: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and approval of CAS Room 105. Individual instruction and directed research of a selected topic. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

Courses Offered Through Boston University Marine Program (BUMP)

CAS ES 452 Experimental Analysis of Marine Symbiosis: Organism-Sediment Relationships: Prereq: consent of instructor. Biogenic processes that influence physical-chemical properties of sediment, and sedimentary and seafloor processes that influence the distribution, functional morphology, and population dynamics of benthic organisms are studied in the field and laboratory. Field trip to Paleozoic analogues. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 455 Principles of Marine Pollution: Prereq: consent of instructor. Starts with the first principles of chemistry and biology that govern the fate and effects of contaminants in the marine environment. Provides an understanding of the underlying processes in evaluating marine pollution issues. Time spent working with computer models that attempt to predict the fate of pollutants. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 481 Geological Record of Global Change: Prereq: WHMS core and CAS ES 202; ES 452 recommended. Examination of the geologic record to deduce the history that provides a baseline against which the present changes in biodiversity, extinction, and changing global climate can be evaluated. Field trips to sites throughout New England to examine the changing marine communities and climate. Taught at Woods Hole. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

Courses for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

CAS ES 500 Field Geology: Prereq: junior standing, CAS ES 101 or 105 or GG 104, and ES 202; or consent of instructor. ES 222, 301, and 424 recommended. Scientific observation, interpretation, and solution of geological problems in the field through application of field mapping techniques. Includes recognition of rock types and structures as well as metamorphic effects of tectonic events, map making methods, and report preparation. 8 cr, Summer I.
CAS ES 503 Structural Petrology: Prereq: CAS ES 301, and ES 424 or 222, or consent of instructor. Structural analysis of deformed rocks in thin section. Deformation mechanisms at the crystal lattice and grain scale. Interpretation of tectonic deformation processes and pressure-temperature conditions based on preserved microstructure and metamorphic mineral growth. (Offered alternate years.) Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 505 Plate Tectonics and Kinematics: Prereq: junior standing and CAS ES 101 or 105; ES 360; CAS MA 123, 124 or MA 127 or MA 129. Structure and geometry of lithospheric plates and plate boundaries; mechanisms of divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries; orthogonal and oblique subduction; triple junctions; mantle plumes, nature and origin of large igneous provinces and sedimentary basin, Phanerozoic orogenic belts. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS ES511 Groundwater Hydrogeology: Prereq: CAS ES 331 and ES 317 or graudate standing. The hydrologic cycle; porosity and permeability of aquifers, aquifer testing; groundwater flow and flownets and boundary conditions; water pollution. Two hourse lab, occasional field trips. Staff. 4cr, 2nd Sem.
CAS ES ES 514 Dynamic Landsurface Hydrology: Prereq: CAS MA 121 or 123 or 127 and one course from CAS CH 101, 111, 131, 161, 171, or CAS PY 105, 211, 233, 251. Land surface hudrology with emphasis on theunsaturated zone. Development and applications of physics governing transport of water, vapor, and heat in soils and the near surface atmosphere. Effects of vegetation, topography, and water talb e on runoff, evapotranspiration and recharge. (Offered alternate years.) Salvucci. 4 cr. 1st sem.
CAS ES 533 Quantitative Geomorphology: Prereq: CAS ES 317 or CAS ES 331 or CAS ES 333, and CAS MA 124. Quantitative analyses of surface processes that lead to landform evolution and landscape change. Emphasizes study of analytical techniques in understanding specific depositional and erosional processes; models of global landscape change; tectonic and climatic geomorphology. (Offered alternate years.) Fagherazzi. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 534 Ice-Age Systems: Prereq: CAS ES 333 or 351 or consent of instructor. Cenozoic climate change and development of Earth's ice sheets; distribution and stratigraphy of glacial deposits; ice-ocean atmosphere interactions and feedback mechanisms; geomorphic and glaciologic models for ice-sheet reconstructions; numerical models of ice-sheet growth and decay. (Offered alternate years.) Marchant. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 541 Coastal Processes: Prereq: CAS ES 331 or consent of instructor. Shorelines as functions of tidal and wave energy; onshore, offshore, and alongshore sediment transport from theoretical and empirical viewpoints; barrier island, backbarrier and tidal inlet morphology and processes; wave dynamics; tides. Two hours lecture, three hours lab/fieldwork. FitzGerald. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 561 Mechanics of Earthquakes: Prereq: CAS ES 360 and PY 211/212 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Explores current understanding of many aspects of earthquake phenomena, including where and when earthquakes occur, how an earthquake begins, and the likelihood of reliable earthquake prediction. Multidisciplinary techniques used to study earthquakes are introduced, including geologic, geodetic, and seismological methods. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 571 Geochemical Modeling: Prereq: CAS ES 222, CAS ES 371, CAS CH 102, and CAS MA 124 or consent of instructor. Quantitative techniques used to interpret chemical variations in earth materials. Principles of chemical equilibrium, mass transport, and kinetics applied to aqueous, igneous, and metamorphic systems. Focus on geological processes of melting, crystallization, mixing, reaction, weathering, and diagenesis. (Offered alternate years.) Baxter, Kurtz, Plank. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 573 Analytical Methods in Geochemistry: Prereq: CAS ES 371 and CAS ES 222, or ES 331, or CAS CH 102. Introduces students to quantitative analytical techniques used in geology, including x-ray, optical emission, mass spectrometric, and neutron activation methods. Examples are drawn from igneous and sedimentary systems. Emphasizes criteria for selecting and using techniques appropriate to specific geologic problems. Three hours lecture, two hours lab. (Offered alternate years.) Kurtz, Murray, Plank. 4 cr, 1st sem.
CAS ES 576 Aquatic Geochemistry: Prereq: CAS CH 101 or CAS CH 171 and CAS ES 371, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Fundamentals of water chemistry as applied to the evolution of surface, soil, and ground waters. Emphasis is on chemical equilibrium and kinetics, pH as a master variable, carbonate chemistry, mineral solubility, aqueous complexes, ion exchange, redox, and weathering reactions. Kurtz. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 581 Solid Earth Geophysics: Prereq: CAS ES 360; PY 211, 212, or 241, 242 or 251, 252; MA 123, 124 or 127 or 129. Explores the methods and results of geophysical exploration into the solid earth. Topics include crustal and whole-earth seismology, the Earth's gravitational and magnetic fields, earthquake source phenomena, and structure of the planet. Abers. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
CAS ES 587, 588 Seminar in Earth Sciences: Prereq: junior standing, CAS ES 101 or 105, and consent of instructor. Discussion of current topics in earth sciences with assigned readings and lecture seminars. Staff. 2 cr, either sem.
GRS ES 611 Glacial and Pleistocene Geology: Prereq: CAS ES 331. Interpretation of erosional and depositional features of glaciers; survey of Pleistocene deposits of North America and Europe. Surficial map and sedimentary texture projects; literature and map review and a major paper are required for graduate credit. Three hours lecture, occasional field trips. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 623 Marine Biogeochemistry: Prereq: CAS CH 101 and 102, BUMP semester or CAS ES 144, or consent of instructor. Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, and oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. (Offered alternate years.) Murray. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
GRS ES 640 Marine Geology: Prereq: CAS ES 202 and consent of instructor. Examines the evolution of ocean basins and marginal seas, changes in structure and composition of ocean basins throughout the last one billion years, and the contribution of oceanic geological processes to the chemistry and biochemistry of the earth. (Offered alternate years.) Murray. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
GRS ES 652 Experimental Analysis of Marine Symbiosis: Organism-Sediment Relationships: Prereq: consent of instructor. Biogenic processes that influence physical-chemical properties of sediment, and sedimentary and seafloor processes that influence the distribution, functional morphology, and population dynamics of benthic organisms are studied in the field and laboratory. Field trip to Paleozoic analogues. Taught at Woods Hole. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 681 Geological Record of Global Change: Prereq: WHMS Core and CAS ES 202; ES 452 recommended. Examination of the geologic record to deduce the history that provides a baseline against which present changes in biodiversity, extinction, and changing global climate can be evaluated. Field trips to sites throughout New England and examination of the changing marine communities and climate. Taught at Woods Hole. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 683 Geodynamics II: Fluids and Fluid Transport: Prereq: CAS MA 124 or 127 or 129 and CAS PY 211 and CAS ES 360 or consent of instructor. Large-and small-scale phenomena in oceanic, atmospheric, and landsurface fluids. Properties of gases and liquids; surface body forces; statics; flow analysis; continuity and momentum conservation. Darcy's Law; potential, open-channel, and geostrophic flow; dimensional analysis; diffusion, turbulence. (Offered alternate years.) Salvucci. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

Cooperative Program with Boston College

This cooperative program permits degree candidates at Boston University to pursue courses in areas of fluid mechanics and geophysics at Boston College. Cross- registration is designated by the symbols XAS (for undergraduate students) and XRG (for graduate students).

Graduate Courses

GRS ES 699 Teaching College Earth Sciences: General teaching-learning issues. Required of all teaching fellows. TBA. 1st and 2nd sem.
GRS ES 711 Fluvial Geomorphology: Prereq: CAS ES 431, 512. Quantitative field and lab studies of fluvial processes in geomorphology. Three hours lecture, two hours lab. (Offered alternate years.) Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 712 Laboratory and Field Hydrogeology: Prereq: CAS ES 511 or ES 512. Laboratory and field studies in hydrology emphasizing problems in ground water and pollution. Four hours lab and fieldwork. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
GRS ES 714 Advanced Groundwater Hydrogeology: Prereq: CAS ES 511, consent of instructor, and fieldwork experience in hydrogeology. Quantitative aspects of groundwater hydrogeology with emphasis on problem solving; development of the equations governing the flow of water in aquifers; identification and appropriate initial and boundary conditions and methods of solution; and groundwater monitoring and field techniques. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
GRS ES 732 Geology of continental margins: Prereq: graduate standing and CAS ES 303 and ES 333 or 331, or consent of instructor. Tectonic and sedimentologic processes at continental margins as revealed by stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and geophysical data. Sequence stratigraphy; magnetic, gravity, and thermal anomalies; facies analysis; distribution of hydrocarbons and economic mineral deposits. (Offered alternate years.) FitzGerald, Marchant. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 733 Advanced desert geomorphology: Prereq: graduate standing and CAS ES 333 and 533, or consent of instructor. Landscape evolution in arid, semi-arid, and hyper-arid regions; chemistry of desert soils, calcretes, and silcretes; morphometry of fluvial and aeolian systems; physics of particle transport in transverse, linear, and complex dunes; climatic indices and desert sensitivity. (Offered alternate years.) Marchant. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 742 Barrier Island and Tidal Inlet Dynamics: Prereq: CAS ES 541 or ES 640. Barrier formation, environments, and stratigraphy; dynamics of shoreface retreat and Holocene transgression; tidal inlet morphology; mechanics of inlet migration and spit breaching; inlet hydraulics, tidal component analysis, backbarrier hypsometry, and filling characteristics; tidal bedforms, inlet fill, and tidal delta stratigraphy. (Offered alternate years.) FitzGerald. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 751 Advanced Paleoceanography: This course is an advanced treatment of the oceanographic processes and data sets involved in the science of paleoceanography. After a brief refresher on oceanic circulation, we will begin by studying the theory and overlying assumptions of Milankovitch - driven climate variability; the techniques of spectral, cross-spectral, and bi-spectral analyses; and also compare oceanic and terrestrial d18O records. Following this, we will sequentially investigate the paleoceanographic evolution of several critical regions of the global ocean. The order of these site survey investigations is intentionally selected to emphasize the inter-relationships between the ocean basins. At the end of the semester, we will then back-off from the basin-specific studies and consider certain issues from the global perspective. Murray.
GRS ES 762 Nonmarine Terrigenous Clastic Deposits and Processes: Prereq: CAS ES 331 or ES 500. Discussion of deposits of nonmarine environments. Eolian deposits and sand dune dynamics, braided and meandering fluvial systems, humid alluvial fans, lacustrine sedimentation, deserts and sabkhas, glacial depositional systems, permafrost, volcaniclastics, and catastrophic processes and deposits. FitzGerald. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 771 Isotope Earth Science: Prereq: Graduate standing and CAS CH 111/112 or equivalent and CAS ES 571 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry; isotope geology of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, and sulphur; applications of isotope systematics to geochemical problems in hydrology, ocean biogeochemistry, and crustal gensis. (Offered alternate years.) Baxter. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 781 Seismology: Prereq: ES 360 or 660, MA 225, PY 211, 212, 408 or equivalent. Methods and theoretical underpinnings of seismology, including elastic wave propagation, ray theory, reflection refraction and transmission, surface waves, earth structure, seismic sources, and review of modern analysis techniques. Abers. 4 cr.
GRS ES 783 Climate-Tectonic Linkages: Prereq: CAS ES 405 and ES 533, or consent of instructor. Linkages between tectonic and climatic evolution of Earth. Evolution of atmosphere and ocean; Paleozoic carbon dioxide; Antarctic glaciations; ice-sheet topographic influences on oceanic and atmospheric circulation; Cenozoic volcanism and glaciation; climate change along active and passive margins; Himalayan arogeny. (Offered alternate years.) Murray, Marchant. 4 cr, 1st sem.
GRS ES 830 Advanced Topics in Surface Processes: Marchant
GRS ES 831 Advanced Topics in Tectonics: Faul
GRS ES 832 Advanced Topics in Paleoclimatology: Murray
GRS ES 833 Advanced Topics in Seismology and Geophysics: Abercrombie
GRS ES 834 Advanced Topics in Geochemical Cycles: Kurtz
GRS ES 835 Advanced Topics in Marine Geosciences: Murray
GRS ES 836 Advanced Topics in Igneous and Metamorphic Geology: Plank

Directed Study or Research Courses

Hours arranged. Variable credit.

GRS ES 911, 912 Geomorphology and Hydrogeology: Caldwell, FitzGerald, Marchant, Salvucci
GRS ES 913, 914 Environmental and Urban Geology: Staff
GRS ES 921, 922 Crystallography and Mineralogy: Baxter
GRS ES 925, 926 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology: Plank
GRS ES 927, 928 Structure and Tectonics: Abers, Plank
GRS ES 931, 932 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy: FitzGerald, Marchant
GRS ES 941, 942 Coastal and Marine Geology: FitzGerald, Murray
GRS ES 971, 972 Geochemistry: Murray, Plank