Earth Sciences

• GRS ES 623: Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
  Nutrient and biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems; global biogeochemistry. Topics include anthropogenic effects on ecosystem cycles and productivity, wetland ecology and biogeochemistry, ecosystem restoration, ocean productivity, climate change and temperate, tropical, and aquatic ecosystems, oceans and the global CO2 budget, marine sediment chemistry. (Offered alternate years.)
• GRS ES 640: Marine Geology
  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.
• GRS ES 643: Terrestrial Biogeochemistry
  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 GRS BI 643.
• GRS ES 660: Geodynamics I
  (Meets with CAS ES 360.) 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.
• GRS ES 671: Geochemistry
  (Meets with CAS ES 371.) 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.
• GRS ES 683: Geodynamics II Fluids and Fluid Transport
  Large- and small-scale phenomena in oceanic, atmospheric, and land-surface 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.
• GRS ES 699: Teaching College Earth Sciences I
  The goals, contents, and methods of instruction in earth sciences. General teaching-learning issues. Required of all teaching fellows.
• GRS ES 701: Quantitative Methods for Earth Sciences 1: Mechanics of Earth Materials
  Characterization of the response of complex natural systems to forcing, using the methods of continuum mechanics. Applications include magma migration, the propagation of seismic waves, glacial flow, oceanic thermohaline circulation, and thermochemical convection in the Earth's mantle.
• GRS ES 702: Quantitative Methods for Earth Sciences II: Analysis and Modeling of Geologic Processes
  Quantitative techniques for deriving models of geologic processes from physical measurements. Applications include marine sediment composition, soil response to solar heating, seismic-wave propagation in the mantle, estuarine water quality, glacial and interglacial cycles, and olivine deformation.
• GRS ES 742: Coastal Dynamics
  Barrier formation, environments, and stratigraphy; dynamics of shoreface retreat and Holocene transgression; tidal inlet morphology; mechanics of inlet migration and spit breaching; inlet hydraulics, todal component analysis, backbarrier hypsometry, and filling characteristics; tidal bedforms, inlet fill, and tidal delta stratigraphy. (Offered alernate years.)
• GRS ES 762: Nonmarine Terrigenous Clastic Deposits and Processes
  Discussion of deposits in 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.
• GRS ES 771: Isotope Earth Science
  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 genesis. (Offered alternate years.)
• GRS ES 781: Methods of Seismology
  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.
• GRS ES 830: Advanced Topics in Surface Processes
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in surface processes.
• GRS ES 831: Advanced Topics in Tectonics
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in tectonics.
• GRS ES 833: Advanced Topics in Seismology and Geophysics
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in seismology and geophysics.
• GRS ES 834: Advanced Topics in Geochemical Cycles
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in geochemical cycles.
• GRS ES 835: Advanced Topics in Marine Geosciences
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in marine geosciences.
• GRS ES 836: Advanced Topics in Igneous and Metamorphic Geology
  Develops skills in critical scientific thinking through readings and discussions of classic and current literature in igneous and metamorphic geology.
• GRS ES 911: Geomorphology and Hydrogeology
  

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