EENS 212

 Spring Semester 2009
Revised 15 Jan, 2009

Petrology
Instructor: Stephen A. Nelson

Room 208 Blessey Hall
email: snelson@tulane.edu  Office Hours - MWF 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Laboratory Instructor: Erika Gonzalez email: egcaver@tulane.edu

I.  COURSE GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Since Rocks are the basic building blocks of the Earth, this course is designed to give the student a fundamental background in rocks, necessary to understand the Earth.  The student will learn the  principles behind rock forming processes and will learn to examine rocks in hand specimen and thin section, both as a means of identifying and describing the rocks and as a means of extracting clues to formulate hypotheses about how the rocks formed in nature. 

II. TEXTBOOKS

Required Textbooks:

  • Petrology - Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic, 3rd Ed. by Blatt, Tracy, & Owens (BTO)

  • An Introduction to the Rock Forming Minerals, 2nd Ed., by Deer, Howie & Zussman (DHZ)

    •

    Supplementary Textbook:

  • Petrography, 2nd Edition by H. Williams, F.J. Turner, and C.M. Gilbert: (WTG)
     

    •
    III. COURSE GRADING

    The course grade will be determined on the basis of the number of points scored out of a possible 1000 points. These points will be apportioned as follows:  
    Homework and Labs 15% Lab Midterm 15%
    Lecture Midterm 20% Lab Final 20%
    Lecture Final 25% Field Trip Participation 5%
    Field Trip: The Field Trip is scheduled for April 17-20 (Thursday through Sunday). Make plans now so you won't have any excuses for not attending. (No excuses will be accepted.)
     
    IV.  WEB PAGE

    A Web site has been developed for this course.  It  includes course materials, including a copy of this syllabus, lecture notes, announcements from the instructor, and Internet links.  The site can be found on the internet at: http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens212/

    Be sure to check this web page regularly throughout the course for important announcements and updates.


    V. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND LABS

    Date

    Topic

    Readings
    Jan 13 Lecture: Textures & Structures of Igneous Rocks BTO  Intro &
    Chapters 1 & 2
    Lab I: Textures of Igneous Rocks in Hand Specimen BTO Chapter 2
    Jan 15 Lecture: Textures & Structures of Igneous Rocks &
    General Classification of Igneous Rocks    		 BTO Chapter 3
    Lab II: Textures of Igneous Rocks in Thin Section BTO Chapter 2
    WTG p. 53-67
    Jan 20 Lecture: Simple 1 & 2 Component Phase Diagrams BTO Chapter 4
    Lab III: Calculation of Norm & Classification of Igneous Rocks Handout
    Jan 22 Lecture: Ternary Phase Diagrams BTO Chapter 4
    Lab IV: Minerals in Igneous Rocks BTO Chapter 2
    Jan 27 Lecture: Ternary Phase Diagrams (cont.) BTO Chapter 4
    Lab V: Ternary Phase Diagrams Handout
    Jan 29 Lecture: The Interior of Earth and Formation of Magmas BTO Chapter 5
    BTO Chapter 7
    Lab V: Ternary Phase Diagrams (Cont.) Handout
    Feb 3 Lecture: Magmatic Differentiation BTO Chapter 6
    BTO Chapter 5
    Lab VI: Basalts & Gabbros in Hand Specimen & Thin Section WTG p. 94-135
    Feb 5 Lecture: Magmatic Differentiation BTO Chapter 6
    Lab VII: Variation Diagrams in Petrology Handout
    Feb 10 Lecture: Igneous Rocks of the Oceanic Lithosphere BTO Chapter 8
    Lab VIII: Andesites & Diorites in Hand Specimen & Thin Section WTG p. 137-158
    Feb 12 Lecture: Igneous Rocks of the Oceanic Lithosphere BTO Chapter 8
    Lab IX: Trace Elements in Igneous Processes Handout
    Feb 17 Lecture: Igneous Rocks of Convergent Margins BTO Chapter 9
    Lab X: Siliceous Rocks in Hand Specimen & Thin Section WTG p.159-192
    Feb 19 Lecture: Igneous Rocks of Convergent Margins (cont.) and Igneous Rocks of the Continental Lithosphere BTO Chapter 9
    BTO Chapter 10
    Lab XI: Projected Phase Diagrams Handout
    Feb 24 MARDI GRAS  
    Feb 26 Lecture: Igneous Rocks of the Continental Lithosphere (cont.) BTO Chapter 10
    Lab XII: Ultrabasic & Alkaline Rocks in Hand Specimen & Thin Section WTG p. 193-258
    Mar 3 Lecture: Pyroclastic Rocks Lecture Notes
    Lab XIII: Isotopes in Igneous Processes Handout
    Mar 5 Lecture:  Types of Metamorphism BTO Chapter 18
    Lab XIV: Pyroclastic Rocks WTG p.260-274
    Mar 10 LECTURE MIDTERM  
    No Lab  
    Mar 12 Lecture: Metamorphic Rock Textures BTO Chapter18
    Lab - LABORATORY MIDTERM EXAM  
    Mar 17 Lecture:  Triangular Plots in Metamorphic Petrology BTO Chapter 20
    Lab: XV: Metamorphic Minerals & Textures WTG p. 438-453
    Mar 19 Lecture: Metamorphic Mineral Assemblages BTO Chapter 20
    Lab XVI: Triangular Plots in Metamorphic Petrology  
    Mar 24, 26 Spring Break  
    Mar 31 Lecture: Metamorphic Mineral Assemblages & Thermodynamics & Metamorphic Reactions BTO Chapter 19
    BTO Chapter 21
    Lab XVI: Triangular Plots in Metamorphic Petrology (cont.) BTO Chapter 20
    Apr 2 Lecture:  Thermodynamics & Metamorphic Reactions & Geology of Field Trip Area

    Handout

    Lecture Notes

    Lab XVII: Thermodynamics and Metamorphic Reactions Lecture Notes
    Apr 4-7 Field Trip to Southern Appalachians Handout
    Apr 9 Lecture: Contact Metamorphism BTO Chapter 21
    Lab XVIII: Contact Metamorphic Rocks in Hand Specimen and Thin Section WTG p. 476-499
    Apr 14 Lecture: Metamorphic Reactions BTO Chapter 20
    Lab XIX: Low - Medium Grade Metamorphic Rocks in Hand Spec. WTG p. 514-546
    Apr 16 Lecture: Metamorphic Reactions BTO Chapter 20
    Lab XX: Low to Medium Grade Metamorphic Rocks in Thin Section WTG p. 514-546
    Apr 21 Lecture: Regional Metamorphism BTO Ch 22, 23, 24
    Lab XXI: High Grade Metamorphic Rocks in Hand Specimen WTG p. 547-571
    Apr 23 Lecture: Regional Metamorphism BTO Ch 22, 23, 24
    Lab XXII:  High Grade Metamorphic Rocks in Thin Section WTG p. 547-571
    Apr 28 Lecture: Radiometric Age Dating of Igneous & Metamorphic Rocks Lecture Notes
    Lab XXIII: Radiometric Age Dating of Igneous & Metamorphic Rocks Handout
    May 5 LAB FINAL EXAMINATION 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M
    May 8 LECTURE FINAL EXAMINATION 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M

    Learning Outcomes for this Course

    1. The student will gain an understanding of the processes responsible for forming igneous and metamorphic rocks.

    2. The student will gain an understanding of how the chemical composition, structure and texture of rocks can be used to interpret past geologic processes and the geologic history of the earth.

    3. The student will be able to identify igneous and metamorphic rocks in hand specimen and thin section.

    4. The student will learn how to manipulate chemical data using computer programs and spreadsheets.

    This course contributes to satisfiying or partially satisfying the learning outcomes for the undergraduate program in Geology as those marked by bold-face type below.

    We expect our graduates with a major in Geology to demonstrate that they have the ability to

    1. solve a wide variety of scientific problems.

    2. analyze and interpret scientific data.

    3. communicate effectively through written work and presentations

    4. explain the effects of geological processes in a societal context in terms of mineral and energy resources, geological hazards, and environmental change.

    5. participate in the public discussion of geoscience issues, including discussion of scientific findings and data.

    6. identify and interpret the origin of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and minerals in both hand specimen and thin section.

    7. use and interpret geologic maps in cross-sections in terms of the geologic and tectonic history of any region.

    8. construct a geologic map based on field studies.

    9. be conversant with fossils in their sedimentary settings and understand mode and tempo of their evolutionary changes.

     

    Obtain a PDF version of this Syllabus

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