Professor: David Foster, dafoster@ufl.edu
Office
hours, M, W 1:50-2:50 PM, Williamson Hall 366
TA
Helper: Aldo Rincon <arincon@ufl.edu>
Office
hours: T 1-3 PM, Williamson Hall 271
Lecture: M,
W, F period 6 (12:50-1:40 PM), WH 202
Purpose
This
course provides an overview of the geology of select American National Parks
and adjacent regions in the context of geodynamic and geomorphologic processes.
The National Parks display dramatic landscapes and geological features in
nearly every of plate tectonic setting. We will use the geology of the Parks to
better understand the materials the make up the earthÕs crust and the processes
involved in forming and modifying landscapes in the surface environment. The
geology of the National Parks will be related to cultural aspects and
environmental issues. We will also study geological hazards including volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides that pertain to the various parks and
adjacent regions.
Texts
(recommended):
Geology of
National Parks, 6th edition, by Ann G. Harris, Esther Tuttle and
Sherwood Tuttle
Kendal/Hunt Publishing 2004
Parks and Plates;
The Geology of Our National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores, by Robert J.
Lillie
WW
Norton, 2005
Assessment
Three
exams worth 25 points each
Homework
assignments worth a total of 25 points
Percent
grade based on the total of 100 points from the exams and homework
Normal UF percentage scale for
letter grades applies (see http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/regulationgrades.html)
Exams
will be based on material presented in the lectures and associated material
from the homework.
Not
all of the material covered in class is in the text(s) or on line so that
attendance in lecture is essential.
Web
page: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/dafoster/courses/
The
course web page includes a schedule of lectures and exams along with lecture notes. Schedule changes and announcements will
be posted on the web page so you will need to check it regularly. I will provide lecture notes in outline
form that should make taking notes in class easier and serve as an outline for
review before exams. These notes
will not be complete so do not use them as a replacement for attending
class.
Students
requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of
Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the
student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when
requesting accommodation.
Honor
code (see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/honorcodes/honorcode.php)
violations will not be tolerated and will be reported.
US
Geological Survey – National Park service Geology in the Parks site contains
an overview of basic geologic concepts and park geology
National Park web site
with overviews of park geology and tectonics
Tectonics review, tectonic
setting of parks
Web site with good review of tectonic
concepts.
Web site with tectonic settings
of national parks.
Model of plate
reconstructions through time
For an excellent summary of Grand Canyon geology on the NPS web site click here,
and here too.
*Homework 1 (5 pts.)– Short question sheet to
accompany the Grand Canyon DVD–Due Sept. 7.
**HOMEWORK 2 – Listed on last slide of Grand Canyon
notes - DUE Sept. 21
The GSA today paper was published in 2008 (GSA
Today, v. 18, no. 8, doi: 10.1130/GSATG12A.1)
Zion National Park Zion stratigraphy
National
Park geology web site for Zion
Overview of Arches National Park
geology and resources (http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/parks/arch/arch_gre_rpt_view.pdf)
Dinosaur National Monument (NPS web site)
Exam 1, Sept. 30
Cascade volcanoes: Mount Rainier NP, Mount Saint Helens
NM, Crater Lake NP
Pillow lava
movie
Lassen volcano hazards from
USGS
Lassen historical eruption
from USGS
***Homework 3.
Listed in slide number 31 of Cascade lecture notes. Due October 26
Yosemite and Sequoia National
Parks,
You should also read the information on the link located on the USGS Yosemite web site
Yellowstone DVD (and assignment – homework 4)
Exam 2, November 2
Oceanic hot spots: Hawaii volcanoes
USGS National Park sites for Haleakala
National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park
Hawaiian
Volcano Observatory web site; Images of recent
activity
Continental Hot Spots: Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone volcano observatory
University of Utah Yellowstone
site
Super Volcano DVD (Yellowstone) showing Nov 21 and 23 (extra
credit question on final exam)
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park
****Please remember
to fill out the course evaluations at https://evaluations.ufl.edu
USGS Climate
Change in Mountain Ecosystems web site
Exam 3, December 5