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Module 2 |
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Module 1 |
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E.Reports |
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Course Outlines: |
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Rules & Assignments |
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Check the 2003 Course Evaluation |
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The Earth’s crust hosts mineral and energy resources that have sustained our civilisation on the past five thousand years. These resources are the by-products of tectonic and thermal processes that have affected and still affect the continental lithosphere since its formation in Archaean times (4.03Ga to 2.5Ga). GEOS 3003 is organized into two modules completed by a group activity which consists in designing a couple of Internet-compatible electronic report. Team learning is facilitated by a weblog dedicated to GEOS 3003 and its participants. Lectures and practical exercises for GEOS 3003 are available at any time at the website of Patrice Rey and on CD at students request.
Module 1: Thermal and Mechanical Aspects of Lithospheric Deformation. This module focuses on the understanding thermal and mechanical aspects of lithospheric deformation. The main headlines of this module include: Heat transfer in the lithosphere; Isostasy and vertical motion of the earth's surface; Plate boundaries, body forces and the dynamic of the Earth's lithosphere; Rheology of the lithosphere; Continental break-up and the formation of continental margins; Thermo-mechanics of sedimentary basins; Thermo-mechanics of orogenesis; Thermal consequences and feedback of tectonic processes. Practical exercises are integrated with the lectures as an help to familiarise students with important concepts and to strengthen student numerical skills and problem solving ability. At completion of Module 1, students will be have the physical framework in order 1/ to understand how the continental lithosphere reacts when submitted to plate-boundary and gravitational forces, 2/ to understand feedback processes through thermal and mechanical evolution during lithospheric deformaton, and 3/ to interpret regional finite strain field.
Module 2: Modern Concept in Structural Geology and Tectonics. Structural geology and Tectonics are not longer restricted to the domain of descriptive disciplines. Transfer of knowledge from other disciplines such as Material Sciences, Fluid Mechanics and Continuum Mechanics have contributed to make Structural Geology and Tectonics more quantitative. Finite Strain Analysis, Incremental Strain Analysis and Kinematic Analysis, are at the core of modern structural geology and tectonics. These analytical methods are rooted in continuum mechanics. They will be presented first. This module then focuses on the characterisation and analyses of regional finite strain fields of continental lithosphere deformed in different tectonics regimes. Practical classes aims at developing student problem solving ability and to develop their observation and analytical skills. At completion of Module 2, students will have learned a practical method to characterise and analyse regional finite strain fields and they will be able to designed solution path to 3D geometry problems.
E.Reports: Their purpose is help students to build a more intimate a profound knowledge of Structural Geology and Tectonics, to enhance their computational and communication skills, and to exposed them to time management and team work challenges. In group of 2 or 3, students will designing a couple of electronic report on relevant topics of their choice. E.Reports will be done during the two last weeks of this course unit, during which there will be no lectures and no practicals classes. These reports have to be Internet compatible and will be posted on the class website to be available to all students. Each report will be the subject of a computer-based presentation where the students will have the opportunity to build their confidence and communication skills. At completion of these E.Reports, students will 1/be able to write clear and concise scientific reports, 2/be able to construct simple Internet-compatible documents, 3/ be familiar with the various Internated-compatible image format such as jpeg and gif, 4/ be able to manipulate an image to minimise downloading time, 5/ be able to transfert documents from one computer to another, 6/ be able to use basic image editing and web-editing softwares, 7/ understand the concept of time management, and 8/ understand the power and limitation of team-work.
In order to enhance interaction between students and to develop a team learning dynamic, GEOS 3003 has a weblog located at Blogger.com where students will be invited to engage in debate related to the lectures, practical exercises and E.Reports. The weblog is also a very efficient way to pass-on feedbacks and criticisms to the lecturer and to have a say in GEOS3003 content as well as on the method of delivery and assessment.
Links with other courses: GEOS 3003 examines the structure and dynamic of continental areas. It therefore provides the necessary background knowledge for GEOS 3008: Field Geology and Geophysics. It is a very good complement with MARS 3006: which examine the Dynamics of Ocean Basins. GEOS3003 is also relevant to GEOS 3007: Remote Sensing-Imaging the Earth, and GEOS 3006: Mineral Deposits and Spatial Data Analysis, and GEOS 3004: Geophysics, Imaging, Oil/Ore Production . The characterisation of regional finite strain field uses a range of approach from Structural Geology (characterisation of deformation from the hand-specimens to the outcrop scale), to remote sensing technics (characterisation of deformation at regional scale). Student enrolled in GEOS 3003, MARS 3006, GEOS 3007, GEOS 3008 will have a solid and theoritical and practical training in Structural Geology and Tectonics. As said earlier, mineral deposits are the by-products of tectonic activities. Resources exploration requires the identification of structural traps for mineralised fluid, gas, and oil. GEOS 3003 is therefore relevant to students enrolled in MARS 3006, GEOS 3006 and GEOS 3004. |
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| Lectures and Practical Exercises : 9am-1pm Monday-Wednesday-Friday |
| Module 1: Thermal and Mechanical Aspects of Lithospheric Deformation. |
| Week 1 |
Driving forces for Lithospheric Deformation,
Isostasy Equilibrium and Mechanical Equilibrium |
| Week 2 |
Heat, Temperature and the Continental Geotherm
Thermal Consequences of Lithospheric Deformation |
| Week 3 |
Rheology and Lithospheric Strength |
| Module 2: Modern Concepts in Structural Geology and Tectonics. |
| Week 3 |
Methods and Technics
Finite Strain Analysis |
| Week 4 |
Convergence and Shortening
Divergence and Extension |
| Week 5 |
Gravity Driven Deformation
Transcurrent Tectonics
Finite Strain Interferences
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| Week 6 |
EReport |
| Week 7 |
EReports |
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