This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Calendar

SES # LECTURE TOPICS LAB/QUIZ TOPICS INSTRUCTORS READINGS KEY DATES
1 Overview Earthquake Predictions Jagoutz/Perron Chapter 1  
2 Origin of the Earth Lab 0: Geochemical Modeling Jagoutz Chapters 9 and 14  
3 Intro to Minerals Lab 1: Mineral ID Jagoutz Chapter 3 Earthquake predictions due
4   Lab 1: Mineral ID (cont.) Jagoutz   Lab 0 due
5 Igneous Rocks Lab 2: Rock ID Jagoutz Chapter 4  
6 Sedimentary Rocks Lab 2: Rock ID (cont.) Perron Chapter 5  
7 Metamorphic Rocks Lab 2: Rock ID (cont.) Jagoutz Chapter 6 Lab 1 due
8   Lab 2: Unknown rock ID Jagoutz    
9

Relative vs. Absolute Dating;

Paleontology; Geologic Timescale

 Exercise: Geochronology Jagoutz Chapter 8  
10   Quiz 1: Rocks and minerals      
11 Rock Deformation Lab 3: Rock Structures & Rheology Jagoutz Chapter 7 Lab 2 due
Field Trip 1: Rocks of Boston
12 Rheology Lab 3: Rock Structures & Rheology (cont.) Perron    
13 Volcanoes Lab 3: Rock Structures & Rheology (cont.) Jagoutz Chapter 12  
14 Plate Tectonics I Lab 4: Plate tectonics Perron Chapter 2

Field trip 1

Exercise due
15 Plate Tectonics II Lab 4: Plate Tectonics (cont.) Perron Chapters 10 and 14  
16 Plate Tectonics III Lab 4: Plate Tectonics (cont.) Perron   Lab 3 due
17 Continental Crust Formation Lab 5: Crust Formation Jagoutz Chapter 10  
18 Oceanic Crust Formation Lab 5: Crust Formation (cont.) Jagoutz Chapter 4 Lab 4 due
19   Quiz 2: Rock deformation and tectonics      
20 Earthquakes Lab 6: Earthquakes Perron Chapters 13 and 14  
21   Lab 6: Earthquakes (cont.) Perron Lab 5 due  
22 Field Techniques Exercise: Stereonets Jagoutz    
23 Topography Lab 7: Topographic Maps Perron Lab 6 due  
24   Lab 7: Topographic Maps (cont.) Perron    
25 Geologic Mapping Introduction Lab 8: Geologic Mapping Jagoutz    
26   Lab 8: Geologic Mapping (cont.) Jagoutz    
27   Lab 8: Geologic Mapping (cont.) Jagoutz Lab 7 due  
28 Rivers Lab 9: Rivers Perron Chapter 18  
29   Quiz 3: Crust → mapping      
30   Lab 9: Rivers (cont.) Perron   Lab 8 due
31 Landslides and Debris Flows Lab 10: Landslides Perron Chapter 16  
32   Lab 10: Landslides (cont.) Perron    
33 Glaciers   Perron Chapter 21 Lab 9 due
34 Climate   Perron Chapter 22  
Field Trip 2: World's End
35 Comparative Planetology   Perron Chapter 9 Lab 10 due
36   Quiz 4: Surface processes and climate      
37 Earth History & Geobiology EAPS Lab Tours Jagoutz Chapter 11  
38 Earth Science & Society   Perron Chapter 23

Field trip 2

Exercise due
39 Wrap-up Prize for earthquake predictions Jagoutz/Perron