This class explores the fundamental nature of catastrophic processes that have shaped and continue to shape the Earth and the environment in which we live. The physical processes causing earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, windstorms, floods, landslides, meteorite impacts, and other phenomena will be described, along with the role played by these rapid processes in the geological and biological evolution of Earth. The entire time scale from formation of the Universe to the present and future Earth system will be considered.
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Date |
Lecture Topic |
Reading |
|---|---|---|
|
Friday, Sept. 28 |
#1 Introduction/Syllabus |
Abbott 1 |
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Part I. Cosmology and Global Catastrophes |
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Monday, Oct. 1 |
#2 Big Bang: Spectroscopy, Red Shift, Birth of the Universe |
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Wednesday, Oct. 3 |
#3 Nucleosynethesis, Stars, Supernovae |
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Friday, Oct. 5 |
#4 From Nebula to the Blue Planet: Accretion, Moon Formation |
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Monday, Oct. 8 |
#5 Origin of Life: The Archaen |
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Wednesday, Oct. 10 |
#6 Evolution of Life: Proterozoic and the Phanerozoic Explosion |
Abbott 15 |
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Friday, Oct. 12 |
#7 Geologic Time: Faunal Succession and Radioactivity |
Abbott 15 |
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Monday, Oct. 15 |
#8 Extinctions and Evolution: The K-T Event |
Abbott 16 |
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Wednesday, Oct. 17 |
Video: The Doomsday Asteroid |
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Friday, Oct. 19 |
#9 Mass Death by Impact and Environmental Crisis |
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Monday, Oct. 22 |
QUIZ # 1 on PART I (in class) |
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Part II. Internal Earth Processes and Catastrophes |
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Wednesday, Oct. 24 |
Video: The Day the Earth Shook |
Abbott 2 |
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Friday, Oct. 26 |
#10 Earth's Dynamic Systems: Plate Tectonics and the Geodynamo |
Abbott 3.4 |
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Monday, Oct. 29 |
#11 Earthquakes: Rheology, Faults and Seismic Waves |
Abbott 4 |
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Wednesday, Oct. 31 |
#12 Earthquakes: Seismic Recordings and use of Seismic Waves |
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Friday, Nov. 2 |
#13 Earthquake Prediction and Mitigation |
Abbott 4 |
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Monday, Nov. 5 |
#14 Volcanoes: Melting and Arcs |
Abbott 5,6 |
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Wednesday, Nov. 7 |
Video: In the Path of a Killer Volcano |
Abbott 7 |
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Friday, Nov.9 |
#15 Volcanoes: Rifts and Hotspots |
Abbott 8 |
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Monday, Nov. 12 |
No Class - UCSC Holiday |
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Wednesday, Nov. 14 |
#16 Volcanoes: Products and Prediction |
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Friday, Nov. 16 |
QUIZ #2 on Part II (in class) |
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Monday, Nov. 19 |
#17 Atmospheric Processes: Energy, Circulation, Absorption, Ozone |
Abbott 10 |
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Wednesday, Nov. 21 |
Video: An Inconvenient Truth |
Abbott 10 |
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Friday, Nov. 23 |
No Class - Thanksgiving |
Abbott 11 |
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Monday, Nov. 26 |
#18 Climate Variations: Greenhouse Warming, Ice Ages |
Abbott 12 |
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Wednesday , Nov. 28 |
#19 Weather, Winds and Dust Storms and Hurricanes |
Abbott 13 |
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Friday, Nov. 30 |
#20Water Cycle, Storms, Rivers and Floods |
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Monday, Dec. 3 |
#21 Floods: Great Dam Bursts |
Abbott 9 |
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Wednesday, Dec. 5 |
#22 Human Induced Catastrophes |
Abbott 13, 14 |
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Friday, Dec. 7 |
QUIZ #3 on Part III (in class) |
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