GEOL 532 - SEDIMENTARY PROCESSES

Fall Quarter 1996

I. Instructor:         Dr. J.P. Buchanan
                       120 Sciences
                       359-7493 (2286)
                       jbuchanan@ewu.edu
                       http://www.geology.ewu.edu/

II. Prerequisites:  Graduate standing or permission of instructor.


III. Text:  None required, however, copious reserve materials will available to the students.


IV.  Expectations:  This course is divided into two portions, lecture and lab, where your course
grade will be based upon your performance in the following areas:
     
           Midterm exam and a final exam- 40%
           Classroom presentations      - 20%
           Laboratory project           - 40%

The midterm exam will be closed book and closed notes.  The nature of the final exam will be
decided at a later date, but it will clearly be comprehensive in scope.


V.  Course outline:

      A.   Physical processes of sedimentation:  properties of fluids, fluid flow and sediment
           erosion, transportation and sedimentation, bedforms and flow regime

      B.   Primary sedimentary structures:  hydrodynamic interpretation, relationships
           between sedimentary structures and bedforms

      C.   Criteria for recognition of ancient clastic sedimentary environments of deposition

      D.   Depositional models:
                 alluvial fan and fan delta
                 fluvial systems - braided and meandering
                 deltaic and interdeltaic
                 linear clastic shorelines
                 shelf and slope, submarine fans

       E.  Application to site investigation, definition of aquifer framework, influence on
            hydrogeologic parameters


VI.  Laboratory project:

      A group field research project will be undertaken, the topic of which will be announced
shortly.  After completion of all field work, analyses and interpretations, a final written report
will be prepared by each student.  This report will be due Friday, 6 December 1996 (no later than
4:00 p.m.).  The written report should include the following (minimum):

      Abstract (no more than 500 words)
      Introduction, literature review
      Methods of study
      Data presentation and evaluation
      Summary and conclusions
      References cited

      The style of this written report should be the same as that commonly found in articles in
the Journal of Sedimentary Research (in the library, formerly the Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology).  The report should also contain figures incorporated into the text, with at least a
location map of the study area and graphic presentation of the data, for example, the measured
stratigraphic section(s), rose diagrams,  etc.  Additional figures/tables may be added where
necessary.

      In addition, this project will be organized and pursued as a group effort, and as such, a
portion of your grade will reflect the degree to which all students cooperated toward the goals
of the project.