Marine Geology and Geophysics

EART30301 Marine Geology and Geophysics 10 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 6 Neil Mitchell Unit coordinator Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 The oceans are where much of Earth's geological 'action' takes place.  These regions host the main evidence for plate tectonics available before the advent of GPS (seafloor spreading) and the sediments accumulated on the seabed record changes to Earth's climate and ocean properties.  Various other areas of geology draw upon marine geological data, for example, volcanic eruption histories from deep-sea tephra records.  They are also important in a practical sense – e.g., these are where the UK hopes to get a significant part of its renewable energy from offshore wind and tidal power, where still much of UK petroleum resources are extracted, are important for defence and safety of shipping, and host power and telecoms cables, important archaeological sites, marine sand and mineral resources.As a geoscience student, you are likely to have come across a lot of marine geoscience in earlier modules – this module is a chance to deepen your knowledge in this area as well as see how some elements combine.  In the course, lectures and practice in particular using GeoMapApp will allow you to explore the concepts and their history of development.  Although not primarily an applied module, it will also introduce some basic skills and knowledge relevant to work in the offshore industry.   In the coursework element, you will use GeomapApp to carry out a desktop study evaluating geohazards along a planned route for a trans-ocean telecommunications cable and develop a survey plan for that route.This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates. The oceans are where much of Earth's geological 'action' takes place.  These regions host the main evidence for plate tectonics available before the advent of GPS (seafloor spreading) and the sediments accumulated on the seabed record changes to Earth's climate and ocean properties.  Various other areas of geology draw upon marine geological data, for example, volcanic eruption histories from deep-sea tephra records.  They are also important in a practical sense – e.g., these are where the UK hopes to get a significant part of its renewable energy from offshore wind and tidal power, where still much of UK petroleum resources are extracted, are important for defence and safety of shipping, and host power and telecoms cables, important archaeological sites, marine sand and mineral resources.As a geoscience student, you are likely to have come across a lot of marine geoscience in earlier modules – this module is a chance to deepen your knowledge in this area as well as see how some elements combine.  In the course, lectures and practice in particular using GeoMapApp will allow you to explore the concepts and their history of development.  Although not primarily an applied module, it will also introduce some basic skills and knowledge relevant to work in the offshore industry.   In the coursework element, you will use GeomapApp to carry out a desktop study evaluating geohazards along a planned route for a trans-ocean telecommunications cable and develop a survey plan for that route.This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates.  To gain more advanced understanding of:<ul> <li> The processes developing the solid earth beneath the oceans, such as volcanism and tectonics</li></ul><ul> <li> The processes modifying the seabed by deposition of sediments, erosion and landsliding</li></ul><ul> <li> The techniques of marine geology and geophysics.</li></ul>  On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to: <ul> <li> For each sub-area, explain how historical research has let to our present state of understanding.</li></ul><ul> <li> Describe how technology has been key to developments in this marine geoscience.</li></ul><ul> <li> Explain how more limited erosion underwater has left some geomorphologic structures more readily observable under the oceans than on land.</li></ul><ul> <li> Demonstrate competence in seeking out data and other information relevant to marine geo-hazards and evaluate them.</li></ul>   The course will be delivered with 1 hr lecture and 2 hr practical or workshop each week: Week 1: The techniques of marine geology and geophysics                P: introduction to GeomapappWeek 2: Creation of new oceanic crust at spreading centres 1                P: variations in crustal thickness from gravity data; volcanic geomorphologyWeek 3: Creation of new oceanic crust at spreading centres 2                P: Earthquake focal mechanisms and size-frequency graphsWeek 4: Volcanic islands and seamounts                P: videos of active eruptions; morphometric measurements of seamountsWeek 5: Continental slope canyons and channels                P: assessing discharge of a turbidity current from current meter data from Monterey CanyonWeek 6: Landslides and other mass movements                P: Using shear vane measurements from Amazon submarine fan to assess how channels change course.Week 7: Subduction zones                P: sequence analysis of topographic profiles; gravity profiles and flexure; heatflow from bottom-simulating reflections (clathrates)Week 8: Abyssal plains and continental rises                P: How the CCD curve is reconstructed.Week 9: Continental shelf processes 1                P: Quantifying sand movements using time-lapse bathymetry surveys; assessing currents meter records.Week 10: Continental shelf processes 2                P: Sequence of landsliding and entrenchment on a delta front from time-lapse survey data. As this module tackles both historical and more recent research in marine geoscience, to do well (achieve >70%) you need to be willing to tackle research articles and work out effectively how you would build arguments based on them. Achieving a modest mark (~60%) should be possible using only the lecture material and your results from the practicals. 3 Report 50% 9 Set exercise 50%   <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="height: 68px; width: 102px"> Assessment type</td> <td style="height: 68px; width: 85px"> % Weighting within unit</td> <td style="height: 68px; width: 66px"> Hand out and hand in dates</td> <td style="height: 68px; width: 94px"> Length </td> <td style="height: 68px; width: 170px"> How, when and what feedback is provided</td> <td style="height: 68px; width: 123px"> ILO tested</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 101px; width: 102px"> Electronic test (short questions and answers and a short essay).</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 85px"> 50</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 66px"> Available at start week 12, deadline end week 12</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 94px"> 2 hours</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 170px"> Answers to questions at end of test period available online.  Essay answer will receive individual feedback within 2 weeks via turnitin.</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 123px"> 1-2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 101px; width: 102px"> Report (individual)</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 85px"> 50</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 66px"> Start week 1, hand in week 8</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 94px"> 5 pages of writing + figures and tables.</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 170px"> Individual written feedback provided through Turnitin.</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 123px"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 101px; width: 102px">  </td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 85px">  </td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 66px">  </td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 94px">  </td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 170px"> Further formative feedback will be provided in practicals.</td> <td style="height: 101px; width: 123px">  </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   EART20101 Global Tectonics Pre-Requisite Compulsory EART20121 Sediment transport processes and depositional environments Pre-Requisite Compulsory BSc(Hons) Env & Resource Geol BSc(Hons) Env & Resource Geol Third Year Optional BSc(Hons) Geochemistry BSc(Hons) Geochemistry Third Year Optional BSc(Hons) Geography & Geology BSc(Hons) Geography & Geology Third Year Optional BSc(Hons) Geology BSc(Hons) Geology Third Year Optional MEarthSc(Hons) MEarthSc(Hons) Third Year Optional MEarthSci (H) Geo w Plan Sc MEarthSci (H) Geo w Plan Sc Third Year Optional BSc (Ord) Geology w Plan. Sci. BSc (Ord) Geology w Plan. Sci. Third Year Optional Y Core reading will be based primarily on articles in academic journals, for which references will be given in the course.  The following are useful general introductions or supplements.Cox A, Hart RB (1986) Plate tectonics: how it works. Blackwell, Oxford, England, p 392Pickering KT, Hiscott RN (2015) Deep-marine systems: processes, deposits, environments, tectonics and sedimentation. John Wiley & Sons.Reading HG (2009) Sedimentary environments processes, facies and stratigraphy. John Wiley & Sons (online text).Searle RC (2013) Mid-ocean ridges. Cambridge University Press, New York, p 318  Lectures 11 Practical classes & workshops 20 0 69