ENVS 385-000: Topics: Environmental Studies: Geol.Orig. of Landscape w. lab (Spring 2010)

 An introduction to the study of the wide variety of natural landforms that occur on the Earth's surface, exploring the origins of landforms and the processes that create and continue to change them. Topics include the effects of catastrophic events such as volcanic eruptions, tsunami and landslides. Of equal importance are processes of gradual change over millennia creating vast mountain ranges and deep canyons. This field of study, geomorphology, is an interdisciplinary science, closely linked with geography, hydrology, climatology, and other natural sciences. In learning this quite visual science, we will construct and interpret topographic and geologic maps, analyze aerial photographs and satellite images, and compile observations in field notebooks using illustration, photography, and written description and interpretation.

Field trips will be an integral part of this course. Evaluation will include writing assignments, problem sets, short presentations, field notebooks, and two exams. May be used to fulfill the Intermediate Earth Science requirement or Elective requirement for ENVS majors. Also fulfills Upper Level Lab course requirement for ENVS majors.