Catalog

Geological Sciences

GEOL 1010-3. Introduction to Geology. Introductory geology for majors and nonmajors. Studies the Earth, its materials, its characteristics, its dynamic processes, and how it relates to people. Separate lab (GEOL 1030) is optional. Meets MAPS requirement for natural science: nonlab. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 1020-3. Introduction to Earth History. Examines how the Earth’s interior and surface, the atmosphere and climate, the oceans, and life interact and have changed over the immensity of geologic time. For majors and non-majors. Separate lab (GEOL 1030) is optional. Prereq., GEOL 1010. Credit not granted for this course and GEOL 1040. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 1030-1. Introduction to Geology Laboratory 1. Features field trips to local points of geologic interest. Studies rocks and topographic and geologic maps. Prior or current registration in 1000-level geology recommended. Meets MAPS requirements for natural science lab, if taken with GEOL 1010. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science. Formerly GEOL 1080.

GEOL 1040-3. Geology of Colorado. Reviews the geologic evolution and history of Colorado. It first develops the basic concepts needed to interpret the geology, and then systematically shows how the state evolved through geologic time. The course is designed for those who enjoy understanding the beauty and splendor of the state. Prereq., GEOL 1010. Credit not granted for this course and GEOL 1020. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 1060-3. Global Change: An Earth Science Perspective. Focuses on evidence for planetary warming, climate change, glacier and ice-sheet melting, and sea level rise both now and in the recent past. Attempts to develop understanding of the interactions within the coupled Earth system that regulate such changes. Utilizes examples from the geological and instrumental records, and evaluates the global warming forecast. Prereq., GEOL 1010. Meets MAPS requirement for natural science: nonlab. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 2001-4. Planet Earth. Explores the dynamics of planet Earth with particular emphasis on the factors that make the planet habitable. Includes examination of heat balance, hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and climate history through both lecture and lab-based activities. The course is required for the Environmental Geoscience track within the Geology major and will introduce students to the major concepts in contemporary Earth system science. Prereqs., GEOL 1010 or ENVS 1000 or instructor consent.

GEOL 2100-3. Environmental Geology. Introduces the influences of geologic processes on human lives and the changes human actions cause in geologic systems. Uses examples and case studies from Colorado and the West. Approved for the arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 2110-4. Physical Science of the Earth System. Covers basic concepts of physics and chemistry, taught in the context of Earth and space science. Small class size and emphasis on student investigations, lab and field work, and active learning make this course particularly appropriate for future K–6 teachers. Prereq., two high school science courses (college prep level). Same as ARSC 2110. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 2700-2. Introduction to Field Geology. Introduces basic field techniques necessary to collect geologic data and samples, and necessary to map geologic units. Prereqs., GEOL 1010 and 1020; or GEOL 1060 and 1070; or GEOG 1001 and 1011.

GEOL 3010-3. Introduction to Mineralogy. Two lects. and one lab per week. Origin, occurrence, identification, classification, and uses of minerals. Applications of mineralogy to economic geology and petrology are emphasized. Prereq., CHEM 1111 and MATH 1300.

GEOL 3020-3. Petrology. Field relations, petrography, petrology, chemistry, and origins of igneous and metamorphic rocks are studied by means of lectures, reading, and lab and field experience. Labs include instruction in the fundamentals of optical petrography and the study of rocks in thin section. Prereq., GEOL 3010.

GEOL 3023-4. Statistics for Earth Sciences. Introduces parametric and distribution-free statistics, emphasizing applications to earth science problems. Same as GEOG 3023.

GEOL 3030-3. Introduction to Hydrogeology. Introduces groundwater flow concepts, hydrologic cycle, physical and chemical properties, flow net, hydraulic potential, geologic controls on heterogeneity and anisotropy, aquifers and aquitards in a geologic system, saturated and unsaturated flow, flow to a well, pumping tests, and role of groundwater in geologic processes. Prereqs., GEOL 1010 or 2001, and MATH 1300; or instructor consent.

GEOL 3040-3. Global Change: The Recent Geological Record. Geological records in lakes, oceans, deserts, and around glaciers indicate the significant changes in the global systems that have taken place over the last few hundred or thousand years. Explores the timing and nature of these changes. Prereqs., any two-course sequence of natural science core courses. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science. Credit not granted for this course and GEOL 4070.

GEOL 3050-2. GIS for Geologists. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques focused on geological applications. GIS analyzing, mapping, and GPS use are covered. Basic computer skills are a plus before entering the class.

GEOL 3070-3. Introduction to Oceanography. Investigates the broad-scale features and dynamics of the Earth’s oceans. The course is roughly divided amongst the four major, interrelated disciplines of oceanography: marine geology, marine chemistry, physical oceanography (i.e. circulation), and marine biology. Specific topics include seafloor spreading, marine sediments, salinity, biogeochemical cycles, currents, waves, tides, primary production, marine ecology, marine resources, global warming, and much more. Prereq., any two-course sequence of natural science courses. Same as ATOC 3070. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 3120-4. Structural Geology. Geometrical techniques for describing and illustrating geological structures. Major topics include graphic methods and geometry of fractures and folds. Prereqs., any 1000-level sequence in geological sciences.

GEOL 3130-3. Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast. Uses the example of man-made climate change to develop an analytical understanding of the Earth system (solid, fluid, and living) that can be used to interpret the complex and uncertain forecast. Emphasis is given to the concepts of forcing, feedback and response in order to examine natural vs. man-made environmental changes and climate change mitigation strategies.

GEOL 3230-3. Introduction to Earth Materials. Provides introduction to the classification, composition and properties of Earth rocks and minerals, with emphasis on near surface Earth materials. Two lectures and one lab per week. Labs include instruction on optical mineralogy and on the study of rocks in thin section. Prereqs., CHEM 1111 and MATH 1300.

GEOL 3300-3. Extraterrestrial Life. Discusses the scientific basis for the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. Includes origin and evolution of life on Earth; possibility of life elsewhere in the solar system, including Mars; and the possibility of life on planets around other stars. Prereq., one-year sequence in a natural science. Same as ASTR 3300.

GEOL 3320-3. Introduction to Geochemistry. Introduces chemical principles as applied to geologic processes. Includes an introductory discussion of mineral and rock chemistry, aqueous geochemistry, and organic geochemistry. Prereqs., CHEM 1111 and MATH 1300.

GEOL 3410-3. Paleobiology. Surveys morphology, ecology, and evolution of ancient animal and plant life and their interactions with the Earth. Fossils used to solve geological and biological problems. Prereqs., any 1000-level sequence in geological science or environmental, population, and organismic biology or instructor consent.

GEOL 3430-4. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. Introduces the study of sedimentary rocks emphasizing their origin, characteristics, and interpretation; and the principles and techniques for establishing the temporary order and spatial distribution of sedimentary layers. Prereqs., any 1000-level sequence in geological sciences or equivalent.

GEOL 3500-3. Earth Resources and the Environment. Examines Earth’s most important natural resources and their impact on society and the environment. Addresses the geology, occurrence, production, and use of petroleum, coal, mineral, and water resources. Future world energy supply and demand, conservation, and the transition from fossil fuels to non-polluting renewable resources are discussed. Prereq., GEOL 1010 or 1060. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 3520-3. Environmental Issues in Geosciences. Addresses current environmental problems in which an understanding of geology is needed. Topics include energy resources, climate modification, hydrology, waste disposal, and mining resources. Specific examples used to illustrate restrictions imposed by nature and man on solutions to these problems. Prereq., a two-course sequence in any natural science. Same as ENVS 3520. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 3540-3. Introduction to Hydrocarbon Geology. Discusses the origin and distribution of conventional and unconventional petroleum and coal resources, source rocks, types of traps and seals, reservoir rock properties, exploration and development methods (seismic data analysis and interpretation, formation evaluation, subsurface mapping), reservoir characterization and modeling, reserves calculations. Prereqs., GEOL 1010 and MATH 1300 or APPM 1350, or instructor consent.

GEOL 3720-3. Evolution of Life: The Geological Record. Discusses the evolution of life on Earth, beginning with the earliest origins and surveying the major steps that led to the rise of higher plants and animals. Covers modern ideas on the causes of periodic mass extinctions in both the marine and terrestrial realms. Emphasizes geologic evidence for the pathways of evolution, using examples from the ordinary to the bizarre. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 3820-3. The Fluid Earth. Examines the myriad forms of fluid behavior found on earth, from the atmosphere to the inner core. Explores how basic principles of fluid physics may be used to understand a broad range of earth processes, including mantle convection, atmosphere and ocean dynamics, stream flow, lava spreading, and glacier motion, among others. Covers fundamental fluid concepts such as viscosity, pressure, convection, friction, and free-surface flow. Prereqs., MATH 1300, or APPM 1340 and 1345, or APPM 1350, or equivalent. Recommended prereq., GEOL 1010 or equivalent.

GEOL 3930 (1-6). Internship. Offers an academically supervised opportunity for geological sciences majors to work with public or private organizations. Projects are usually associated with students’ career goals; each project has an academic emphasis. Prereq., junior standing and completion, with a B or better, of at least two courses for geology majors.

GEOL 3950-3. Natural Catastrophes and Geologic Hazards. Surveys historic and prehistoric natural disasters, their cause, and potential for recurrence. Meteorite impact, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, floods, magnetic reversals, and major extinction events. Course formerly numbered as GEOL 4950. Prereq., one year science. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 4060-4. Oceanography. Examines the ocean as a system influencing the Earth’s surficial processes and climate. Composition and properties of seawater, ocean circulation, waves, tides, coastal-, shallow-, and deep-water processes, biogeochemical cycles, deep sea sediments. Laboratory emphasizes the use of oceanographic data. Prereq., one semester chemistry, physics, or geology. Same as GEOL 5060.

GEOL 4070-3. Paleoclimatology. Covers the primary forcings and feedbacks that determine Earth’s energy balance and the resultant climate system on decadal to millennial timescales. Covers ocean/atmosphere circulation, the role of ice sheets in the climate system, monsoons, Holocene climate change and 20th Century warming. Includes coverage of the proxies available to reconstruct climates of the past, and the archives that contain these proxies. Recommended for natural science majors only and recommended prereq of ENVS or GEOL intro sequence. Credit not granted for this course and GEOL 3040.

GEOL 4080-3. Societal Problems and Earth Sciences. Analyzes contemporary societal problems involving geoscience. One class period per week is generally devoted to lecture. During class discussions the professor acts as scientific advisor while students debate material they have researched. Prereqs., one year of calculus and one year of natural science (physics, chemistry, biology) or equivalent, or instructor consent.

GEOL 4093-4. Remote Sensing of the Environment. Covers acquisition and interpretation of environmental data by remote sensing. Discusses theory and sensors, as well as manual and computerized interpretation methods. Stresses infrared and microwave portions of the spectrum. Same as GEOL 5093 and GEOG 4093.

GEOL 4130-3. Principles of Geophysics. Students are introduced to fundamental geophysics including seismology, geomagnetism, gravity, radiometric dating, and heat flow with applications to plate tectonics and exploration of the subsurface. Prereqs., MATH 1300 and PHYS 1110 and any 1000-level sequence in geological sciences; GEOL 3120 recommended.

GEOL 4160-3. Introduction to Biogeochemistry. Covers fundamentals of biogeochemical cycling, emphasizing water, carbon, and nutrient dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems; chemical interactions of atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere; and natural and human-managed environments. Prereqs., GEOL 3320 or EBIO 3270, and CHEM 1011 or higher. Same as ENVS 4160 and EBIO 4160.

GEOL 4241-4. Principles of Geomorphology. Studies weathering, mass-wasting, fluvial, wind, and marine processes and the resulting landforms. Prereq., GEOG 1011 or any 1000-level sequence in geological sciences. Same as GEOG 4241. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

GEOL 4270-3. Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. Examines the chemical, biological, geological, and physical processes affecting (and affected by) the chemistry of the oceans. Topics include: chemical separation in seawater; the marine carbon cycle and its long-term control on atmospheric CO2; the large-scale interdependence of nutrient distributions and biological productivity; chemical tracers of ocean circulation; and the chemistry of marine sediments, including early diagenesis. Prereq., general chemistry or equivalent. Recommended prereq., intro geology and/or oceanography. Restricted to juniors/seniors.

GEOL 4330-3. Cosmochemistry. Investigates chemical and isotopic data to understand the composition of the solar system: emphasis on the physical conditions in various objects, time scales for change, chemical and nuclear processes leading to change, observational constraints, and various models that attempt to describe the chemical state and history of cosmological objects in general and the early solar system in particular. Prereq., upper-division undergraduate or graduate standing in physical science. Recommended prereq., upper-division undergraduate CHEM, PHYS, or MATH. Same as GEOL 5330 and ASTR 4330.

GEOL 4474-4. Vertebrate Paleontology. Discusses the history and evolution of the vertebrates, including the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary patterns of the major groups. Lab focuses on comparative vertebrate osteology and fossil representation of major groups. Prereqs., GEOL 1010, 1020, and 3410, or instructor consent. Restricted to juniors and seniors. Same as GEOL 5474.

GEOL 4500-3. Critical Thinking in the Earth Sciences. Deals with controversies within the broad realm of geological sciences, including planetary geology, evolution, paleobiology, global change, environmental issues, plate tectonics, resources, other societal problems, or geologic thought in general. Students are provided the opportunity to analyze and debate scientific issues in the earth sciences. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Prereq., any 1000-level geological science sequence.

GEOL 4550-3. Petroleum Reservoir Characterization and Modeling. Introduces concepts and methods of petroleum reservoir analysis and 3-D reservoir modeling using subsurface data (cores, well logs, 3-D seismic) and outcrop analogs. Examines petroleum system, petrophysics (lithology, porosity, permeability, capillary pressure, flow units), and sequence-stratigraphic, facies, and structural controls on reservoir properties, heterogeneity, and recovery efficiency. Deterministic and stochastic reservoir modeling methods are addressed. Prereqs., GEOL 1010, 1020, and 3430 or instructor consent. Restricted to juniors/seniors. Same as GEOL 5550.

GEOL 4670-3. Isotope Geology. Introduces principles of stable and radiogenic isotope systematics in inorganic and organic geochemistry. Emphasizes application of isotope data to problems in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary petrology, geobiochemistry, and petroleum genesis. Prereqs., CHEM 1131, MATH 1300, and GEOL 3020. Same as GEOL 5670.

GEOL 4700 (1-4). Special Geological Topics. Studies in selected geological subjects of special current interest (for undergraduates). May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours within a term. Prereq., instructor consent. Restricted to juniors and seniors.

GEOL 4711-2. Igneous and Metamorphic Field Geology. Applies field techniques to interpretation of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Field exercises and lectures focus on collecting data required to map igneous and metamorphic rock units. Prereqs., GEOL 2700 or 2001. and GEOL 3020.

GEOL 4712-2. Structural Field Geology. Methods of field study of structure of rocks, including observations, data collection, and interpretation to understand geometry of deformation and causative processes and kinematics. Field projects are mapped using different scales, air photos, topographic maps, and compass and tape. Prereqs., GEOL 2700 and 3120.

GEOL 4714-2. Field Geophysics. Applies geophysical field techniques and data interpretation to studying geological and engineering problems. Fieldwork includes seismic, gravity, magnetic, and electrical measurements. Prereqs., GEOL 2700 or 2001 and MATH 1300 and PHYS 1110 or instructor consent.

GEOL 4715-2. Field Techniques in Hydrogeology. Introduces various field techniques and data analysis methods in hydrogeologic studies for students in geology, environmental studies, geography, and civil engineering. Exercises include mapping ground water levels, conducting slug and pumping tests, measuring stream flows, interpreting aquifer parameters from geophysical measurements, and using field data for water budget analysis. Prereq., GEOL 2001 or 2700.

GEOL 4716-2. Environmental Field Geochemistry. Develops basic field skills in the most commonly performed tasks required for the environmental characterization of solid and aqueous wastes. Media of study include soils, stream sediments, surface waters, ground waters, and atmospheric particulates. Prereqs., GEOL 2700 or 2700, and CHEM 1011/1031 or CHEM 1051/ 1071, or CHEM 1111/1131, or CHEM 1151/1171.

GEOL 4717-2. Field Seminar in Geology and Tectonics. Studies geologic features in and around Colorado to gain an overview of the geologic and tectonic evolution of the western U.S. Prereqs., GEOL 2700 and one or more of GEOL 3120, 3320, or 3430.

GEOL 4750-2. Field Techniques in Hydrogeology. Designed for students in geology, environmental studies, geography, and civil engineering, this field course introduces students to various field techniques and data analysis methods in hydrogeologic studies. Exercises include mapping ground water levels, conducting slug and pump tests, measuring stream flows, interpreting aquifer parameters from geophysical measurements, and using field data for water budget analysis. Prereqs., GEOL 2700/3030, or GEOG 3511, or GEOL/GEOG 4241, or GEOL 3430.

GEOL 4840-4849 (1-3). Independent Study in Geology. Time and credit to be arranged. Numbered GEOL 4840 through GEOL 4849. For advanced undergraduates who have high scholastic standing. Open only upon consultation with department advisor. May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.

GEOL 4851 (1-3). Independent Study in Geoscience Education. May be repeated up to 3 credit hours.

GEOL 4960-1. Writing in Geosciences. Emphasizes strategies of literature research and scientific writing in the geosciences. Includes small writing assignments and a larger library research paper. Prereq., 15 hours of upper-division course work in geological sciences.

GEOL 4990 (1-3). Honors Thesis. Supervised project involving original research in any area of the geological sciences. The thesis is submitted to the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences and is orally defended. The candidate must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better and must be accepted by the departmental honors committee.

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