Transcript Lecture 1 - Introduction - Florida Atlantic University

Evolution of the Earth
GLY 2010 – Summer 2015
aka Physical Geology
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“As the radius of the circle of light grows larger,
so does the circumference of the ring of darkness
around it.”
Albert Einstein
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What Are
The Geo Sciences?
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Origin of “Geology”
• Meaning: The study of the Earth
• From Greek ge and –logia
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How Do We Study The Earth?
• Use techniques of many fields
 Physics
 Chemistry
 Biology
 Mathematics
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What Geologists Study
• 1. The materials of which Earth is made
• 2. The processes that act, and have acted, on
these materials
• 3. The products formed by these actions
• 4. History of the planet and its life forms since
its origin
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Where is Geology Studied?
In the laboratory
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Junior Field Camp, 2005
In the field – photo courtesy Dr. Anton Oleinik
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What Is Physical Geology?
• A broad division of geology that concerns
itself with the processes and forces involved
in the inorganic evolution of the Earth and
its morphology, and with its constituent
minerals, rocks, magmas, and core
materials.
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External Clues
EETA 79001 meteorite, was found on the ice in
Antarctica, and is quite likely from Mars.
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Topics Covered in Course
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Materials
The Composition of the Earth
• Minerals
• Rocks
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Geologic Processes
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Weathering
Erosion
Transport of sediment
Volcanism
Seismic activity (earthquakes)
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Geologic Agents
• Water
• Plate movements
• Energy transfers
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Natural Hazards
• Examples:
 Earthquakes
 Tsunamis
 Volcanoes
 Sinkholes
 Subsidence
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Natural Resources
• Metals
• Energy
• Water
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Energy Resources
• Balance exploitation of the earth with
environmental protection
 Petroleum resources are diminishing
• Preparing for a change in energy
resources
• Coal usage is diminishing in response
to climate change
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Landforms
• Arid Region
• Glacial
• Coastal
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Importance of Geologic Research
• Earth’s population is over 7.25 billion people,
as of June 22, 2015
• Demand for water, food, and natural resources
is putting an incredible strain on the planet
• What is the sustainable limit? Research can
help to answer this question
• What other areas of research are providing
vital information?
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Climate Change
• The issue of climate change has been hotly
debated
• The climate is warming, and man is the cause
• The effects of warming, as well as secondary
effects, are being actively studied
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Climate Change Implications
• Precipitation will increase globally, but some
areas will experience increased drought
• Sea-level will continue to rise, probably at a
quickly accelerating rate
• Melting of permafrost, with associated
emission of more greenhouse gas
• Subsidence in coastal regions and areas of
permafrost
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Climatology
• Global warming, caused by emission of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is
raising global temperatures
• How has climate varied over longer periods of
time? Geologic studies can help provide
reliable data
• Data from ice cores, tree rings, pollen grains,
marine sediments, lake sediments, stalactites
and stalagmites, and others are studied
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Foram Image
• Scanning electron
microscope image of a
foram
• Forams can provide
clues to past climates
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Plate Tectonics
• Unifying theory for the earth sciences
• Impacts all aspects of geology
• Aids understanding of many phenomena
previously misunderstood
• Based on Alfred Wegener’s concept of
Continental Drift, first proposed in 1912
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Environmental Problems
• Disposal of hazardous waste, especially spent
nuclear fuel
• Demand for additional energy and mineral
resources
• Cleanup of existing mining sites which have
produced pollution
• Cleanup of other environmental contamination
• Demand for additional clean water sources
• Air quality issues
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Academic vs. Applied Research
• As budgets tighten, there is a tendency to favor
applied research, which has a goal of an
achievable result that will benefit society
• Academic research may seem to be of interest
to only a few people in the world, with no
practical benefit whatsoever
• This attitude would have denied us penicillin,
transistors, and many other things we take for
granted
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Geology and Other Disciplines
• Frequency of severe hurricanes in the
North Atlantic over time – how can we
measure hurricanes without written
records?
• Could Napoleon's desire to conquer
Britain have been thwarted by a geologic
event?
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Jobs in Geology
• Formerly a cyclical industry
• Expansion into new areas has increased job
opportunities
• Stepping stone to employment in other areas
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Job Prospects - 1
• Demand for environmental scientists and
hydrologists will be spurred by public
policy, which will oblige companies and
organizations to comply with complex
environmental laws and regulations,
particularly those regarding ground-water
decontamination, clean air, and flood
control
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Job Prospects - 2
• Job opportunities also will be spurred by a
continued general awareness regarding the
need to monitor the quality of the environment,
to interpret the impact of human actions on
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and to
develop strategies for restoring ecosystems
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Job Prospects - 3
• The median annual wage of geoscientists was $90,890 in May
2012
• Employment of geoscientists is projected to grow by 16.1
percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all
occupations
• The need for energy, environmental protection, and
responsible land and resource management is projected to spur
demand for geoscientists in the future.
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Educational Requirements
• A bachelor's degree is adequate for a few entry-level positions
• Most geoscientists and hydrologists need a master's degree,
which is the preferred educational requirement for most
research positions in private industry, Federal agencies, and
State geological surveys
• More than half of the states require a license to practice
geology
• A Ph.D. is necessary for most high-level research and college
teaching positions, but is generally not required for other jobs
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Job Transfer to Other Countries
• It is nearly impossible to transfer jobs in
geology overseas
• Work must be done on-site
• Geology jobs are available world-wide
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First Geologists in the White House
• Herbert Hoover, thirtyfirst president of the
United States
• Geology degree from
Stanford in 1895
Lou Henry Hoover
• Graduated from
Stanford University,
1898
• One of the first Geology
degrees awarded to a
woman in the United
States
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Geologic Sampling
• Click to play video
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Careers for Geoscientists
• Click
to play video
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