Harry Williams, Geomorphology1 Geography 4350/5350 Geomorphology SYLLABUS NOTES: Prerequisite –You ARE expected to have a basic background in physical

Harry Williams, Geomorphology 1

Geography 4350/5350 GeomorphologySYLLABUS NOTES:

Prerequisite –You ARE expected to have a basic background in physical geology or earth science. This material will not be repeated - this course builds on these earlier courses.labs - 8 scheduled throughout the semester. The lab work compliments and reinforces lecture material and provides “hands-on” experience. All labs are graded and are due the following class. I’m a big fan of field work, so two labs are “mini-field trips” to locations in Denton. The other labs are map or computer-based and will take place in 345 or CSAM 2 (EESAT 340) (Note: you may use your own laptop for these labs if you wish).Additional Readings - journal articles will be assigned as additional readings over the semester. Questions from these articles will appear on exams.Grading - the exams are non-cumulative; written answers and diagrams.Project - describe geomorphology of county of your choice (details later).Field trip – questions on Dallas Co. geomorphology, as described on trip. Date = Saturday November 8. Bus provided (can drive own car), several stops in Dallas County to study geomorphology.


INTRODUCTIONWhat is Geomorphology?- one approach = understanding, explaining, describing LANDSCAPES.

Death Valley, California - a desert landscape.


Grand Canyon, Arizona - a different desert landscape


Shiprock, New Mexico - another different desert landscape


River valley, Kentucky - a fluvial landscape


Landscapes are collections of landforms - morphological features on the surface of the Earth e.g.

mountainshills

cliffs ridges


canyons

valleys

beaches

deltas


These landforms are made of the solid or weathered rock (sediment) that makes up the earth's surface.

Geomorphology includes the study of the evolution of landforms over time, as well as contemporary processes that are presently creating landforms.

In theory, there is a GEOMORPHOLOGICAL explanation for every feature on the surface of the Earth - for example, if an area is flat there should be a reason why it is flat; a steep cliff exists because of some reason - landforms do not occur randomly or by chance: the question is, what are the reasons landforms appear the way they do?


Our approach is based on the following general principles:

1. Rocks at the surface of the earth are UNSTABLE - they all wear away eventually.


2. Initial conditions at the surface are not equal - some parts of the surface are higher than others (e.g. mountains; what could cause these areas to be uplifted?).


…and different rock types occur in different areas.

Austin chalk

Woodbine sandstone


3. To change the shape of the earth's surface requires energy - where energy expenditure is high, erosion occurs and erosional landforms are created; where energy expenditure is low, deposition occurs, creating depositional landforms.

erosional

depositional


4. Most landscapes take a long time to develop - contemporary processes may not alone explain landforms; often the history of the landscape must also be studied.

Drumlins (glacial deposits) in Clew Bay, Ireland. Glaciers were here 12,000 years ago, but not at present.


The course is organized to reflect these principles:PART I. STRUCTURES - THE RESISTIVE FRAMEWORKDeals with the initial shape of the surface. This section of the course deals with initial conditions at the surface - the shape of the surface imparted by tectonic uplift…...


And volcanic uplift…...


and diastrophism (crustal deformation)…...


PART II. MATERIALS - THE RESISTIVE ELEMENTSRocks and sediments/soils - the ability to resist change depends on strength.

B. Shale

A. Granite


PART III. PROCESSES - AGENTS OF ENERGY EXPENDITURETo change the shape of the surface depends on the movement of material - this requires energy; sources include:Gravity - energy due to height and the pull of gravity...


Running water - energy due to the movement of water over the surface and in river and stream channels...


Waves - energy due to the movement of water in lakes and oceans...


Ice - energy due to moving glaciers….


PART IV. HISTORYMany landscapes retain landforms formed during the last Ice Age - the past must often be reconstructed to explain the present.

Ice flow


Applied Geomorphology:

The last part of the course presents case studies of applied geomorphological research, topics may include coastal erosion, coastal sedimentation, expansive soils, hydrological impacts of urbanization, hurricane impacts.

Documents

Harry Williams, Geomorphology1 Geography 4350/5350 Geomorphology SYLLABUS NOTES: Prerequisite –You ARE expected to have a basic background in physical