EAE3540 · Geology and geomorphology in the field

Overview

What forces, ancient and modern, formed our planet? Can reading the rocks and landscapes help us to better understand our natural environment, and transition to a more sustainable future? You will learn about processes related to geological evolution including structural geology, metamorphism and geomorphology that have contributed to the creation of current landforms, during a 14-day field trip. You will learn to observe, interpret and record geological and landscape processes and their expressions in the bedrock and landscapes, drawing on your prior studies in the School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment. If you choose to focus on geological interpretations, you will use these observations for the assessments and to construct a litho-structural geological map, a cross-section predicting geometries in the third dimension and decipher the geological history of a complex poly-deformed metamorphic terrain, in a classic field location of Australian geology. If you choose to focus on landscapes, you will understand why landscapes look the way they do, what processes create them, and how to infer aspects of climate and geology context from them. You will analyse sites which serve as examples for understanding fluvial, alluvial, hillslope and aeolian geomorphic processes. The unit assessment will focus on the collection and interpretation of data characterising these landscapes. You will conduct land and hydrological surveys and learn how to interpret sediments and develop valuable skills in any geoscience careers.

Areas of study: Earth science

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate practical experience in problem formulation and solution using field-based techniques of survey and analysis;
2. Communicate your understanding through enhanced oral and written communication skills, including reporting of spatial data;
3. Work in a team environment and communicate with peers;
4. Make, interpret and report observations;
5. Develop scientific hypothesis from these observations and design tests for these hypotheses;
6. Apply new skills to analyse the geomorphic and geologic evolution of an area;
7. Analyse multi-scale processes through space and time.

Workload

• 96 hours of field-based teaching during a 14-day field camp including travel. • 32 hours of assessment preparation in your own time and • 16 hours of workshops

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.