Earth Planetary Sciences 450
Process Geomorphology
In teaching Process Geomorphology (Geography-Geology 450, we again use the Systems Approach, here in terms of geomorphic process systems interacting with earth materials to form landforms and landscapes. Throughout the course it is emphasized that - in order to understand the landform - we must investigate the underlying bedrock or regolith in order to comprehend genesis. Traditionally, the laboratories have been map-and-remote-sensing-imagery based, but a new lab manual is in the works. A recent course offering is given below. However, this year - for the first time - I introduce a geomorphically-related required class field service project so that we can use our geomorphic knowledge to give something back to the community and the environment.
Part of the first class meeting of Geology of the National Parks (Geological Sciences 203) is taken up by handing out and discussing a rather elaborate questionnaire that I want the student to fill out during the first week of class and then submit anonymously (there is no place for a name on the form), I want to get a feel for the mix of earth-science-related backgrounds students have in each National Parks class I teach, and I want to know what specific National Parks are high on their interest list. During this first week, I lecture on the history and structure of the US. National Park System, the Regional Geomorphology of the United States in relation to what Parks are in what geomorphic regions, and we take a one-period "field trip" to the University Map Library where the students are introduced to the geologic resources available to them. (They will use these resources - as well as others - in preparing their term report on a favorite Park or Geological National Monument.) All the while, I am compiling a list of the "most popular" National Parks and Geologic National Monuments, as the confidential questionnaires filter in. You are cautioned that what you see below ONLY begins with desert Parks so that students can clearly "see" the relation of landforms and regoliths to the underlying bedrock, and follow that with a group of dynamically-forming Parks that epitomize the joys of living on and very close to, plate boundaries! This gets, or tries to get, every student on the same geologic page before we get too far into really complicated terranes. Fortunately for me, Grand Canyon National Park has never failed to make the "top ten" so I can lead off with it to present, or review, the basic geologic principles needed for the rest of the course!
AUG 21 OBJECTIVES, PURPOSE, SCOPE, PLUS, WHAT IS PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY? AUG 26 Process Geomorphology ENLARGED! Other Geomorphologies: Structural, Tectonic, Modelling, Climatic, Historical, Regional, Soil, Applied, and, by the way, what is Physical Geography? AUG 28 Physical-Chemical-Biogeochemical Weathering, Soil Parent Materials SEP 02 BOOMSDAY: NO CLASSES (KNOXVILLE & UT HOLIDAY) SEP 04 Soil Geomorphology and Whole-Regolith Pedology and Geomorphology SEP 09 Concepts of the Morphostratigraphic Unit and the Geomorphic Surface SEP 11 Karst SEP 16 Origins of Solutional-Based Cavern Systems SEP 18 WEB OF SCIENCE AND ScienceDirect (Earth Surface Processes) SEP 23 Mass Wasting Processes AND Products of Mass Wasting SEP 25 Mass Movement Case Studies SEP 30 FIRST EXAMINATION (15%) OCT 02 Fluvial Hydrology: Flow in Alluvial Channels OCT 04-05-06 CLASS FIELD TRIP TO SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA OCT 07 Fluvial Geomorphological Form & Process: River Channel Forms OCT 09 The Drainage Basin as a Geomorphological Unit in Non-Soluble Terranes OCT 10 EARTH SCIENCE DAY IN UTK!!! OCT 13-14-15-16-17-18-19 EARTH SCIENCE WEEK IN TENNESSEE!! ! OCT 14 Floodplain Development and Evolution OCT 16 Catchment Case Studies OCT 18-19-20 KGEMS GEM, MINERAL, AND JEWELRY SHOW (KERBELA TEMPLE) OCT 21 Fluvial Terrace Development and Evolution OCT 23 Landscape Evolution OCT 28 The Appalachian Problem I: Processes of Topographic Development OCT 30 The Appalachian Problem II: Processes of Drainage Evolution NOV 04 SECOND EXAMINATION (15%) NOV 06 Process Groups Responsible for Global Cold-Climatic Deterioration NOV 11 Periglacial Geomorphology NOV 13 Glaciology: The Science of Existing Glaciers: Physics, Form, and Regimen NOV 18 Glacial geology I: Mountain = Valley = Alpine Glaciers NOV 20 Glacial Geology II: Continental Ice Sheets NOV 25 Geomorphology in Deserts: Geomorphic Processes NOV 27 Geomorphology in Deserts: Landforms and Landscapes DEC 02 Geomorphology in Deserts: Processes of Desertification = Aridification DEC 04 STUDY DAZE: NO CLASSES NOR EXAMS DEC 11 WEDNESDAY: COMBO FINAL EXAMINATIONS 12:30 - 14:30
G. Michael Clark
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
1412 Circle Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996-1410
Phone: (865) 974-6006
Email: clarkgmorph@utk.edu