SYLLABUS: GLG 412

GLACIAL GEOLOGY AND THE RECORD OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Instructor: Grahame J. Larson, 205 Natural Sciences Building

Office hours: Thurs: 12:00-2:00 Email: larsong@.msu.edu Class: T, Th: 10:20-11:40

Web Page: http://www.msu.edu/~larsong/ Phone: 3-9485 Lab: W 8:00-9:50; Th 12:40-2:30

Textbook: Glacial Geology: Ice Sheets and Landforms by Bennett and Glasser

Ice Age Earth: Late Quaternary Geology and Climate by Dawson

WEEK	TOPIC	READINGS
one*	Introduction The Ice Age theory	GG 1 GG 2
two	Modern and ancient glaciers Accumulation and ablation
three*	Mass balance of glaciers Thermal and flow properties of glacier ice	GG 3
four	Structural and drainage properties of glacier ice Glacial erosion	GG 4 GG 5
five*	Glacial debris transport Exam 1 – February 7	GG 6 GG 7
six	Tills and diamictons	GG 8 GG 9
seven*	Tills and diamictons Glaciofluvial sediments	GG 10
eight	Glaciolacustrine and glaciomarine sediments Aeolian sediments	GG 11
nine	Spring Break: March 6-10
ten*	Interpreting glacial landscapes	GG 12
eleven	Dating Quaternary events	IAE 1
twelve*	EXAM 2 - March 25 Earth’s climate record	IAE 2 IAE 3
thirteen	Quaternary sealevel record	IAE 12
fourteen*	Deglaciation of North America Deglaciation of the Great Lakes	IAE 4 IAE 5
fifteen	Deglaciation of Northern Europe FIELD TRIP – Saturday April 19	IAE 2
sixteen*	Abrupt Climate Change
	EXAM 3 – Tuesday April 29 10:00 – 12:00 a.m.

Note: Grade determined from 3 exams each worth 100 pts. and 8 labs each worth 10 pts. Total pts. = 380 ,

*lab weeks