Geological Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences
Bloomington

Chairperson
Herman B. Wells Professor Abhijit Basu

Malcolm and Sylvia Boyce Chair
Mark A. Person

Haydn H. Murray Chair
David L. Bish

Departmental E-mail
geograd@indiana.edu

Departmental URL
www.indiana.edu/~geosci/

Graduate Faculty
Degrees Offered
Special Departmental Requirements
Master of Science Degree
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Courses Offered

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Graduate Faculty

(An asterisk [*] denotes associate membership in University Graduate School faculty.)

Distinguished Professor
Peter Ortoleva (Chemistry)

Professors
Abhijit Basu, David Bish, Simon Brassell, Jeremy Dunning, Hendrik Haitjema (Public and Environmental Affairs), Christopher G. Maples (Leave of Absence), Enrique Merino, Gary Pavlis, Mark Person, Lisa Pratt, Edward Ripley, Jeffrey White (Public and Environmental Affairs), Robert Wintsch

Associate Professors
James Brophy, Michael Hamburger, Claudia Johnson*, Gregory Olyphant, Juergen Schieber, Chen Zhu

Professors Emeriti
J. Robert Dodd, John Droste, Donald Hattin, Norman Hester, Erle Kauffman, Noel Krothe, Gary Lane, Judson Mead, Haydn Murray, Albert J. Rudman, Lee J. Suttner, David Towell

Senior Scientists
John Comer, Arndt Schimmelmann, John Steinmetz

Associate Scientist
Chusi Lee

Assistant Scientists
Bruce Douglas*, Erika Elswick*, Peter Sauer

Associated Research Faculty
Ned Bleuer*, Brian Keith, Maria Mastalerz*, Carl Rexroad (Emeritus), Todd Thompson

Graduate Advisor
Professor Mark A. Person, Geology Building 429, (812) 855-7214 or (800) 553-2592

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Degrees Offered

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Admission Requirements
An undergraduate degree in the physical or natural sciences. It is expected that students will have an undergraduate background that includes course work in allied sciences/mathematics, equivalent to one year of chemistry and physics or biology, mathematics through differential and integral calculus, plus at least 6 credit hours of higher-level courses. A substantive foundation course in field geology or comparable independent field experience is also expected. Students with degrees in engineering or other related fields are also encouraged to apply. The general Graduate Record Examination is required.

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Master of Science Degree

Course Requirements
A minimum of 30 graduate credit hours in geological sciences.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, including dissertation and 35 credit hours of course work approved for graduate credit (excluding G600, G700, and G810), of which a minimum of 20 credit hours must be taken within the Department of Geological Sciences. All graduate students working toward the Ph.D. degree are expected to satisfy the master's degree requirements unless they can show cause to the geological sciences faculty for having that requirement waived.

Minor
Outside minor in a related field (including chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and environmental sciences), or, under certain conditions, in geochemistry, geophysics, or geobiology.

Foreign Language/Research-Skill Requirement
Reading proficiency in one foreign language (French, German, Russian, or Spanish) or a research skill in mathematics, computer science, chemistry, or physics. Courses taken to satisfy this requirement do not carry graduate credit. For specific details concerning approved research-skill courses, consult the graduate advisor.

Other Provision
All students in the Ph.D. program are encouraged to serve at least one semester as associate instructors during their graduate study.

Qualifying Examination
Comprehensive: written and oral.

Final Examination
Oral defense of the dissertation.

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Courses Offered

Courses offered at Bloomington are loosely organized as introductory, advanced, and multidisciplinary (at the convergence of different areas). Introductory courses cover topical research issues and quantitative skills, stressing interdisciplinary approaches and problem-solving skills. Advanced courses provide the in-depth instruction within each of the department's major disciplines: environmental geoscience, geobiology, geochemistry, sedimentary systems, and solid-earth dynamics. Many new core courses are offered under the course number G690; these include Isotope Systematics, Origin of Sedimentary Rocks, Basin Analysis, Computation Methods, Magmatic Geochemistry, and Evolution of Ecosystems. The topic Environmental Field Methods was initially offered as G700. Advanced topics in specialized subdisciplines and seminars in interdisciplinary themes have included the courses Chemical Oceanography and Cenozoic Climate Change as well as courses covering topics such as invertebrate paleontology, paleoecology, stratigraphy, sedimentology, and coal geology.

All core courses will be offered on the Bloomington campus during the academic years 2004-2006; several will be taught as G690 topics. A selection of advanced courses, dependent on the research interests of the student body, will also be offered. The courses available in Bloomington are:

G404 Geobiology (3 cr.) P: Biology L105 and G334. Application of biological principles and use of fossils in the study of earth history. Origin of life and the early fossil record; evolution; approaches of taxonomy; chemistry of fossils; ecology of ancient life; use of fossils to measure geologic time.

G406 Introduction to Geochemistry (3 cr.) P: G222, Mathematics M212 or M216, and Chemistry C106. Chemistry in the study of the earth, employing elementary chemical thermodynamics, the phase rule, chemical equilibria, redox, reactions, the radioactive decay law, and organic chemistry.

G411 Invertebrate Paleontology (3 cr.) P: Biology L105 or S105; and one 300-400-level course in biology or geology. Structure, classification, habitats, and geological history and significance of the invertebrate phyla. Laboratory study of fossils.

G413 Introduction to Earth Physics (3 cr.)

G415 Geomorphology (3 cr.) P: G222, college chemistry and mathematics or consent of instructor. Natural processes that form landscapes, surficial, geologic materials, and soils. Physics and chemistry of weathering. Dynamics of streams, wind, waves, glacier ice, and mass movement. Interactions of geomorphology and environment.

G416 Economic Geology (3 cr.) P: G334; Chemistry C106-C126 or consent of instructor. Geologic occurrence and genesis of economic mineral deposits, including petroleum and coal. Introduction to mining, processing, and exploration methods. Two lectures and one 2-hour laboratory per week.

G417 Optical Mineralogy (3 cr.) P: G222. Theory and use of optics in the identification and classification of rock-forming minerals in fragments and thin sections. One lecture and two 2-hour laboratory meetings per week.

G418 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (3 cr.) P: G222 or equivalent. The petrogenesis of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Both the lecture and laboratory portions of the course will stress the application of modern petrographic, mineralogic, geochemical and phase equilibria techniques to the solution of relevant petrologic problems. Two lectures and one 2-hour laboratory meeting per week.

G420 Regional Geology Field Trip (1-2 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Field investigation of selected regions of North America for study of mineralogical, lithological, stratigraphic, structural, paleontological, geomorphological, or other geological relationships. Six to ten days in the field. May be repeated.

G423 Methods in Applied Geophysics (4 cr.) P: G413 or equivalent. Application of geophysical principles to field and laboratory experiments, with emphasis on data acquisition, analysis, and geologic interpretation. Experiments include earthquake seismology, electrical resistivity, magnetic and gravity surveys, and reflection and refraction seismology.

G427 Introduction to X-Ray Mineralogy (1 cr.)
G429 Field Geology in the Rocky Mountains (7 cr.)
G451 Principles of Hydrogeology (3 cr.)

G501 Sedimentary Processes and Environments (3 cr.) P: graduate standing. Origin and controls of facies distribution in sedimentary systems. Field study of selected ancient facies systems.

G503 Phase Equilibria (3 cr.) P or C: C360, G406, or consent of instructor. Thermodynamic functions and conditions of equilibria in unary, binary, ternary, and multicomponent systems. Mixing properties of crystalline solutions. Chemical potential and activity diagrams.

G504 Metamorphic Petrology (3 cr.) P: G418, G503. The evolution of mineral assemblages and compositions during prograde metamorphism. Reaction mechanisms. Effect of fluid composition on mineral assemblages. Theoretical basis and description of various projection schemes. Appraisal of selected experimental studies. G506 Principles of Igneous Petrology (3 cr.) P: G418. Origin, composition, classification, phase relationships, and distribution of igneous rocks; economic considerations. Emphasis on province, associations, and facies type.

G509 Theoretical Geochemistry (4 cr.) P: C360, C361, P340, or G406 or the equivalent; consent of instructor. Thermodynamics and solution chemistry as tools in geochemistry; designed for students planning advanced work or research in geochemistry.

G513 Seismology I (3 cr.) P: MATH M343 or M313; PHYS P222. Earthquakes, propagation of elastic waves, interpretation of seismological data, theory of seismological instruments. Core: solid-earth dynamics.

G514 Geophysical Signal Analysis (3 cr.) P: PHYS P222; MATH M343 or M313. Construction, analysis, and interpretation of geophysical signals. Filter theory, spectral analysis, signal-to-noise enhancement, transform theory, seismic wave propagation, computer applications.

G515 Analysis of Earthquake Seismograms (1 cr.) P: G413. Analysis of local, regional, and teleseismic phases recorded on the Indiana University long- and short-period seismographs. Use of seismic records to determine earthquake source parameters, deep earth structure, and near-station structure. Surface wave dispersion and structure of the lithosphere.

G521 Micropaleontology (3 cr.) P: G404 or G411 or advanced standing in biological sciences. Morphology, biology, ecology, biostratigraphy, and phylogenetic relationships of microfossils. Course will survey the common fossil groups, including cyanobacteria, diatoms, dinoflagellates, acritarchs, foraminifera, and radiolaria.

G524 Carbonate Facies and Environments (2 cr.) P: graduate standing. Carbonate environments from modern and ancient examples (including subsurface). Various ramp and platform margin depositional models. Emphasis on types and origin of facies. Current and classical literature on carbonates.

G535 Quaternary Geology (3 cr.) P: G415 or consent of instructor. Characteristics, distribution, and origin of Pleistocene and recent deposits; stratigraphy and chronology; formation of associated landforms, landscapes, paleosols, and soils; quaternary environments. Core: Environmental Geoscience.

G550 Surface Water Hydrology (3 cr.) P: G451 and M216, or consent of instructor. Mechanics of surface runoff and open channel flow. Rainfall-runoff equations, probability analysis of stream flow, and watershed simulation models. Chemistry of surface waters and stream pollution. Core: environmental geoscience.

G551 Advanced Hydrogeology (3 cr.) P: G451. Basic principles and quantitative aspects of physical flow systems and chemistry of ground water and surface water. The relationships between water and geologic materials. Core: environmental geoscience.

G553 Gravitational and Magnetic Field Analysis (2 cr.) P: G413; MATH M343 or M313; PHYS P222. Potential field theory and its application in interpretation of gravity and magnetic fields. Core: solid-earth dynamics.

G554 Fundamentals of Plate Tectonics (3 cr.) P: graduate standing in geology or consent of instructor. Synthesis of observations from diverse disciplines of geology leading to the development of modern plate tectonic theory. Applications of plate tectonic principles to fundamental problems of continental and marine geology. Core: solid-earth dynamics.

G561 Paleoecology (3 cr.) P: G334 and G404 or G411. Relationships between modern and fossil organisms and their physical, chemical, and biological environments; emphasis on techniques for interpreting past environmental conditions.

G571 Principles of Petroleum Geology (3 cr.) P: G323. Origin, geochemistry, migration, and accumulation of petroleum; reservoir rocks; types of entrapment; exploration procedures and their rationale; methods and devices for data gathering and detection.

G572 Basin Analysis and Hydrocarbons (3 cr.) P: G323 and G334. Modern concepts of tectonics and sedimentary basin analysis. Geologic application of geophysical logs and seismic stratigraphy to basin analysis, facies distribution, and structural style in a variety of basin types with specific examples from around the world. Techniques of hydrocarbon assessment in basinal settings.

G587 Organic Geochemistry (3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Application of organic geochemical methods in determining origins of fossil fuels and in defining biological and environmental histories of rocks.

G591 Physical Sedimentology (3 cr.) P: G415, G501 or equivalent. Dynamics of fluid flow, hydraulics of sediment transport, interaction of physical processes in depositional environments. Field study of selected modern depositional environments.

G592 Chemical Sedimentology (3 cr.) P: G509, G418, or consent of instructor. Study of low-temperature (< 300 degrees C) mineral assemblages in order to infer their chemical conditions of formation.

G600 Advanced Techniques (cr. arr.)** P: consent of instructor. Training in special geologic methods such as exploration seismology, experimental petrology, X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, isotopic and organic mass spectrometry.

G601 Clay Mineralogy (3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Composition, structure, properties, methods of identification, and origin and distribution of clay minerals. Core: sedimentary systems.

G612 Inverse Methods in Geophysics (2 cr.) P: MATH M301, M303, or equivalent. Mathematical techniques to infer the properties of the deep interior of the earth from geophysical data and to appraise the reliability of the results. Theory of generalized inverses in finite dimensional vector spaces and Hilbert space. Resolving power of data. Nonlinear inverse methods.

G613 Seismology II (3 cr.) P: G513. Theory of wave propagation in layered elastic media: Lamb's problem, Cagnaird's method, and propagator matrices. Body force equivalents and the moment tensor representation of seismic sources. Additional selected topics.

G616 Metalliferous Mineral Deposits (3 cr.) P: G416 and G406, or equivalent. Geological processes controlling ore deposition. Application of stable and radioactive isotopes, fluid inclusions, and thermodynamics to the study of ore deposits. Laboratory study of opaque minerals using reflected light microscopy.

G617 Geochemical Exploration (3 cr.) P: G416. Application of geochemical methods in the search for mineral deposits, including analytical techniques, migration of elements, data interpretation, and field problems. Lecture and laboratory.

G626 Industrial Minerals (3 cr.) P: G416. Origin, mode of occurrence, distribution, and uses of mineral commodities other than ores and fuels. Geology of the rocks and minerals used for building materials, chemical raw materials, refractories, fillers, abrasives, fertilizers, fluxes, insulation, filtering agents, and pigments.

G633 Advanced Geophysics Seminar (1-3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Selected topics in earth physics. S/F grading.

G637 Seminar in Tectonics (1 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Multidisciplinary seminar focusing on regional-scale deformation of the earth's lithosphere.

G690 Advanced Geology Seminar (cr. arr.) P: consent of instructor. Seminars on critical research issues and topical themes. S/F grading.

G700 Geologic Problems (1-5 cr.)** P: consent of instructor. Consideration of special geological problems.

G810 Research (cr. arr.)**

**These courses are eligible for a deferred grade.

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