Exposes students to a solid background in a variety of topics related to integrative geosciences, emphasizing interdisciplinarity. Development of speaking skills through oral presentations, and writing skills through preparation and defense of large, interdisciplinary grant proposals. Required of all first year graduate students in Geosciences.

Advanced study and research in geology.

Principles of sedimentology and stratigraphy. Physical processes of sediment transport and deposition. Characteristics of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Facies models for terrigenous clastic, chemical, and biochemical sediments. Stratigraphic frameworks and methodologies. One or more weekend field trips may be required.

Microbial diversity and biogeochemistry in aquatic ecosystems, microbe-mineral interactions, fossil record, atmospheric record, microbialites, and research methodology in geomicrobiology. A weekend field trip may be required.

Tectonic and environmental controls on the development and evolution of sedimentary basins. Emphasis on mechanisms of formation, characteristic depositional patterns, and sediment composition in modern and ancient tectonic settings. Basin analysis methods include sedimentology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, provenance and paleocurrent analysis, subsidence modeling, and interpretation of geophysical data.

Multivariate spatial analysis methods and statistical inference in earth science, emphasizing how to translate conceptual understanding into computer code.

Carbonate platforms and reefs. Physical, chemical, and biological controls on the nature of carbonate depositional environments and their distribution in time and space. Characteristics and classification of carbonate sediments, limestones, and dolostones. Petrographic and geochemical techniques. Facies models for depositional systems. Stratigraphic frameworks and methodologies. One or more weekend field trips may be required.

The climates and dynamics of glaciers, the geologic processes responsible for the materials and landforms of glaciated regions, and the applications of glacial geology to paleoclimatology, paleoecology, land use history, hydrology, engineering, and natural resources. Includes two weekend days of field trips to be scheduled, and tutorial meetings.

(Also offered as GEOG 5230.) Research methods for using Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing, and image interpretation to investigate problems in geoscience. Includes research techniques for data acquisition, processing and analysis of Digital Elevation Models and satellite imagery. Geologic materials, processes, landforms and landscapes.

Research methods and advanced theory for studying watershed processes, lake systems, late Pleistocene to present environmental change, the environmental impacts of dams, and the application of sediment coring. Includes field trips to lakes and reservoirs in eastern Connecticut.

Introduces students to techniques used in analyzing plate motions on a sphere, including poles of rotation and instantaneous and finite motions. The course integrates geologic data and analytical techniques with a rigorous understanding of plate motions and provides students with a global understanding and appreciation of the Earth.

Tectonic processes that shape the Earth's surface, particularly its landforms. Emphasis on short-term processes that produce disasters and catastrophes and affect human society.

Fundamentals of stable isotope biogeochemistry. Origin of elements and stable isotopes; equilibrium and kinetic fractionation; isotope systematics of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur; biogeochemical systems; isotopes as a forensic tracer; and isotopes in paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental research.

Introduction to the principles, materials, and diverse applications of commonly used geochronologic methods in geologic, environmental, archeological, and planetary studies. Topics may include the timing and tempo of planetary formation, Earth processes, natural hazards, formation of natural resources, biotic evolution, and environmental change.

Theory of elasticity applied to wave propogation: equations of motion; reflection and refraction of elastic waves; velocity analysis and fundamental petrophysics; and principles of detecting subsurface interfaces and structures.

The composition, structure, and dynamics of the earth's core, mantle, and crust inferred from observations of seismology, geomagnetism, and heat flow.

Evolution of the solar system, celestial mechanics, tidal friction, internal composition of planets, black-body radiation, planetary atmospheres.

Overview of energy resources (fossil fuel and renewable), underground fluid storage, and greenhouse gas sequestration. Subsurface geoscientific exploration and extraction methods.

Field methods associated with ground water and contamination assessments.

Modeling past and future climate, with an emphasis on conceptual understanding of the earth system and simulation results from climate models of different complexities.

Introduction to the geological evidence, research methods, and hypotheses associated with major climatic events in Earth's history through a combination of lectures, paper discussions, and a climate modeling project.

Introduction to geochemistry of terrestrial and aqueous environmental systems. Chemical weathering and water-rock interactions; geochemistry of natural waters; chemical systems of the geosphere, biosphere and atmosphere; and geochemistry and climate.

Weekly meetings focused on recent advances in Earth Sciences, including departmental seminars and/or discussions of scientific literature. May be repeated for a total of six credits.

Readings and discussions on recent advances in paleontology and paleobiology.

Readings and discussions of recent advances in low temperature and stable isotope geochemistry.

May be repeated for credit with a change in topic.