Evolution of the Earth

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Evolution of the Earth

• GLY 2010 Summer 2009
• aka Physical Geology

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As the radius of the circle of light grows
larger, so does the circumference of the ring of
darkness around it. Albert Einstein
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What Are The Geo Sciences?
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Origin of Geology

• Meaning The study of the Earth
• From Greek ge and logia

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How Do We Study The Earth?

• Use techniques of many fields
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematics

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What Geologists Study

• 1. The materials of which Earth is made
• 2. The processes that act, and have acted, on
  these materials
• 3. The products formed by these actions
• 4. History of the planet and its life forms since
  its origin

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Where is Geology Studied?
In the laboratory
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Junior Field Camp, 2005

• In the field photo courtesy Dr. Anton Oleinik

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What Is Physical Geology?

• A broad division of geology that concerns
  itself with the processes and forces involved in
  the inorganic evolution of the Earth and its
  morphology, and with its constituent minerals,
  rocks, magmas, and core materials.

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External Clues
EETA 79001 meteorite, was found on the ice in
Antarctica, and is quite likely from Mars.
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Topics Covered in Course
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MaterialsThe Composition of the Earth

• Minerals
• Rocks

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Geologic Processes

• Weathering
• Erosion
• Transport of sediment
• Volcanism
• Seismic activity (earthquakes)

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Geologic Agents

• Water
• Plate movements
• Energy transfers

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Natural Hazards

• Examples
• Earthquakes
• Volcanoes
• Sinkholes
• Subsidence

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Natural Resources

• Metals
• Energy
• Water

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Energy Resources

• Balance exploitation of the earth with
  environmental protection
• Petroleum resources are rapidly diminishing
  preparing for a change in energy resources

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Landforms

• Arid Region
• Glacial
• Coastal

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Geologic Research

• Soil loss
• Geologic mapping
• Plate Tectonics
• Paleontology
• Stratigraphy and biostratigraphy
• Palynology
• Energy sources

• Environmental problems
• Hydrogeology
• Environmental Geochemistry
• Global Climate Change
• Sea-level rise
• Biogeochemistry

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Climatology

• Global warming, caused by emission of greenhouse
  gases into the atmosphere, is raising global
  temperatures
• How has climate varied over longer periods of
  time? Geologic studies can help provide reliable
  data
• Data from ice cores, tree rings, pollen grains,
  marine sediments, lake sediments, stalactites and
  stalagmites, and others are studied

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Foram Image

• Scanning electron microscope image of a foram
• Forams can provide clues to past climates

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Plate Tectonics

• Unifying theory for the earth sciences
• Impacts all aspects of geology
• Aids understanding of many phenomena previously
  misunderstood
• Based on Alfred Wegeners concept of Continental
  Drift, first proposed in 1912

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Environmental Problems

• Disposal of hazardous waste, especially spent
  nuclear fuel
• Demand for additional energy and mineral
  resources
• Cleanup of existing mining sites which have
  produced pollution
• Demand for additional clean water sources

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Importance of Geologic Research

• Earths population is approaching 6.8 billion
  people
• Demand for water, food, and natural resources is
  putting an incredible strain on the planet
• What is the sustainable limit? Research can help
  to answer this question
• What other areas of research are providing vital
  information?

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Climate Change

• The issue of climate change has been hotly
  debated
• The climate is warming, and man is the cause
• The effects of warming and secondary effects are
  being actively studied

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Climate Change Implications

• Precipitation will increase
• Sea-level will continue to rise, possibly at an
  accelerating rate
• Melting of permafrost
• Subsidence in coastal regions and areas of
  permafrost

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Academic vs. Applied Research

• As budgets tighten, there is a tendency to favor
  applied research, which has a goal of an
  achievable result that will benefit society
• Academic research may seem to be of interest to
  only a few people in the world, with no practical
  benefit whatsoever
• This attitude would have denied us penicillin,
  transistors, and many other things we take for
  granted

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Geology and Other Disciplines

• Frequency of severe hurricanes in the North
  Atlantic over time how can we measure
  hurricanes without written records?
• Could Napoleon's desire to conquer Britain have
  been thwarted by a geologic event?

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Jobs in Geology

• Formerly a cyclical industry
• Expansion into new areas has increased job
  opportunities
• Stepping stone to employment in other areas

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Job Prospects - 1

• Demand for environmental scientists and
  hydrologists will be spurred largely by public
  policy, which will oblige companies and
  organizations to comply with complex
  environmental laws and regulations, particularly
  those regarding ground-water decontamination,
  clean air, and flood control

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Job Prospects - 2

• Job opportunities also will be spurred by a
  continued general awareness regarding the need to
  monitor the quality of the environment, to
  interpret the impact of human actions on
  terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and to
  develop strategies for restoring ecosystems

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Job Prospects - 3

• Employment of environmental scientists and
  hydrologists is expected to grow much faster than
  the average for all occupations. Job prospects
  are expected to be favorable, particularly for
  hydrologists (12/18/2007)

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Job Transfer to Other Countries

• It is nearly impossible to transfer jobs in
  geology overseas
• Work must be done on-site
• Geology jobs are available world-wide

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Median Annual Compensation Environmental
Scientists May, 2006
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Compensation II

• Median annual earnings of geoscientists were
  72,660 in May 2006
• According to the National Association of Colleges
  and Employers, beginning salary offers in July
  2007 for graduates with bachelors degrees in
  geology and related sciences averaged 40,786 a
  year
• In 2007, the Federal Governments average salary
  for geologists in managerial, supervisory, and
  nonsupervisory positions was 87,392 for
  geologists, 100,585 for geophysicists, and
  93,461 for oceanographers

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First Geologists in the White House

• Thirty-first president of the United States
• Geology degree from Stanford

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Lou Henry Hoover

• Graduated from Stanford University, 1898
• Possibly the first Geology degree awarded to a
  woman in the United States

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USGS Geologists at work in Alaska
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Careers for Geoscientists

• Click to play video