Advanced Field Geology

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: Dr Charles Underwood
• Assessment: 3-6 field exercises (60%) and an illustrated field report (40%)

In this module you will gain experience of techniques involved in geological fieldwork. Performance in the field (accuracy of observations and records) and quality of interpretation are assessed during and immediately following each 10-14-day Easter field class by the field class leader in consultation with demonstrators (if any).

You will need a hard hat, hand lens, field notebooks, compass, clinometer, pencils, mapping pens, tape measure and geological hammers.

Indicative syllabus

• Morphology, geometry, mineralogy and textures of intra crustal basaltic volcanics
• Transect of a narrow sedimentary basin, focusing on facies changes within the Early Jurassic relative to basin position
• Basin inversion and tectonics
• Advanced sedimentary logging of carbonates on large and small scale
• Recording of 3D sedimentological features
• Marine and non-marine palaeoecology and facies analysis
• Modern desert and montaine sedimentary and ecological environments
• Production of a synthesis of field data incorporating direct observations, remote data and literature

By the end of this module, you will have:

• experience of field study of a wide diversity of geological phenomena, including globally famous sites with complex geological histories
• combined observations of field geology to synthesise historical and spatial relationships
• familiarity with a range of new field techniques
• knowledge of geological processes, past and present
• knowledge of human geology and exploitation of geological resources
• experience of constructing a thesis summarising field data and combining this with published information. Includes experience in scientific writing, graphics and presentation.