Geology and GIS

Content development

• A bit of content for you non-geology types…

• after http://www.earthscienceliteracy.org/index.html

A few big idea in Geology/Earth Sci.

• Big Idea 1- Earth scientists use repeatable observations and testable ideas to understand and explain our planet.– Works to assist humanity with challenging

problems…– Combines aspects of biology, chemistry, physics,

and mathematics…

Big idea 2 - Earth is ____

years old.

4.6 Billion years of time…

• The Earth’s rock record provides a natural library for its history (construction, destruction, change, evolution, etc.) – Life on Earth began 3.5 billion years ago– The record contains gaps (unconformities)

• Two crust types = oceanic and mafic• Gradualism vs. Catastrophism

• Big Idea # 3 – The Earth is a complex system of interacting rock, water, and life!– Spheres = geo, hydro, atmo, and bio…– All processes are the result of changing energy

between systems• Sun• Core

– These systems are dynamic, constantly changing, and contain feedback systems

Albedo

• Big Idea #4 – The Earth is a water planet…– Water water ever

where from the upper atmosphere to depths of the mantle.

– Water is essential for life on Earth!

– Water shapes the Earth’s landscapes

• Big Idea #5 Life evolves on a dynamic Earth and continuously changes our planet. – Fossils are preserved evidence of ancient life– Evolution, including the origination and extinction

of species, is a natural and ongoing process– Mass extinctions occur when global conditions

change faster than species in large numbers can adapt.

Controversy?

• Life, human life is a mere occurrence of time. I say this not to be little our existence, but rather to emphasize the miracle, that we are here at all.

Science and religion

• Xavier Le Pichon• Fragility and the evolution of our

humanity• http://being.publicradio.org/programs

/2009/fragility/

• Big idea # 7 We (humans) depend on the Earth for resources

– Recourses mold our civilization – Natural recourses are limited– Geology affects the distribution and development of

human populations– Fossil fuels and uranium currently provide most of our

energy resource– Earth scientists help society move toward greater

sustainability

• Big idea #7 Natural hazards pose risks to humans…– Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, draughts, sinkholes,

landslides, severe weather, etc. – Again gradualism vs. catastrophism – Scale – local to global – Increasing populations in hazardous areas

• Big idea #8 We (humans) significantly alter each of the Earth’s spheres. – We alter the rate of the Earth’s processes– We can use the geologic record to distinguish natural vs.

human influences – Humans affect the quality, availability, and distribution

of Earth’s water through the modification of streams, lakes, and groundwater

– An Earth-science-literate public, informed by current and accurate scientific understanding of Earth, is critical to the promotion of good stewardship, sound policy, and international cooperation

Homework for this week

• Create an activity that incorporates geology layers, within any theme of your choosing

• Or Listen to the Xavier Le Pichon podcast and write paper (no more than two pages) first page a summary of what he was talking about and a second page as a personal reflection (what do you personally think about his perspective?) Only the first page will be graded. http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2009/fragility/

GIS and Geology options

• Make sure that you use the format provided in the activity book that I sent you…

Some geology layers that you might want to use….

– Bedrock– Pahas– Dunes– Coal mines – Aggregate sources beds– Sinkholes