GEOLOGY 431- SPRING 2012
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY
Dr. Allen Dennis
Phone 641-3396, Office 224 Science
Email: allend@usca.edu (subject line AGLY 431)
This course is 4 credit hours
Office Hours 8-10 W
Other times by apt
Text: Tectonolithofacies map of the Appalachian Orogen, Harold Williams, 1978;
Oxford Dictionary of the Earth Sciences, 3rd ed., Allaby, 2008.
Handouts from the Literature will be distributed by email, blackboard, or in class. Several introductory Geology
texts will be on reserve for your use. The list of articles below is tentative and may change during the course.
January
February
March
19
26
2
9
Introduction
Wilson, 1966; King, 1955; Secor et al, 1983.
Foreland Deposition
Thomas, 1978; King, 1968.
Foreland deformation
Rich, 1934; Cook et al., 1979.
Blue Ridge easterly t’s & sutures, Problems Williams and Hatcher, 1982; Tull &
Groszos, 1990; Moecher et al, 2004; Shervais et al.,
2003.
11 (Sat) Clarks Hill E. Piedmont Transect, 7am -7pm Dennis & Secor, 2007.
16
Carolina & the Alleghanian Dennis, 2007; Hibbard et al, 2007; Sacks and Secor,
1990; Gastaldo et al, 1993.
23
Big Picture Problems
Thomas & Astini,1999, 2004; Gutierrez-Alonso et al.,
2008.
1
Pre-Trip Wrap-Up
2
Leave for Dunlap, TN
3
Valley & Ridge of TN
4
V&R, western Blue Ridge
5
Western BR
6
Eastern BR & Inner Piedmont, Brevard zone
7
Carolina terrane
Return to Aiken
15
Review and Discussion of Field Trip
Comparisons ax Appalachian Range Nance and Linneman,
My objectives for this class are that
1) You develop an understanding of geological reasoning, and the nature of geological relations.
2) You get experience identifying igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
3) You read and comprehend some recent and classic literature concerning the southern Appalachians.
4) You practice thinking critically and writing.
Each week you will be responsible for writing short summaries for two of the assigned papers. 1) Identify the key figure
in the paper, and include it; 2) Describe in your own words what that figure shows; 3) What are the key observations or
location that support that interpretation; 4) What are the implications of that figure? 5) Propose a test of that hypothesis or
interpretation; 6) What questions do you have about that interpretation? 7) List and define ten new geology terms in this paper;
8) What if there is more than one key figure? You can team up with another classmate and do another 1-7 together for the
second figure.
These writeups will make up 75% of your grade. The remaining 25% will be your choice of either a discussion of the
evolution of the Appalachians or a geologic description of the field trips we take Feb 11 and over Spring Break. Either should
run between 6-10 pages. This paper will be due (to me) 6 April 2012.
I have made the list of readings as short as possible, partly because many students have a limited geological background,
and adding more readings would not help you understand better. Most of my selections are special to sites we will visit on our
field trip. Several geology texts, glossaries, and additional materials are on reserve at the library. I will also distribute additional
handouts, drawn from other (non-assigned) readings.
If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability that might affect your performance in this class, please contact the
Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as possible.
The Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.