GEOL 4460 - Earth Systems Evolution

• Appreciate that changes in the Earth system take place on different time scales. For example, plate-tectonic-driven changes are often likely to be considerably slower than change instigated by reorganization of ocean circulation.
• Be able to write in a style that applies of multiple working hypotheses to complex and controversial aspects of causes and consequences to changes to the Earth system. Give proper credit to the authors of the contrasting studies.
• Be capable of writing clearly about positive and negative climate feedbacks as the Earth System responds to stimuli such as volcanic eruptions, major mountain-building episodes.
• Comprehend the manner in which changes in accumulation of sedimentary rock types such as black shale, salts, and nutrient-rich rocks record significant shifts in the nature of ancient ocean chemistry and its physical operational style.
• Demonstrate writing competency that shows a grasp of the fundamentals of how key aspects of the rock record can record past changes in Earth’s ancient oceans and atmosphere.
• Recognize the critical factors that have forced ancient climates on Earth toward cold and glaciated (icehouse) conditions versus warm to hot (greenhouse and hothouse) conditions.
• Use the exercise of revising, editing and proofreading to hone the skills for writing cogently about Earth system complexities. Be able distinguish and communicate where scientific knowledge is most and least certain.
• Writing from a core of properly cited sources of primary scientific literature, be able to synthesize the nature, causal factors, and significance of some documented major changes in the ancient Earth system.