Fall 2004
Class | Topics | Readings |
| August 30 | Why study glaciers? | B+G 1-6 |
| Discovery of the ice ages | Imbrie and Imbrie p. 11-46 | |
| September 1 | History of ice on earth/CO2 and the Greenhouse effect | B+G 7-28 Raymo and Ruddiman 1992 |
| September 3 | Life in the late Pleistocene glacial world | Broecker, 1993 , p. 1-19 |
| September 6 - No Class - Labor Day | ||
| September 8 | Cyclicity of Quaternary climate change/Where are we headed in the future? | Imbrie and Imbrie p. 69-75, 97-111 |
| September 10 | Abrupt climate change/Little Ice Age and the effect on human societies | Grove, p.12-63 Weart, 2003 |
| September 13 | Geographic extent of glaciers and their influence on present societies | Benn and Evans, p.39-64 |
| September 15 | Classification systems | |
| September 17 | Mass balance/Snowlines | B+G 29-33 |
| September 20 | How do glaciers move? | Paper topic due |
| September 22 | Glacier movement II | |
| September 24 | Thermal characteristics and their importance in determining the present-day landscape and resources | TBA |
| September 27 | Meltwater systems, the hazards of outburst floods, and the cost to human societies | B+G 65-82 Clarke 1986 Schoonmaker, 1998 Bretz, 1969 |
| September 29 and October 1 - No Class - WAIS Meeting | Work on papers | |
| October 4 | Glacial surges - characteristics and hazards to human populations | Raymond, 1987 |
| Review Session - Time TBA | ||
| October 6 | Exam | |
| October 8 | How does a glacier erode? | B+G 83-107 |
| October 11 - No Class - Fall Break | ||
| October 13 | Small-scale erosional forms/ ice-flow directions in Maine | B+G 108-116 Lowell et al. 1990 |
| October 15 | Intermediate-scale erosional forms | B+G 116-147 |
| October 16 & 17 - Field Trips | ||
| October 18 | Large-scale erosional forms/ the Maine Landscape | Lowell, 1989 |
| October 20 | Debris entrainment and transport/glaciotectonics | B+G 148-166, 216-229 |
| October 22 | Direct glacier sedimentation/ the production of till | B+G 167-199 Mills, 1977 |
| October 25 | Glaciofluvial sedimentation/ associated environmental and economic issues | B+G 199-214 Miall, 1977 |
| Review Session - Time TBA | ||
| October 27 | Exam | |
| October 29 | A different world: Polar sediments and landforms | Hall et al., 1997 |
| October 30 - Field Trip | ||
| November 1 | Subglacial landforms/drumlins, flutes Are they the product of outburst floods? | B+G 235-258 Gordon et al., 1992 |
| November 3 | Subglacial landforms/eskers/ The Katahdin esker system | B+G 258-260, 272-286 Shreve, 1985 |
| November 5 | Ice-marginal landforms/moraines Use in reconstructing climate | B+G 229-235 Boulton, 1986 Kruger, 1993 |
| November 8 - No Class - GSA | Work on papers | |
| November 10 | Ice-marginal landforms/kame terraces, outwash plains | B+G 260-271 Price, 1971 First Draft of Paper Due |
| November 12 | Periglacial processes and landforms/engineering problems | The Frozen Earth, 1-26 |
| November 15 | Glacial lacustrine processes and sediments | B+G 287-295 Ashley, 1989 |
| November 17 | Glacial marine processes and sediments/ The Presumpscot Formation - economic uses and hazards | B+G 295-315 Oldale, 1989 Powell and Molnia, 1989 |
| November 19 | Landforms deposited in water The Pineo Ridge delta-moraine complex and the blueberry barrens | B+G 316-335 |
| November 22 | Relative/Absolute dating | Taylor, 2000 Ivy-Ochs 1996, 7-22 |
| November 24 & 26 - No Class - Thanksgiving Break | ||
| November 29 | Interpreting landscapes - patterns of erosion and deposition, expected stratigraphy | B+G 336-356 |
| December 1 | Glaciation of Maine | Borns et al. 2003 |
| Review Session - Time TBA | ||
Ashley, G., 1989. Classification of glaciolacustrine sediments. In Goldthwait and Matsch eds., Genetic Classification of Glacigenic Deposits, Balkema, Rotterdam, 243-260.
Benn and Evans, 1998. Glaciers and Glaciation, Oxford University Press.
Borns, H., Dorion, C., Jacobson, G., Kaplan, M., Kreutz, K., Thompson, W., Weddle, T., and Lowell, T., 2003. The deglaciation of Maine.
Boulton, G., 1972. The role of thermal regime in glacial sedimentation: In: Polar Geomorphology, ed. R.J.Price and D.E. Sugden, Institute of British Geographers Special Publication 4, 1-19.
Boulton, G., 1986. Push moraines and glacier contact fans in marine and terrestrial environments. Sedimentology 33, 677-698.
Broecker, W., 1993. Glacial World According to Wally, Eldigio Press, NY.
Clarke, G., 1986. Professor Mathews, outburst floods, and other glaciological disasters. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 23, 859-868.
Gordon et al., 1992. The formation of glacier flutes: assessment of models with evidence from Lyngsdalen, North Norway. Quaternary Science Reviews 11, p. 709-731.
Grove, J., 1988. The Little Ice Age. Methuen, London, p. 13-63.
Hall et al., 1997. . Pliocene paleoenvironment and East Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior: Evidence from Wright Valley. Journal of Geology, v. 105, p. 285-294.
Imbrie and Imbrie, 1979. Ice Ages: Solving the Mystery. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Ivy-Ochs, S., 1996. The dating of rock surfaces using in situ produced 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl, with examples from Antarctica and the Swiss Alps. ETH Dissertation 11763.
Kruger, 1993. Moraine-ridge formation along a stationary ice front in Iceland. Boreas 22, 101109.
Lawson, D., 1981. Distinguishing characteristics of diamictons at the margin of Matanuska Glacier, Alaska. Annals of Glaciology 2, 78-84.
Lowell, T., 1989. LateWisconsin glacial geology of the eastern portion of Mt. Desert Island. Studies in Maine Geology 6, 103-118.
Lowell, T., Kite, J.S., Calkin, P.E., and Halter, E.F., 1990. Analysis of small-scale erosional data and a sequence of late Pleistocene flow reversal, northern New England. GSA Bulletin 102, p. 74-85.
Miall, A., 1977. A review of the braided river depositional environment. Earth Science Reviews 13, 1-62.
Mills, H., 1977. Differentiation of glacier environments by sediment characteristics, Athabasca Glacier, Alberta, Canada. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 47, 728-737.
Oldale, R., 1989. Timing and mechanisms for the deposition of the glaciomarine mud in and around the Gulf of Maine: A discussion of alternative methods. Studies in Maine Geology 5, p. 1-10.
Powell, R., and Molnia, B., 1989. Glacimarine sedimentary processes, facies, and morphology of the south-southeast Alaska shelf and fjords. Marine Geology 85, 359-390.
Price, R., 1971. The development and destruction of a sandur, Breidamerkurjokull, Iceland. Arctic and Alpine Research 3, 225-237.
Raymo, M., and Ruddiman, W., 1992. Tectonic forcing of late-Cenozoic climate. Nature 359, 117-122.
Raymond, C., 1987. How do glaciers surge? A review. Journal of Geophysical Research 92, 9121-9134.
Schoonmaker, D., 1998. Jñklhlaup. American Scientist 86, p. 426-427.
Shreve, R., 1985. Late Wisconsin ice-surface profiles calculated from esker paths and types. Quaternary Research 23, p. 27-37.
Taylor, 2000. Fifty years of radiocarbon dating. American Scientist, 88, 60-67.
Weart, S., 2003. The discovery of rapid climate change. Physics Today, p. 30-36.
Williams and Smith, 1989. The Frozen Earth, Cambridge University Press.
Instructor: Dr. Brenda Hall
311 Bryand Hall
(207) 581-2191
brendah (at) maine.edu
Class Time: MWF 9:00-9:50
Office Hours: MW 10:00-11:00, or by appointment
Field Trips: Oct. 16, 17, 30
Reading: Text: Bennett and Glasser, Glacial Geology: Ice Sheets and Landforms
Gen-Ed Requirements: Satisfies Population and the Environment and Writing Intensive
Course Objectives
Much of the present landscape of Maine and other high-latitude and temperate regions owes its development to glacial erosion and deposition. Not only did the ice ages reshape the landscape, but they also caused pronounced changes in vegetation, animal habitat, and human settlement and adaptation. Although most glaciers retreated thousands of years ago, our lives still are affected by their legacy, and we rely on glacial deposits for economic resources, including agriculture, construction materials, and water. Worldwide, many people still live in glaciated areas and must face both the benefits and hazards that result. This course explores the nature of the ice ages, as well as the work of glaciers and how they shape the earthÌs surface. Emphasis is on understanding the processes that resulted in the landscape and sediments we see today.
Assessment
Grades for the course consist of the following:
Exams (3) 60%
Paper 25%
Field Trip Reports 15%
Exams
There are three hour-long exams. There is no cumulative ÏfinalÓ exam. These exams will cover lecture material, reading, and field trip information.
Paper
The ability to write well is key for any scientific career. During this course, you will research and produce a well-organized paper in the form of a scientific manuscript. This should not exceed ten pages (double-spaced), excluding figures. Style should conform to Geology (check their guidance for authors on the web or look through the journal). The paper should include an abstract, text, references, and figures. Do not rely heavily on only one source and be wary of information from the web. Professional writing counts! Watch for spelling and punctuation. Make the writing concise. Keep your thoughts in logical order. Below is a list of possible topics, but feel free to come up with one on your own after checking with me. Topics need to be chosen by Sept 20. Your first draft is due by Nov. 10. I will critique the drafts and get them back to you with a preliminary grade and suggestions for improvement of content and writing style. Final papers are due by Nov. 29 with no exceptions, barring medical emergency. Late papers will receive the preliminary grade for the first draft.
Possible Topics
- The formation of _______ (drumlins, rogen moraines, eskers are all good ones!)
- Effect of glaciation and the ice age on human habitats
- Geohazards associated with glaciomarine clay
- Can glacial outburst floods trigger global climate change?
- Engineering problems associated with outburst floods
- Revegetation patterns following deglaciation
- Breakup of ice shelves
- Evidence for/against the Northern Maine Ice Cap, ice in Northern Eurasia
Field Trips
There are three required day-long field trips to sites in eastern and western Maine. The dates for these trips have already been chosen because of the difficulty in obtaining vans. If you have a conflict with one of the dates, let me know well in advance. In some extenuating circumstances, alternate work can be assigned in place of the field trip. Bring a lunch, water, warm clothes, and something with which to take notes. You will need to prepare a short report, due 1 week from the date of the trip. As the time approaches, I will pass out an example of a good report for your guidance. As always, writing counts!
Down East - This trip deals with the identification and origin of glacial landforms along the Maine coast. We explore the relationship between the ice, land level, and the sea during deglaciation. We also see how the glacial landscape and sediments have shaped current agricultural practices in the area and, unfortunately, facilitated the poisoning of whole communities. We also look at modern rates of sea-level change by examining colonial dikes at Addison.
Acadia - Some of the most spectacular scenery in the world results from glaciation and Acadia is no exception. This trip focuses on two things - glacial erosion and changes in relative sea level, both of which have shaped the coastal landscape.
Upper Kennebec River Valley - In this trip, we learn how to put together a stratigraphic sequence from different pieces of field evidence. Emphasis on this trip is on reconstructing the history of the Kennebec Valley following retreat of the ice sheet. The implications of the glacial sediments for economic resources and groundwater pollution are discussed.
Students with Disabilities
If you wish to request an accommodation for a disability, please contact either your instructor or Ann Smith, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (Onward Building 1-2319) as early as possible in the semester.
Academic Integrity
Every student in the class is expected to be familiar with the University's Student Conduct Code (http://www.umaine.edu/handbook/). Instances of plagiarism and cheating will result in repeating of the assignment and/or reduction in grade. Other violations of the code will result in the instructor seeking advice from the appropriate office on campus on how to deal with the student's behavior. If you have questions about this policy or want examples on what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior, please speak with the instructor.