THE SEA AROUND US (GEOSC. 040)            Spring, 2016

INSTRUCTOR:    Prof. Chris Marone,  536 Deike Building 

Class Meetings:  T R 1:00 – 2:15       100 Thomas Building

Use Angel for course email and questions.      On Line Assignments (OLA) and Homework (HW) are on Angel 

Office Hours:  Tue. 10-11, Wed. 2-3, Room 313 Deike Building 

Visit the course web page at  www.geosc.psu.edu/courses/geosc040 

LECTURE SCHEDULE:     Subject  (due dates for Home Work and On Line Assignments)

 

 

PART I: Water & Heat --the Key Ingredients

Jan 12

1.   Introduction to the Course, The Water Planet

Jan 14

2.   Scientific Inquiry and the Origin of Water

Jan 19

3.   Properties of Seawater, The Wonder Substance!   (OLA 1)

Jan 21

4.   Properties of Seawater, Why the Sea is Salt     (OLA 2)

Jan 26

5.   Properties of Seawater, Residence time, A Whiff of Gas, Density, Salinity & Temperature

Jan 28

6.   Atmospheric Circulation & Heating, Here Comes the Sun!   (HW 1)

Feb 1

 Quiz 1. Sign up online to take it at the e-testing center. 
Covers mat. from 1/12 through 1/28

Feb 2

7.   Atmospheric Circulation & Heating, Global Circulation      (OLA 3)

Feb 4

8.   Atmospheric & Ocean Circulation, Wind and Currents

Feb 9

9.   Ocean Circulation, Surface Currents & Gyres (OLA 4)

Feb 11

10.  Ocean Circulation, Stirring Up The Deep (OLA 5)

Feb 16

11.  Ocean-Atmosphere-Climate Connection (OLA 6)

Feb 18

12.  Life in the Ocean: Primary Production, Trophic levels and Deep Water as Ocean’s Fertilizer!

 

PART II: Life Goes On

Feb 23

13.  Life in the Ocean: Empty Oceans and Empty Nets? (HW 2)

Feb 25

14.  No class meeting, Study class notes and prepare for the mid-term (OLA 7) 

Mar 1

15.  The Ocean’s Foodchain; Producers and Consumers

Mar 3

MID-TERM EXAM,  IN CLASS, Covers material from 1/12 through 3/1

Mar 6-12

        Spring Break!  A great time to visit the beach

Mar 15

16.  Life in the Ocean –Aquaculture and Marine Fisheries (OLA 8)

Mar 17

17.  Coral Reefs and Atolls. Beauty and Diversity

Mar 22

18.  Coastal Environments in Peril: Chesapeake Bay Story I (OLA 9)

Mar 24

19.  Coastal Environments in Peril: Chesapeake Bay Story II  

 

PART III: The Changing Coastline

Mar 29

20.  Dynamic Seas: Waves, Particle Motion, Deep Water Waves  (HW 3)

Mar 31

21.  Dynamic Seas: Shallow Water Waves, Surfs Up !   (Extra Credit Letter Due 6 April)

Apr 5

22.  Dynamic Seas: Equilibrium Theory of Tides  (OLA 10)

Apr 7

23.  Dynamic Seas: Dynamic Theory of Tides, Amphidromic Circulation (OLA 11)

Apr 12

24.  Beaches under Siege, The Beaches are Moving

Apr 13

  Quiz 2. Sign up online to take it at the e-testing center.
Covers material from 3/15 through 4/12.

Apr 14

25.  Beaches under Siege, Where is the beach?

Apr 19

26.  Origin of Ocean Basins: Plate Tectonics, Ridges, Transform Faults, Subduction (HW 4)

 

PART IV: The Dynamic Ocean Basins

Apr 21

27.  No class meeting, Study class notes and prepare for the Optional Final Exam (OLA 12)

Apr 26

28.  No class meeting, Study class notes and prepare for the Optional Final Exam

Apr 28

29.  Ocean Basin Morphology and Continental Margins

 

Final Exam is Optional  (Scheduled by the registrar). Covers material from 3/15 - 4/28

 


REQUIRED CLASSROOM PRS CLICKER:  We will use the iClicker.  Register your clicker here

 

GRADING:     see http://www.geosc.psu.edu/courses/geosc040/gradecalc.htm

In-class activities are worth 15% of your course grade and will be completed with the iClicker.

By attending lecture you will benefit from discussion of review questions, some of which will be test questions.

Lecture outlines and additional information will appear on the course web site.

The final course grade will be compiled as follows:

15% - In-Class Exercises (using iclicker.  Lowest 4 scores dropped. Using a clicker for another person is cheating)

15% - Homework. Complete via Angel.  4 homework exercises, all scores count

15% - On-line Assignments. Complete via Angel.  12 on-line assignments, Lowest 2 scores dropped.

10% - Quiz 1, e-testing center

10% - Quiz 2, e-testing center

20% - Mid-Term Exam Covers material in the first half of the course.

15% - Final Exam, Optional. You may take your average score from Quiz 1, Quiz 2, and the Mid-Term Exam.

 

Extra Credit Letter: Writing and research activity, up to 5% of course grade.   Due Apr. 6th

 

Note that 15% of your grade is based on IN-CLASS exercises.   Attend lecture!

Using a clicker for another person is considered cheating and will be handled as such.  Do not bring your friend’s clicker to class.

 

"MAKEUP" POLICY:

Quizzes and Exams can only be made up by prior arrangement and/or with proof of an excusable absence.

In-class exercises must be completed during the lecture and cannot be made up.

Homework must be completed when assigned. 

 

Extra Credit Letter:  (see http://www.geosc.psu.edu/geosc040/letter.html ) Compose a letter to an individual or organization in which you intelligently and rationally argue a point and express your opinion on an issue of significance to oceanography.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:  Cheating will not be tolerated under any circumstances.  Cheating is unfair to your classmates and is an insult to curiosity and intellectual inquiry.  In the context of this class, cheating includes using a clicker for another person, copying from another student’s exam or assignments, plagiarism, and other activities. Students caught cheating will be reported to University officials and receive an automatic failing grade on the activity.  General guidelines are covered here and in the Senate Policy 49-20 on Academic Integrity.  This course follows the guidelines set out for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences for offenses and appropriate punishments --please read these at http://www.ems.psu.edu/current_undergrad_students/academics/integrity_policy. 

 

Plagiarism is cheating. This includes cutting and pasting material from sources on the web.  All work and wording of assignments should be your own.  Limited quotation of sources is acceptable and should be referenced accordingly. All written work will be subject to  electronic plagiarism checking see: http://www.turnitin.com/ 

 

Note to students with disabilities: The Office of Disability Services (http://equity.psu.edu/ods/) requests and maintains disability-related documents; certifies eligibility for services; determines academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services; and develops plans for the provision of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services as mandated under Title II of the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  A list of these services is provided at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/student-information.