Students of this course are introduced to the geomorphological, geochemical, and
geohydrological processes that configure and modify the Earth's surfaces.  Students
build on their basic conceptual understanding of Earth's environmental processes
through integrated models of earth surface dynamics.

Evaluation of the student's knowledge of surficial and near-surface processes aims at
their particular knowledge of specific elements of the earth system - landforms,
climate, hydrology, weathering - and their synthetic understanding of these within
integrative cycles - biochemical; earth-air-ocean linkage; and climate. An emphasis
on what the earth surface processes tell the students of the environmental future. 

Assessment methods include written exams, practical laboratory and homework
exercises, and term paper/project assignments. Student will understand the basic
geologic processes which shape the surface of the Earth.  The student will be able to
quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate landforms and their origins. The student 
will understand the importance of changing suface conditions on landforms and
processes such as weathering, erosion, soil development.  The student will better
understand the interaction of humans with surficial processes and materials,
including geologic hazards, soil fertility and erosion, environmental pollution and
climate change.

1. Landforms
2. Weathering and soils
3. Climate
4. Surface and groundwater hydrology
5. Fluvial processes
6. Aeolian processes
7. Glacial processes
8. Coastal processes
9. Tectonic and ignous landforms
10. Chemical weathering and water chemistry
11. Rivers
12. Lakes
13. Estuaries and oceanic processes
14. Landforms and humans

Textbooks: Easterbrook, D.J.,1993, "Surface Processes and Landforms," 
Macmillan Pub. Co, New York.
Berner, E.K., and Berner, R.A., 1996, "Global Environment: Water, 
Air and Geochemical Cycles." Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, 
NJ.
Plus additional readings on various topics.
Week 1. Landforms-geologic structures and processes. Easterbrook, 
Chap. 2, Video "Earth Structures".
Week 2. Weathering and soils-mechanical and chemical: controls and 
rates of weathering effects.  Lab Aerial photographs of landforms, 
soil/sediment profiles in cores.  Easterbrook, Chap. 2
Week 3. Climate-The air and ocean heat engine; atmospheric and 
oceanic circulation; the Pleistocene glaciations - forcing mechanisms; 
Holocene changes - man and weather.  Berner, Chap 1-3, Videos 
"Mammoths of the Ice Age" and "The Climate Puzzle Part I"
Week 4. Surface and ground water hydrology -basic concepts: porosity, 
permeability and flow; the water table; aquifers.  Esterbrook, 
Chap. 7, Video "Groundwater."  Exercise on measurement of soil-water 
interactions.
Week 5. Fluvial processes-drainage patterns; landform and cycles.
Exercise in fluvial geomorphology in Greene County.  Easterbrook, 
Chap. 6.
Week 6. Glacial processes-glacial formation; theory and facts; 
types of movement of glaciers.  Easterbrook, Chap 12 and video, 
"Glaciers" Freeze-thaw cycles and weathering experiment.
Week 7. Coastal processes-shoreline-erosion and deposition; waves 
and currents; reefs and estuaries.  Lab exercise on currents, 
drift, erosion, and deposition.  Field trip to Skidaway Institute 
of Oceanography.  Easterbrook Chap. 15.
Week 8. Tectonic and igneous landforms-Plate tectonics; 
volcanoes-types and effects.  Easterbrook, Chap 8 &11, Video 
"The Alps" "Volcanism."
Week 9. Chemical weathering and water chemistry-biogeochemical 
cycles in forests; chemical weathering-silica, carbonates and 
sulfide weathering; groundwater and weathering.  Berner, Chap. 4
Week 10. Rivers-major rivers and characteristics; solids, 
sediments, and chemicals in runoff; organic carbon and dissolved 
oxygen demands; mass-balance consideration.  Field trip to Oconee 
River at Scull Shoals, exercise on history and base-levels.
Week 11. Lakes and limnology-thermal regimes; models and processes; 
acidity and eutrophication.  Man and lake systems-Oconee, Baikal, 
and Neuchatel.  Lab exercise on aspects of lake structure and 
dynamics.  Field trip to Lake Oconee.  Berner, Chap. 6.
Week 12. Estuaries and oceanic processes-chemistry, ecology, and 
equilibria.  Berner, Chap 7&8, video "Spirit of Sapelo."
Week 13 through 15. Landforms and humans-Impacts of humans on 
landscapes.  "old vs. new lands," technolgoy and high-risk 
landform; geological hazards, changing rates of surficial processes 
and cycles. Lab exercises on Atlanta and the Chattahoochee, Athens 
and the Oconee.  Multiple readings on environmental hazards and 
human interactions.