Geology 150
The Geologic Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands
January, 2012
Instructors: D. Germanoski and L. Malinconico
Location: Lafayette Campus, Islands of Hawaii, Maui and Oahu
Lecture/Lab: Field and lecture components in Hawaii with a couple of days pre-trip at Lafayette
Contact: &
Course Description
This course will examine how volcanic, geomorphic, and coastal processes have shaped, and continue to shape, the Hawaiian Islands. The course focuses on volcanism, landform development, and coastal processes. The Hawaiian Islands provide a unique opportunity to study active volcanic processes building the islands in conjunction with geomorphic processes that alter the volcanic landscape. The Hawaiian landscape ranges in age from 25 million years to minutes old. Students have the unique opportunity to study the volcanic processes creating the islands and then see how the soils, landscapes, and coasts have evolved through time.
Course Learning Objectives
· Understand how tectonic activity has shaped the development of the Hawaiian Island – Emperor Seamount chain
· Compare the geological environments on the progressively older Hawaiian islands of Hawaii, Maui and Oahu
· Understand how volcanic, geomorphic, and coastal processes have shaped, and continue to shape, the Hawaiian Islands.
· Use ergodic reasoning to develop an understanding of how the Hawaiian Islands age.
· Evaluate the geological hazard potential in Hawaii with regard tto different volcanic, seismic, and mass-wasting prone terrains.
· Develop the observation and data acquisition skills used in geology.
Course Materials
Macdonald, G.A., Abbott, A.T. and Peterson, F.L., 1983, Volcanoes in the Sea The Geology of the Hawaiian Islands; Universty of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
Readings Packet and Field Trip Guide
Evaluation
Exams
Pre-trip Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Second Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Third Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Fourth Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Field Book Notes and Reflections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 pts
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 600 pts
A $25 materials fee covers the costs of your field notebook as well as the readings packet and fieldtrip guide. You will need to have your field book with you at all times and insure that it is not lost. It will be assessed periodically for completeness, depth of observations and readability. This is your primary source for preparation for exams.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to conduct themselves according to the guidelines and rules of Lafayette College (see your student handbook) with respect to academic honesty and the preparation of their work for this class. It is especially important that you understand what constitutes plagiarism and always acknowledge the work of others. Additionally you will be required to adhere to the guidelines for behavior as documented by the Office for Off-Campus Study.
Academic Accommodation: In compliance with Lafayette College policy and equal access laws, the instructors are available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability. Requests for academic accommodations need to be made prior to the course start date of Jan. 1, 2012, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students must register with the Office of the Dean of the College for disability verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations.
Tentative Schedule (with Assignments)
DAY TOPIC FIELD GUIDE
I & II At Lafayette - multiple topics in preparation for the course
Exam 1a – due upon arrival in Easton
Exam 1b – afternoon of Day II
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1 Fly to Oahu and then to Hilo
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2 Morning Lecture – Dr. G – Geography of Hawaii
Dr. M. Craters, Calderas, Cones, Rifts, and Fracture Systems
Field Trip - Kilauea Summit Area
Kilauea Visitor Center Page 6, Stop 1
Killauea Crater overlook Page 6, Stop 2
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Page 7, Stop 3
Southwest Rift Zone Page 7, Stop 4
Halemaumau Crater overlook Page 8, Stop 5
Fumarole Field Page 9, Stop 6
Keanakakoi Crater overlook Page 10, Stop 7
Pu’u Pua’I Overlook and Devastation Trail Page 10, Stop 8
Thurston Lava Tube Page 11, Stop 9
Readings*: Volcanoes in the Sea - chapter 2; pages 373–379
Attack of the Vog, Richard Monastersky
Hawaii’s Volcanoes: Windows into the Earth, J. Dvorak
Volcanic Hotspots, Sid Perkins
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3 Exam; Morning Lecture – Dr. G. – Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea geomorph & glaciation
Field Trip - Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea
Kaumana Cave Page 17, Stop 15
Puu Huluhulu Page 17, Stop 16
Page 22, Stop 18
Mauna Loa weather station - view of Mauna Kea Page 18, Stop 17
Mauna Kea summit cinder cones and glacial moraines Page 22, Stop 18
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 60-74; 252-259; 145-149; 360-364; 366-373.
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4 Morning Lecture Dr. M. – Hazards associated with lava flows
Field Trip - Active Volcanism - Pu’u’O’o-Kupianaha eruption of Kilauea
Evening Lecture Dr. G. – Soils and Soil Development
Readings: * The Pu’u’O’o-Kupianaha eruption of Kilauea, C. Heliker and S.R. Brantley,
Hazards associated with volcanoes and volcanic eruptions, D. Germanoski and L.L.
Malinconico, Jr.
* Viewing Hawai’i’s Lava Safely–Common Sense is Not Enough
* Lava flow hazards and risk assessment on Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii, Trusdell
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5 Morning Lectures Dr. G. - Hamakua Coast geomorph & drainage development;
tsunamis
Field Trip - Hamakua coast geomorphology; tsunamis
Leached oxisol Page 26, Stop 19
Akaka Falls Page 26, Stop 20
Laupahoehoe lava flows; tsunami Page 26, Stop 21
Waipio Valley overlook Page 27, Stop 22
Boiling Pots Page 32, Stop 23
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 180-184; 199-228; 313-321; 353-360.
Field trip guidebook - pages 42 - 44.
* Morphology of the Island of Hawaii, J.G. Moore and R.K. Mark,
* Tsunamis
* Swept Away; The Deadly power of Tsunamis, J. Dvorak and T. Peek
The Fragile Volcano, N. Parks
Sea floor Holds the Story of Hawaii Isle’s Doom
Giant Hawaiian Underwater Landslides, J.G. Moore, W.R. Normark, and R.T Holcomb
When Kilauea Crumbles, R. Monastersky
Volcanoes pages 52-54
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6 Field Trip – Chain of Craters, Black sand beach, olivine basalts, travel to Kona
Lau Manu Crater; Lava trees Page 12, Stop 10
Muliwai a Pele Page 13, Stop 11
Ke ala Komo picnic shelter (lunch stop) Page 13, Stop 12
Entrail pahoehoe Page 14, Stop 13
Mauna Ulu Page 15, Stop 14
Punaluu black sand beach Page 32, Stop 24
Olivine basalts (Picrite) Page 33 Stop 25
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 75-129; 271-273
* When Kilauea crumbles Hawaii trembles as a mountain slowly collapses R. Monastersky
* Giant Hawaiian underwater landslides, Moore et al.
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7 Morning Lecture Dr. G. - Beach development and coral reef development;
Field Trip - Snorkeling the KahaLu’u Beach corals Page 33, Stop 27
Evening Lecture – Dr. M. - Magmatic segregation, eruptive style, and xenoliths
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 285-288.
* Beach development and coral reefs, Germanoski.
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8 Morning Lecture – Dr. G. - Geomorphic comparison of Hilo and Kona Coasts
Puu WaaWaa trachyte cone on Hualalai Page 34, Stop 29a
Aridisol and three phenocryst basalt Page 34, Stop 29b
Puu Kawaiwai cinder cone complex Page 35, Stop 30
Hapuna beach - white sand beach Page 35, Stop 31
Hualalai Lava tube complex; xenoliths (1801 flows) Page 35, Stop 32
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 58-60; 119-133; 364-366
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9 Field Trip – City of Refuge Park Snorkelling Coral Reefs Page 34, Stop 28
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10 Kona Coast – Study Day; Evening Exam
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11 Fly to Kahalui, Maui and drive to Kihei, Maui
Afternoon Lectures Dr. G. - Maui overview
Dr. G.- Landscape evolution and alluvial fans
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12 Morning Lecture Dr. G. - Weathering, landscape evolution, coastal processes
Field Trip - Iao needle, east coast of West Maui
Iao needle Page 44, Stop 39
Dissected alluvial fans at entrance to Iao gorge
Intense weathering; stable secondary minerals Page 44, Stop 35
Page 44, Stop 36
Intense weathering of debris in colluvial hollow Page 44, Stop 37
Makamaka’ole River Valley, Sea cliffs, erosional spire Page 44, Stop 38
Calcareous dune field Page 43, Stop 34
Evening Lecture Dr. M. – Haleakala overview
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 173-184; 185-198; 213-218; 246-251.
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13 Field Trip - Haleakala crater hike - late-stage volcanism
Haleakala Summit observatory Page 40, Stop 33
Hike crater trail Page 40, Stop 33
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 57-58; 119-129; 145-154; 388-401.
Field trip guidebook - pages Maui 1-5.
*Haleakala Crater, Maui, Hawaii, W.R. Hackett
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14 Maui Study Day
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15 Field Trip - Geomorphology & volcanology Lahaina Coast West Maui
Morning Snorleling at Molokini Page 46, Stop 43
Ukumehame dissected alluvial fan Page 45, Stop 42
Ash beds Page 45, Stop 41
McGregor Point alkalic trachytic lava Page 45, Stop 40
Evening Lectures: Dr. M. Isostasy
Dr. G. Oahu Overview
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 380-389; 145-154.
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16 Fly to Oahu Waikiki Beach Page 54, Stop 55
Field Trip - Soils and Late-stage geomorphology
Soil - mature oxisol / ultisol Page 47, Stop 44
Waiane Range and Koolau Range landscapes
Sunset Beach raised coral platform; Bonzai pipeline Page 48, Stop 45
Oahu wind turbines Page 48, Stop 46
Kualoa Park and Mokoli’I (Chinaman’s Hat) Page 48, Stop 47
Makapuu Beach Park; Rabbit Island Tuff cone
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea - pages 420-434; 213-228,
* Sea floor holds story of Hawaiian Islands doom, W. Sullivan
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17 Morning Lectures Dr. M. – Dikes and Cinder cone eruptions,
Field Trip - Pali lookout, dike complex; Koko Head tephra
Pali lookout Page 49, Stop 48
Koolau volcanic dike complex Page 51, Stop 49a
Page 51, Stop 49b
Makapuu Point Page 51, Stop 50
Lanai lookout - Koko Crater tuff and coral platform Page 52, Stop 51
Hanauma bay coral platform, white sand beach Page 52, Stop 52
Diamond Head tuff cone Page 53, Stop 53
Exam – late afternoon
Readings: Volcanoes in the Sea, pages 135-144; 434-452; 213-228.
*Coastal and volcanic geology of the Hanauma Bay area, Oahu, Hawaii,
R. Moberly and G.P.L. Walker.
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18 Pearl Harbor (Optional, but highly recommended Trip) Page 55, Stop 56
Evening (overnight) flight to Newark
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19 Return to Newark and Lafayette – early afternoon
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