TERM C / 2006 / IRVINE CAMPUS

ESCU 234, Earthquakes and California Tectonics, Sect. 410, 3.0 CREDITS

Dr. E. Erik Bender

voice : 714-432-5681

e-mail:

office hours / or out of class time contact information

BULLETIN COURSE DESCRIPTION

The geologic and tectonic history of California with emphasis on the development of the San Andreas Fault system. Fundamentals of geology and plate tectonics are reviewed/introduced in light of the geologic evolution of California.

PREREQUISITES

None

RESTRICTIONS

None; course satisfies general education requirements

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1 ) To introduce the basic concepts of geology and the plate tectonic theory in order to understand worldwide seismic patterns.

2) To understand what earthquakes are, where they are located, why they occur, why magnitudes vary, the fundamentals of earthquake preparedness, etc.

3) To give a broad introduction to the geologic evolution of , California from the Precambrian to Present.

4) To understand the development of the and Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Great Valley and Franciscan complexes and the San Andreas Fault system.

5) To discuss historical earthquakes and earthquake risk in California.

MAJOR STUDY UNITS

1 ) Principles of geology, basic concepts

2) Plate tectonics, supporting concepts, worldwide seismicity

3) Principles of seismology

4) Determination of when the earthquake occurred from a seismograph, of the epicenter location of an earthquake, and measuring the intensity of earthquakes

5) History of earthquakes in California; earthquake risk

6) Geology and tectonic evolution of California; including continental accretion of island arc systems, development of and destruction of a continental-oceanic subduction zone, and the migration of the triple junction and the initiation of strike-slip along the San Andreas System

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Lectures with visual aids, hands-on exercises, research project.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Chapman On-Line Bookstore: WWW.mbsdirect.net/chapman

Keller, E. A, N. Pinter, Active Tectonics :Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscape (2nd ed.)

Prentice-Hall, 2001.

*STUDENT PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

A – 90-100%

B – 80-89%

C – 70-79%

D – 60-69%

F – Below 60%

*METHODS OF EVALUATION FOR DETERMINING GRADES

A midterm (30% each), a comprehensive final (30 %), in class exercises (20%) and a term project/paper (20%).

ATTENDANCE AND OTHER CLASS POLICIES

Class Attendance policies are determined by each instructor and shall be included on the course outline distributed during the first week of each class. The university recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20% of the course should be failed.

UNIVERSITY-LEVEL EXPOSITORY WRITING STANDARDS

The ability to express one’s ideas effectively is a hallmark of a quality higher education. Writing is, therefore, one of the central activities at Chapman University through which students accumulate, communicate and demonstrate learning.

Unless otherwise indicated by the instructor, all writing in Chapman University classes from postings on electronic bulletin boards and PowerPoint presentations, to personal essays, to formal research papers will be evaluated on the minimal essentials of Standard American English grammar, word choice, spelling and punctuation, and on the integrity, creativity, reasonableness and accuracy of the information’s content. Academic expository writing differs from other forms in that it usually:

• Has a topic that is narrow enough in scope to explore in some depth in the space allotted,

• Focuses its presentation by means of a clear statement of purpose (thesis statement, hypothesis or instructor posed question) and logically organized sub-topic paragraphs or sections,

• Utilizes a sentence style that is appropriate for its intended audience,

• Employs arguments that demonstrate principles of sound critical thinking,

• Substantiates abstractions, judgments and assertions with specific illustration, facts and evidence,

• Draws upon research whenever necessary and properly acknowledges the work of others.

Any material not original to the student must be cited in a recognized documentation format (such as APA [American Psychological Association], ASA, MLA or the University of Chicago) appropriate to the particular academic discipline. For a quick reference to documentation standards for various fields you may refer to: www.chapman.edu/library/reference/styles. Use of information or material from outside sources without proper citation is considered plagiarism and can be grounds for disciplinary action. See the explanation of Academic Integrity below. All written work should be word processed or typed unless otherwise specified and carefully proofread.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

As a learning community of scholars , Chapman University emphasizes the ethical responsibility of all its members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work, and academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. "Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or misrepresentation of information in oral or written form. Such violations will be dealt with severely by the instructor, the dean/center director, and the standards committee. Plagiarism means presenting someone else's idea or writing as if it were your own. If you use someone else's idea or writing, be sure the source is clearly documented." Other guidelines for acceptable student behavior are specified in the Chapman University College 2002-2003 Catalog.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STATEMENT

Any personal learning accommodations that may be needed by a student covered by the “Americans with Disabilities Act” must be made known to the instructor as soon as possible. This is the student's responsibility. Information about services, academic modifications and documentation requirements can be obtained from the director of the Center for Academic Success at the Orange Campus at 714-997-6828 or from the director of a Chapman regional campus.

QUICK ACCESS TO THE ON-LINE CHAPMAN LIBRARY RESOURCES

http://www.chapman.edu/library/

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abbott, P. L., Natural Disasters, W. C. Brown, 2003

Bolt, B, Earthquakes, revised edition, W. H. Freeman, 1996.

Harden, D., California Geology, Prentice-Hall, 2003.

Hyndman, D. W., and D. D. Alt, Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California, Mountain Press, 2000.

McPhee, J., Assembling California, Noonday Press, 1994.

Montgomery, C. W., Environmental Geology, 4th ed., W. C. Brown, 1995.

Pipkin, B. W., Geology and the Environment, West Publishing, 1994.

Sharp, R. P., and A. F. Glazner, Geology Underfoot in Southern California, Mountain Press, 1993.

Yanev, P. I., Peace of Mind in Earthquake Country, Chronicle Books, 1991.

*INSTRUCTOR’S CLASS BY CLASS ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

June 13th – Introduction, Plate Tectonics

June 20th - Faults and the Elastic Rebound Theory, Seismic Waves

June 27th – Exploring Inside the Earth

July 4th – No Classes

July 11th – Midterm Exam, The San Andreas Fault

July 18th – The Transverse Ranges, Volcanoes and Tsunami

July 25th – Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Prediction

August 1st – Earthquake Preparation

August 8th – Where To and How To Build; Final Exam