EAS 204 B1 - Geology of Your Environment - University of Alberta - 2025 PDF

 Now first multiple images of an exoplanet! https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/52327217300/in/album-72177720301006030/  University of Alberta EAS 204 B1 - Geology of Your Environment Section B1, 2025 Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 – 3:20 PM; ESB 3-27 PRO...

 Now first multiple images of an exoplanet! https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/52327217300/in/album-72177720301006030/  University of Alberta EAS 204 B1 - Geology of Your Environment Section B1, 2025 Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 – 3:20 PM; ESB 3-27 PROFESSOR: Dr. Karlis Muehlenbachs, ESB 3-22, 780-492-2827 (office phone, not likely to be answered) use: [email protected] OFFICE HOURS: Mondays and Tuesdays, 1:00 to 2:00 PM or by appointment Land Acknowledgement: The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people. To learn more about the significance of this land acknowledgement, please read this useful article and associated links to more information: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/24/what-are-land- acknowledgements-and-why-do-they-matter/ Course Description: Interactions between the natural environment and humans, with an emphasis on geological processes in western Canada. Topics include: natural hazards in developed areas; rivers and flooding; surface water and groundwater resources; soil resources and degradation; air and water pollution; waste management and disposal; environmental geoscience and resource extraction; and global change. Prerequisites: Any 100-level Science course. My objective is to introduce students from the widest variety of backgrounds to a geological overview of Alberta and western Canada and the major processes that shape and control our environment. Emphasis will be placed on studying geological processes that impinge on individual humans and society at large. My assumption is that the students enrolled in EAS 204 will in the future all become leaders in their respective fields and should first learn how the planet works in sufficient detail so as to make wise political, economic and personal decisions. Current environmental geologic events will be discussed as they arise and will be “fair game” on the exams. Recommended or Optional Learning Resources: No required text book. Any old geology textbook you can lay your hands on may prove helpful. An old but very influential free, fantastic, introductory book by Wally Broecker, “How to Build a Habitable Planet” can be found at: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~broecker/Home_files/H ow%20To%20Build%20A%20Habitable%20Planet.p df A much more detailed resource which is also free, “Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin” https://ags.aer.ca/atlas-the-western-canada- sedimentary-basin/chapter-1-introduction On a local scale, an interesting but short book that is available from U of A bookstore: “Edmonton Beneath Our Feet” - Godfrey, John D. (Ed.) NOTE: the internet is a spectacular, although not always correct nor unbiased, source of information on environmental geological issues. Search the key topics, even on YouTube! I will be posting suggested links. EAS 204 COURSE OUTLINE I Introduction II Rocks & Minerals; Plate Tectonics, volcanoes III Overview of geology of WCSB & Edmonton IV Natural and induced earthquakes Midterm I, Thrs. Jan 30, 2025. V Rivers & Floods VI Water Resources & Pollution VII Soils - Resources & Problems VIII Hydrocarbon resources Midterm II, Tues. March 11, 2025 IX Shale gas & fracking X Waste Disposal, CCUS XI Glaciers & landforms & mass wasting XII Global Climate Change COURSE MARK-WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION: First mid-term 25%. Thrs. Jan. 30, 2025. Second mid-term 25% Tues. March 11, 2025. Final exam 50% TBA Students must verify this date on BearTracks when the Final Exam Schedule is posted The midterms area not cumulative but the final exam will be cumulative. Will be held in person and in class time and room. MISSED TERM EXAM: A student who cannot write a term examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply to have the weight of the missed midterm transferred to the final. You must notify the instructor of a missed midterm within 48 hours. Deferral of term work is a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferral will be granted. Misrepresentation of facts to gain a deferral is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour. For an excused absence where the cause is religious belief, a student must contact the instructor within two weeks of the start of classes to request accommodation for the term (including the final exam, where relevant). Instructors may request adequate documentation to substantiate the student request. DEFERRED FINAL EXAM: A student who cannot write the final examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a deferred final examination. Such an application must be made to the student’s Faculty office within 48 hours of the missed examination and must be supported by a Statutory Declaration (in lieu of a medical statement form) or other appropriate documentation (Calendar section 23.5.6). Deferred examinations are a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferred examination will be granted. Misrepresentation of facts to gain a deferred examination is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour. Students who are granted permission to sit a deferred final exam must do that on: Deferred exam mwill be given Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 9:00– 11:00, location TBA. Students Eligible for Accessibility-Related Accommodations: In accordance with the University of Alberta’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Duty to Accommodate policy, accommodation support is available to eligible students who encounter limitations or restrictions to their ability to perform the daily activities necessary to pursue studies at a post- secondary level due to medical conditions and/or non-medical protected grounds. Accommodations are coordinated through the Academic Success Centre, and students can learn more about eligibility on the Register for Accommodations website. Students Eligible for Accessibility-Related Accommodations: It is recommended that students apply as early as possible in order to ensure sufficient time to complete accommodation registration and coordination. Students are advised to review and adhere to published deadlines for accommodation approval and for specific accommodation requests (e.g., exam registration submission deadlines). Students who request accommodations less than a month in advance of the academic term for which they require accommodations may experience unavoidable delays or consequences in their academic programs, and may need to consider alternative academic schedules. Student Responsibilities: Safe and Healthy Learning Environment: Section 30.3.4(6) c of the Code of Student Behaviour states: “No Student shall create a condition which endangers or potentially endangers or threatens the health, safety or well being of other persons.” Accordingly, students with symptoms of *any* respiratory illness should avoid attending in-person activities for this class. Student Responsibilities: Academic Integrity: "The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University." Student Responsibilities: Academic Integrity: The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty, as well as maintaining a learning environment that fosters the safety, security, and the inherent dignity of each member of the community, ensuring students conduct themselves accordingly. Students are expected to be familiar with the standards of academic honesty and appropriate student conduct, and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour and the Student Conduct Policy, and avoid any behaviour that could potentially result in suspicions of academic misconduct (e.g., cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts) and non-academic misconduct (e.g., discrimination, harassment, physical assault). Academic and non-academic misconduct are taken very seriously and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University The College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) has created an Academic Integrity for CNAS Students eClass site. Students can self enroll and review the various resources provided, including the importance of academic integrity, examples of academic misconduct & possible sanctions, and the academic misconduct & appeal process. They can also complete assessments to test their knowledge and earn a completion certificate. Contract Cheating and Misuse of University Academic Materials or other Assets: Contract cheating describes the form of academic dishonesty where students get academic work completed on their behalf, which they then submit for academic credit as if they had created it themselves. Contract cheating may or may not involve the payment of a fee to a third party, who then creates the work for the student. Recording and/or Distribution of Course Materials: Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).  Tell me about yourself (Anonymously): – What is your faculty/major? – How many science classes have you taken? Geology courses? – What do you think is the most serious problem of a geological nature in: –A) Edmonton –B) Alberta –C) Canada  Why Environmental Geology? Dangers lurk everywhere ! – Earthquakes – Floods – Landslides But people add to the risk – Soil erosion – Shortage of clean water – Pollution – Remediate sites of mineral extraction – Storage of toxic waste – Global warming/Climate change  Magnitude 9.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC Tsunami waves swept away houses and cars in northern Japan and pushed ships aground. The tsunami waves traveled far inland, the wave of debris racing across the farmland, carrying boats and houses with it. The tsunami, seen crashing into homes in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. AP Houses were washed away by tsunami in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in eastern Japan, after Japan was struck by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off the northeastern coast. New York Times  http://www.newyork er.com/magazine/20 15/07/20/the-really- big-one?intcid=mod- most-popular# AB and NE BC (not to mention OK) are not known for earthquakes, but…… Ash cloud from Icelandic volcano……. …. Disrupted air traffic  Flooding in Alberta, 2013 A total of 32 local governments in southern and central Alberta declared states of local emergency as a result of the flooding. ???  ://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-risks-1.6196450 https https://thewire.in/environment/kerala-rains-landslides-flood  Water supply? Not just supply, but quality of water? Horizontal drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized gas and oil production but at what cost????  http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2011/09/holy-shit.html http://inafutureage.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/your-land-my-land-gasland/ Burning water: Industry induced Or natural background? http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/alberta-oil-gas-collateral-damage-she-can-light-her-water-on-fire.html  Scientific Method A means to discover basic scientific principles Observation - a body of measured data is obtained Hypothesis is formed to explain the observations or data – Conceptual framework or model is developed – Multiple explanations or equations developed – Must be testable and test must be reproducible – Proof of a hypothesis is sought as well as evidence to disprove it Test the hypothesis repeatedly and systematically – Make set of predictions and perform series of experiments Theory formed as accepted explanation for an observation or set of data  Scientific Method A means to discover basic scientific principles Observation - a body of measured data is obtained Hypothesis is formed to explain the observations or data – Conceptual framework or model is developed – Multiple explanations or equations developed – Must be testable and test must be reproducible – Proof of a hypothesis is sought as well as evidence to disprove it Test the hypothesis repeatedly and systematically – Make set of predictions and perform series of experiments Theory formed as accepted explanation for an observation or set of data NO ROOM FOR ALTERNATE FACTS!!!! Or wishing COVID-19 would go away  Theory versus Hypothesis Theory – accepted explanation – Must be a well tested model – Is subject of considerable investigation and data collection that is required to evaluate it – A hypothesis is elevated to a theory only after extensive debate and experimentation  Geology as a Science Geology at first was an observational science – People would see a geologic curiosity and describe it – Later, people would attempt to explain it, use it Modern geology combines observation and laboratory activities (measurements and calculations) to explain natural phenomena Geology has grown rapidly into an analytical science – Experiments must consider changes in temperature, pressure, stress, chemical parameters, and time – Composition of rocks and minerals are often completely changed during the course of time  Geology as a Science Geology at first was an observational science – People would see a geologic curiosity and describe it – Later, people would attempt to explain it, use it Modern geology combines observation and laboratory activities (measurements and calculations) to explain natural phenomena Geology has grown rapidly into an analytical science – Experiments must consider changes in temperature, pressure, stress, chemical parameters, and time – Composition of rocks and minerals are often completely changed during the course of time Time – seconds, minutes and hours are units of time you experience but are replaced by time intervals of thousands, millions, or billions, of years Geology and the Scientific Method Geology has problems that other sciences do not! Problems with size – A volcano is big – A river is not easily contained within a laboratory – Plate Tectonics involves the whole Earth Problems with time – Geologic processes take millions of years to complete but Geologists are limited by human time (years to decades) Problems with resolution of data – Public expects predictions about earthquakes and floods with specific calendar dates but “geological lense” sees probability in terms of centuries and longer Geology and the Scientific Method Geology has problems that other sciences do not! Problems with size – A volcano is big – A river is not easily contained within a laboratory – Plate Tectonics involves the whole Earth Problems with time – Geologic processes take millions of years to complete but Geologists are limited by human time (years to decades) Problems with resolution of data – Public expects predictions about earthquakes and floods with specific calendar dates but “geological lense” sees probability in terms of centuries and longer This all leads to problems with public perception and with Gov’t. regulations! All Gov’ts claim to heed Science but……… NYT, p1, Aug 23, ‘09 Manufacturer says several 1000ʼs of parts per million are safe…. Manufacturer says several Gov’t sets limit to 3 ppb in tap water…. 1000ʼs of parts per million are safe…. Manufacturer says several Gov’t sets limit to 3 ppb in tap water…. 1000ʼs of parts per million are Town’s water meets limit most of the time…… safe…. Manufacturer says several Gov’t sets limit to 3 ppb…. 1000ʼs of parts per million safe….Town’s water meets limit most of the time…… Except in Summer when lawns sprayed… Manufacturer says several Gov’t sets limit to 3 ppb…. 1000ʼs of parts per million safe….Town’s water meets limit most of the time…… Law says test once a year! Except in Summer when lawns sprayed… Manufacturer says several Gov’t sets limit to 3 ppb…. 1000ʼs of parts per million safe….Town’s water meets limit most of the time…… Law says test once a year; So who decides Except in Summer when lawns sprayed… WHEN TO TEST?  Population Growth Human population has experienced exponential growth: – Possibly 9 billion people by 2050 – Slow population growth up until mid-19th century – Doubling times have become shorter – Life expectancy has increased – Birth rates have greatly exceeded mortality rates – People are more mobile and can live anywhere – People now influence planet and climate Try this at home: https://biocubes.net/?et_rid=79658870&et_cid=5481277 Realities: Scientific metrics of planetary transformations owed to humanity: atmosphere and ecosystems Steffen et al. 2011, Phil.Trans.R.Soc.A Global biogeochemistry Resource exploitation leading to anthropogenic domination of most elemental surface fluxes Klee & Graedel 2004, Ann.Rev.Environ.Res. World wide nitrogen pollution:. 2011, Science Impacts of Human Population growth to topics in EAS 204 How do we resolve the issues? – “Safe” regions already occupied, where will growing population live? – Clean water supplies have been exhausted in many places Where do we find more clean water? – Croplands are replaced by homes and cities Where do we find more farm land? – Waste, the products, often toxic, of our life style, must be put somewhere Where do we put it and at what cost? – Carrying Capacity Have we exceeded it? – Global Warming, the activity of billions of people is impacting the climate of earth Can we reverse it? So how does population growth relate to EAS 204? Few people, (Air photo of California, San Andreas Fault): => few hurt Same place after urban development, Earthquakes Mudslides Coastal erosion => many at risk Origin of Solar System and Planets Age of the Earth Early atmosphere & Life Solar system  Solar System Formed after the universe Planets revolve around Sun – One complete trip for Earth equals one year – Earth at 23.5o tilt from the vertical – Hemispheres of the Earth do not receive equal solar energy year round Because of the tilt Produces seasons  Earth in space and time Third planet from the Sun – over 4.5 billion years old – Mean temperature 15o C, not too hot or too cold Eight chemically distinct planets in our Solar System – Four rocky and metallic inner planets Inner-most planets very hot (nearest the Sun) – Four gaseous outer planets Outer planets very cold – Ninth planet, Pluto, no longer deemed a planet Universe is around 14 billion years old Rocky Fig. 1.02 Planets Icy Planets  Origin of planets At an early stage (less than a million years old), when the young star is still surrounded by the dense disk of both gas and dust, gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn can form. Once the gas has been ejected from the system, the possibilities for such planets forming are over.  "Terrestrial" planets (like the earth) can take longer to form. Planet embryos form in the disk within a few million years and continue to grow through multiple violent collisions even after the gas has left the system. (from Chris Butler, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/hahn/web/) As this process continues, young terrestrial planets have formed in the disk but still collide frequently, and comets are fall into the central star at a high rate. The densities and compositions of the planets are correlated with how close they are to the sun, and hence the temperature at which they had to form. (From The Essential Cosmic Perspective, by Bennettet al.) http://ircamera.as.arizona.edu/NatSci102/NatSci102/lectures/solarsysovervw.htm NASA Discovers First Earth-size Planets Beyond Our Solar System Need liquid water, energy source and plate tectonics  Earth – continuous change Early Earth – a barren world – lacked oceans (?) – Lacked atmosphere (?) Earth heated up and was molten Earth was target of many impacts – Asteroids (origin of Moon) – Meteorites – Comets (Panspermia????)  Early Earth – evolved Differentiation of this world developed compositional zones – Central core: dense and hot Composed of nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) – Mantle: thick zone that surrounds the core Composed of ultramafic and mafic rocks and magma Heat from core escapes by convective circulation – Crust: chemically different from core or mantle Two types of crust: Oceanic (mafic) and Continental (felsic) Water and atmospheric gases interact only with outermost crust But subduction recycles water and gases in tot he mantle How old is the Earth? How old is the Earth? When did you ask? How can one visualize geological time?????  Early Atmosphere Chemically different than today – No modern pollution - but really “nasty” – Lacked free oxygen (O2) – Dominated by nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and/or methane (CH4) – Lots of water--an early ocean – Minor amounts of other gases: Ammonia (NH3) Sulfur gases Barren of life before 3,600,000,000 years  First Life on Earth-(huge debate now) Early atmosphere with no oxygen and hot oceans required life to evolve in extreme environments – Perhaps first life flourished at hot springs deep beneath oceans living off volcanic rocks, gases and heat at least 3,600,000,000 years ago. Photosynthetic algae evolved later, produced oxygen – Sunlight energized a chemical reaction in algae – Food was produced from CO2 – Oxygen given off as a by-product Oxygen first accumulated in atmosphere (2.4 billion yrs ago) – By 500 myr enough oxygen for breathing organisms to evolve.  Life Explodes on Earth Last 500 million years Vertebrates appear about 500 million years ago Land plants appear about 400 million years ago Insects develop about 300 million years ago Dinosaurs appear about 200 million years ago Birds appear about 150 million years ago Mammals and birds well established by 100 millions years ago Primitive human beings appear by 3 to 4 millions years ago Homo sapiens appear during last 500,000 years  Atoms Smallest particle into which an element can be divided while still retaining the chemical characteristics of that element Composed of a nucleus surrounded by electrons – Nucleus is composed of protons (+) and neutrons (o) – Number of protons define the chemical element and is the atomic number (H = 1, He = 2, Li = 3, …U = 92) - Neutrons “glue” protons together and add mass to the atom – Number of electrons (-) orbiting nucleus is determined by the number of positively charged protons; – Negatively charged electrons balance the positive charges of the protons - atoms are neutral.  Elements and Isotopes Element – substance composed of atoms with the same number of protons Isotopes – number of neutrons for and element may not be the same; variable numbers of neutrons possible – Atomic Mass Number is the number of protons plus neutrons in the elements nucleus – Some isotopes have more neutron and are heavier (carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons) – Some isotopes have fewer neutrons and are lighter (carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons) “medical isotopes”  Isotopes are very important to environmental geology - two kinds Stable isotopes (used for fingerprinting & tracing pollutants determining past temperatures etc.) : – e.g. 13C, 12C, 15N, 14N, 18O, 17O, 16O etc. Unstable (radioactive) isotopes (used in dating rocks, tracing envir. & med. processes etc.): – e.g. 14C, 40K, 87Rb, 90Sr, 226Rn etc. (Called NORMS) – “medical isotopes” 99Tc – Nuclear waste Radioactive decay e.g. uranium decays to lead  Ion Atoms can gain or lose electrons An atom that is positively charged or negatively charged – Anion have gained electrons (-); has more electrons relative to the number of protons – Cation has lost electrons (-); has fewer electrons relative to the number of protons The electrical attraction of ions will cause an ionic bond to form between oppositely charged ions. – Na+ + Cl- = NaCl (halite)  Compounds Mixtures of two or more chemical elements in fixed proportions that have distinctive physical properties Elements will bond because of electrical attraction, forming ionic bonds, or the atoms may share electrons, forming covalent bonds  Cosmic/solar abundances: Concentration of elements in our solar system in proportion to hydrogen. Elements are not distributed uniformly in the Earth