Course Syllabus GEOL 333 PETROLOGY OF IGNEOUS AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Course Description: Study of the properties and genesis of two major rock groups. Megascopic and microscopic techniques in rock classification. Environments of formation. Case studies from the Maryland Piedmont. Field trips required. Six contact hours (three lecture hours and three laboratory hours), four credits. Prerequisite: GEOL 331.

Schedule of lecture and laboratory topics: subject to change with notice: WEEK MONDAY: Laboratory Topic WEDNESDAY: Lecture/Lab Topic TEXT Types of Intrusions; Composition, Introduction to Course; Igneous 1/30-2/1 Textures & Structures of Igneous 1–3 Rocks in Hand Sample Rocks; Classification Volcanism; Formation of Magma; 2/6-8 Igneous Textures in Thin Section 4–6 Crystallization of Magma Igneous Rocks of the Oceanic 2/13-15 Felsic Extrusive Rocks 8 Lithosphere Intermediate and Mafic Extrusive Igneous Rocks of Convergent 2/20-22 9,10 Rocks Margins; Layered Mafic Intrusions 2/27-29 Felsic Intrusive Rocks Mafic Intrusive Rocks 3/5-7 Work on Igneous Case Study Ellicott City Field Trip 3/12-14 Work on Igneous Case Study Igneous Case Study due 3/19-21 SPRING BREAK Metamorphic Isograds, Facies, P-T 3/26-28 Quartz Microstructures Evolution; Metamorphic Textures and 17,18 Classification Metamorphic Assemblages, 4/2-4 Metamorphic Index Minerals 19-20 Reactions, and Equilibrium Metamorphism of Mafic & 4/9-11 Foliated Metamorphic Rocks 21 Ultramafic Rocks Metamorphism of Aluminous Clastic 4/16-18 Non-foliated Metamorphic Rocks 22 Rocks 4/23-26 Determining P-T-t Histories Maryland Piedmont: Lang articles 4/30-5/2 Work on Piedmont Project Hunt Valley Field Trip 5/7-9 Work on Piedmont Project Work on Piedmont Project 5/14 Present Piedmont Project Piedmont Project due Friday, May 18th, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Textbook & Resources: Petrology: Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic (3rd edition) by Harvey Blatt, Robert J. Tracy, and Brent E. Owens. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 2006. The Blackboard site for this course provides essential resources for this course. Check your Towson e-mail account daily for possible course-related announcements.

1

Course Objectives: Upon successfully completing the course, students should be able to explain and apply knowledge and skills central to the domain of professional geologists, including: . formation and modification of magma . differentiation, fractional crystallization, partial melting . primary textures of igneous rocks . determination of crystallization history of an igneous rocks . intrusive and extrusive magmatic features . eruptive styles of volcanoes as function of lava composition & viscosity . interpretation of binary and ternary phase diagrams . fabrics and compositions of metamorphic rocks . quartz optical microstructures . formation and kinematic interpretation of mylonites . connections between crystalline rocks and plate tectonic margins . crystalline rocks of the Maryland Piedmont geology . analysis of metamorphic rocks to determine their petrologic histories . writing and presenting an accurate report on a crystalline rock

COURSE INFORMATION AND POLICIES

Grading: The Grade Center in Blackboard will maintain a running weighted Letter average of your scores. Course grades will be assigned according to Cumulative % Grade breakdown shown at right: 94-10 A 90-93.9 A- 87-89.9 B+ 84.0-86.9 B Please note: A student must receive a course grade of at least a 80.0-83.9 B- 77.0-79.9 C+ middle C (73.0%) to fulfill this requirement of the Geology major. 73.0-76.9 C

70.0-73.0 D+

60.0-69.9 D Below 60 F Your course grade will be based on the following distribution (approximate): Assignment or Assessment: % of total grade Laboratory Assignments 30 Homeworks, etc.: 20

Igneous Case Study 25

Piedmont Project 25

TOTAL 100

Lectures: Students are expected to attend every class and be prepared to discuss the assigned reading. Students in this class are expected to behave in a professional manner befitting their attendance at university in preparation to become working geoscientists, including the following:  be present and attentive for the entire class period;  demonstrate preparation for that day’s class by bringing lecture PDF’s, if available, answering questions, and asking substantive questions;  turn in completed assignments on time;  participate in class discussions and activities; and  respectfully listen to the instructor and to other students.

2

Persistent distracting and disrespectful behavior (texting, tardiness, talking, chewing gum, sleeping, etc.) will deduct points from your course grade and/or lead to dismissal from class.

Labs: Laboratory activities in this course synthesize lecture and lab skills and will include identification of rocks in hand samples and in thin section. Labs will usually be begun on Monday and turned in the next Monday. Lab work in the course may require work outside of class. When the classroom is free, you may use this room to work quietly on assignments, but distracting activities (loud talking, computer games/videos, etc.) are not to be conducted in the room. Late work is not accepted without documentation of a student’s serious personal or medical emergency. Although students are encouraged to exchange ideas, your lab work is expected to be your own. Collusion on lab work will result in zero credit to all involved parties.

Homeworks, etc.: The purpose of these assignments is to encourage students to keep up with the lecture material. These will be assigned throughout the semester and may be handed in either in class or on-line through Blackboard; specific requirements will be described later in the course.

Field Trips: Field trips will be conducted during class period (weather permitting) and will require you to either travel in your own vehicle or car-pool with another student; if you have serious concerns about this requirement, contact the instructor as soon as possible. Field trips will involve detailed observations of rocks and other field skills; no pets, pals, smoking, etc., are allowed on the trips. All students must sign the Field Trip liability waiver required by the University. Field trip cancellation due to inclement weather will be announced via e-mail to your Towson account as early as possible; unless otherwise noted in the cancellation announcement, we will meet in the classroom. o Field Trip 1 (3/7): Ellicott City Granodiorite and Baltimore Mafic Complex: magmatic contacts, xenoliths, flow foliation, layered intrusion o Field Trip 2 (5/2): Setters Schist and Cockeysville Marble, Hunt Valley: amphibolite facies metamorphism, index minerals

Igneous Case Study and Piedmont Project: In lieu of traditional exams, students will undertake two projects requiring mastery of both lecture and laboratory concepts, each involving observation, description, interpretation, application, and synthesis. The first project will be on an igneous rock (hand sample + thin section), with a write-up illustrated with labeled photomicrographs summarizing your results. The second project will be on a metamorphic rock (hand sample + thin section) from the Maryland Piedmont and will involve either writing a paper and then giving a professional-quality PowerPoint presentation or designing an interactive web page that presents your observations and interpretations. More details will be provided later.

Students with Special Accommodations: This course is in compliance with Towson University policies on students with special accommodations. Most course materials are provided on-line via Blackboard. Students requesting note-takers and other accommodations must notify the instructor as early as possible in the semester with the proper paperwork; the availability of a note-taker is dependent upon another student in the class volunteering to take notes.

Withdrawal Deadline: The deadline to withdraw from this course with a “W” is April 30th. You may not repeat this course more than once without permission of the Academic Standards Committee.

3