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This page serves as the key online information source for the Physical World. This page contains these key questions and data and links to help answer the questions. The answers are for you to develop. Syllabus Professor: Dr. Mauri Pelto, 213-2168. Purgatory Chasm today Monday April, 14 at 8:30. Office Hours: Tues: 9:15-11:45 and Friday: 9:15-10:45 |
Topics Questions Links
| Coastal Erosion | What factors are necessary for beach equilibrium? What Factors affect shoreline retreat rate? Why are longshore transport, dunes, beach slope and ability to migrate crucial to beach equilibrium. |
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| Shoreline Protection | Does beach renourishment work effectively? Why is hard stabilization such as seawalls detrimental to beach survival? |
National Hurricane Center
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| Sea Level Rise | How much is sea level rising? Why is sea level rising? How much is sea level likely to rise in the next 50-100 years? |
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| Flood Management | What factors affect flood potential? What type of stream has flooding? Why does urbanization lead to increased flood hazards? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using levees, channelization and dams to reduce flooding? |
Flood Insurance |
| Watersheds | What factors are impacting runoff? | MA Streamflow
watershed field project |
| River Resources | What are the threats to the Colorado River system? How can we better manage the Columbia River? What is the status of the Connecticut River system? |
Las Vegas Water District
Ipswich River low flow problem? Ipswich mgmt.
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| Volcanic Hazards | What volcanoes are active today? What hazards does each of the volcano types pose? How can we reduce volcanic hazards? How do volcanoes affect climate? |
Kilauea Volcano Alaskan Volcanoes Montserrat Cascade Volcano Observatory |
| Earthquake Hazards | Where have recent earthquakes occurred? What hazards are posed by earthquakes? Why can't we predict earthquakes? What areas are susceptible to earthquake damage? How can we reduce earthquake damage? What is the earthquake hazard in New England? |
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| Tectonic Events | What is plate tectonics? What hazards occur in which plate tectonic settings? |
Tectonics at work |
| Glaciers and Ice Sheets | How do glaciers affect our water resources? How are glaciers behaving today? How are glaciers impacting sea level? |
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| Water Resources | What is the Clean Water Act's principal goal and are we meeting it? Where do water shortages exist and why? How much water is used for various purposes today? How can we better manage our water supply? |
Great Lakes |
| Groundwater Management | What are aquifers? What are the recharge sources and area for an aquifer? What steps need to be taken to protect groundwater resources? |
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| Groundwater Pollution | What are superfund sites? How can we clean them up? What have been the environmental and economic consequences of groundwater contamination? |
New England Superfund Sites |
| Eutrophication | What causes eutrophication? How can eutrophication be reduced? |
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| Global Change | What environmental changes are being observed? | http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SNOW/
Google Earth files |
| Greenhouse Effect | What causes a greenhouse effect? What factors are key to the greenhouse feedback cycle? What evidence is there for and against a current greenhouse warming? What steps can and should be taken to slow greenhouse warming? |
Global Warming |
| Ozone Depletion | Why is ozone depletion largely restricted to the Antarctic? When will cfc levels peak in the stratosphere? |
Ozone Depletion |
| Fossil Fuel resources | How much fossil fuel do we have? What is emitted by fossil fuel burning? |
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Fuel Cells |
| Nuclear Energy | Where should we store our nuclear wastes? How does a nuclear reactor work? Are these reactors safe? |
Yucca Mt.
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| Alternative Energy | What are the advantage and disadvantages of solar power, wind power, hydro power and biomass power? | Hydro |
| ESCI 243 Physical World Spring 2008
Instructor: Dr. Mauri Pelto; 213-2168; peltoms@nichols.edu. Lab attendance is required, 2 lecture absences allowed. Date Topic Reading
1/23 Plate Tectonics 45-61 Essays due one week after assignment
Labs
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Physical World Course Objective 1) Seven essay assignments. Each essay will be a concise examination of a specific environmental geologic issue requiring consideration of legislative, economic and environmental aspects to arrive at a management decision. 2) Each lecture class will focus on answering several specific focus questions. At the end of each class several questions will be selected for you to answer outside of class. The next class will open with you providing an answer to these questions. During the course of each class 25-30 students will be called upon to answer specific questions. Your participation grade will depend on your aptitude in answering and raising questions. The more questions you ask and the more you are able to answer the more interesting the course will be. 3) Four quizzes. Each quiz is unique in format, one essay, one essa-open note, one multiple choice and one slide based. Quiz preparation should include answering each focus question. 5) Lab will require map analysis of 8-10 questions each day. Each question must be answered correctly before leaving class. These questions will be the source of questions for the comprehensive lab final. All lab exams are open note. There will be 3-4 field trips highlighting important aspects of this class. Essays: 7% each- (8 total) Quizzes: 7% each (4 total) Lab Final 8% Participation 8% Attendance: More than three absences will lead to a loss of the participation grade
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