Syllabus – Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Natural Hazards

Geology 103

Wintersession 2007

 

Michael Sperazza:     Office: CHCB320

                                    E-mail: sperazza@mso.umt.edu

                                    Phone: home 542-8314 or cell 360-5593

                                    Office Hours: Daily after class

                                    Lecture Notes Link

 

Text: Natural Hazards and Disasters – Hyndman and Hyndman

 

Class Schedule: This course is offered in the Wintersession (January 2 – January 19).  Class meets Monday through Friday in room SC304 from 1:00pm to 4:10pm.

 

Tentative Syllabus:

Date

Topic

Text Chapter

Tuesday, January 2

Introduction to Natural Hazards

Plate Tectonics

Chapter 1

 

Chapter 2

Wednesday, January 3

Plate Tectonics

 

Thursday, January 4

Earthquakes

Earthquake Mitigation

Chapter 3

Friday, January 5

Earthquake Prediction

Northbridge and Kobe

Chapter 4

Johnston & Keller paper

Monday, January 8

San Francisco & Loma Prieta

Tsunami

 

Chapter 5

Tuesday, January 9

Midterm Exam

Rocks

 

Appendix 2

Wednesday, January 10

Volcano Types and Mechanics

p. 134-149, 151-157, 165, 168-171

Thursday, January 11

Hawaiian Volcanoes

Vesuvius

 

p. 180-184

Friday, January 12

Mt. Pinatubo

p. 178-179

Monday, January 15

Holiday –

Martin Luther King Day

No Class

Tuesday, January 16

Mt. Pelee

Cascade Volcanoes

p.166-167

p. 158-165, Decker & Decker paper

Wednesday, January 17

Paper Research

 

Thursday, January 18

Volcano Risk & Prediction Yellowstone Caldera

p. 170, 173-177

Smith & Christiansen paper

Friday, January 19

Papers Due

Final Exam

 

 

 

Class Structure:

Due to the length of each class meeting we will take a 15-minute break around the middle of the class period (~1.5 hours into the class).  Plan to return after the break to continue the class. 

 

 

Grades: Final Grades will be based on the following assessments:

1.)    Midterm Exam: 30% of final grade

- covers material from 1st half of class

2.)    Paper: 20% of final grade

3.)    Final exam: 50% of final grade

- ~ 35% will be cumulative.

 

 

Final Course Grades:

Following are the cumulative percentage "cut-offs" upon which the final grade for the course will be based:

A      =    93-100%

A-     =    90-92.9%

B+    =   86-89.9%

B       =    83-85.9%

B-     =    80-82.9%

C+    =   76-79.9%

C      =    73-75.9%

C-     =    70-72.9%

D+    =    66-69.9%

D      =    63-65.9%

D-     =    60-62.9%

F       =    </= 59.9%

 

 

Attendance Policy:

I will not take attendance each class meeting, however due to the short duration of the winter session it will be very difficult to keep up if you miss class.  It will not be possible to make up any of the exams you missed without a written excuse from your doctor.

 

Cheating Policy:

Cheating on exams will not be tolerated. If you are caught, you will automatically fail the class and your name forwarded to the Dean for disciplinary action.