Introduction to GeologyIntroduction to GeologySummer HSSP 2007Summer HSSP 2007

Einat Lev & Christy TillDept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary

Sciences

MIT

Why study geology?

Why study geology?

Curiosity and passion for nature!

Curiosity and passion for nature!

http://www.vulkaner.no/v/volcan/panarea_e.html

Iguazu waterfalls, Argentina

Torres del Paine, Chile

Stromboli, Italy

Dept. of Transportation website

IRIS website

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/lagunalandslide1.jpg

Geologic HazardsGeologic Hazards

Landslides

VolcanoesEarthquakes

http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/255352

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1158

Origin of life and the planets

An Intellectual ChallengeAn Intellectual Challenge

Understanding nature!!!

Mathematics Physics

Chemistry

Biology

Engineering

… … and we get to works OUTSIDE!and we get to works OUTSIDE!GPS stations

Seismometers

Gravimeters

What do geologists do for a living?

What do geologists do for a living?

Teaching

Exploration

Research labs

Government

Consulting and planning

HSSP Summer 2007 - Topics Covered

HSSP Summer 2007 - Topics Covered

Intro to Geology & Plate Tectonics

Volcanoes & Geochemistry

Rock types

Earthquakes & Seismology

Earth’s Magnetic Field

Determining the age of rocks

Structural Geology

Planetary Geology

“The ring of fire” = a high concentration of earthquakes and volcanoes around the Pacific ocean. Why are they there? Are there other “rings”?“The ring of fire” = a high concentration of earthquakes and volcanoes around the Pacific ocean. Why are they there? Are there other “rings”?

“The Ring of Fire”

Earthquakes and

Volcanoes around the

world

Earthquakes and

Volcanoes around the

world

http://ww

w.quakes.uq.edu.au/seis_m

aps/im

ages/Seism

icity-world.gif

http://earth.rice.edu/MT

PE

/geo/

geosph

ere/hot/volcanoes/

volcanoes_b2.h

tml

Earthquakes of the world

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Present day tectonic platesPresent day tectonic plates

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Present day tectonic platesPresent day tectonic plates

1858: Antonio Snider-Pellegrini,

French Geographer

1858: Antonio Snider-Pellegrini,

French Geographer

1912Alfred Lothar Wegener

32 year old meteorologistProposed theory of “continental

drift”

1912Alfred Lothar Wegener

32 year old meteorologistProposed theory of “continental

drift”

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

How do we know the plates fit together?

How do we know the plates fit together?

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Location of the

continents since

225 million years ago

Location of the

continents since

225 million years ago

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Movie – The break-up of PangeaMovie – The break-up of Pangea

Why did Pangea break apart?

How do the plates move?

Why did Pangea break apart?

How do the plates move?

The types of plate boundariesThe types of plate boundaries

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Divergent boundaries (seafloor spreading)

http://emvc.geol.ucsb.edu/download/jrscsubdtn.php

Movie

http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/270/Lec12/Lec12.html

Divergent boundaries (seafloor spreading)

Mid-ocean ridge

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Mid-ocean ridges (MORs)

http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/270/Lec12/Lec12.html

Modern example of a new divergent boundary

How do we study mid-ocean ridges?

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Black smoker eruptinghigh temperature gases

Lavas erupted underwaterform pillow shapes

But the surface of the Earth isn’t growing….

How are plates destroyed?

But the surface of the Earth isn’t growing….

How are plates destroyed?

The types of plate boundariesThe types of plate boundaries

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Convergent boundaries (subduction zones)

http://emvc.geol.ucsb.edu/download/jrscsubdtn.php

Movie

Convergent boundaries (subduction zones)

http://www.platetectonics.com/book/page_12.asp

ocean-ocean subduction ocean-cont. subduction

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Convergent boundaries (subduction zones)

http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/117-IntroductiontoGeology/Lec19/lec19b.html

continent-continent collision

ocean-continent subduction

Can we see the subducted plate? YES!

Can we see the subducted plate? YES!

http://www.ncedc.org/anss/maps/cnss-depth.html

Zhao et al, Science, 1997

Seismic tomography

Earthquakes location

One other way plates interact

One other way plates interact

The types of plate boundariesThe types of plate boundaries

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

Transform boundaries (strike-slip faults)

San Andreas Fault

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

http://comp.uark.edu/~sboss/ex4s02answers.htm

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

http://emvc.geol.ucsb.edu/download/jrscsubdtn.php

Movie - Transform plate boundary in Western US

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

What are the plates moving over?

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html

What causes the plates to move?

http://skolelab.uib.no/kurs/2004v/North_Atlantic_bathymetry_300.jpg

What is the tectonic setting of Boston?

MIT

Volcanoes!!!Volcanoes!!!

Next time – Next time –