A. Structure of the earth’s interior – fig. 16-2

B. Convection cells within the earth’s mantle drive plate movement (fig. 16-2 and 16-3)

• the movement of the continents and other evidence
• animation of the earth's plates and how they fit

C. Divergent boundaries (fig. 16-5) 1. in ocean - mid-Atlantic ridge (more) 2. on land - rift valleys (Iceland (take a virtual field trip) and east Africa) Lake Baikal in Russia is located on a rift (more) a new ocean is forming in the rift valley of Africa D. Convergent boundaries 1. subduction zone 2. trenches and island/volcano (fig. 16-5) arcs in the ocean the Marianas trench is the deepest spot in the ocean 3. mountain building on land the Himalayas and the Andes 4. ring of fire (fig. 16-4) volcanoes Volcano under the city - explore volcano "anatomy" Tsunamis are caused by the subduction zone along the N.A. west coast (pictures and explanation) more on tsunamis one of the largest tsanamis on record struck Lituya Bay, Alaska in 1958 Krakatoa - one of the most significant eruptions in recent history Mt. St. Helens and volcano cam | before and after satellite photos Crater Lake in Oregon formed as a result of a large eruption 1000 years ago. Explore National Park system volcanoes Smithsonian Volcano page (links to a Google Earth interactive of worldwide volcanoes!!) Google-earth earthquake monitor E. Transform faults 1. boundary between sections of divergent plates (fig. 16-5) 2. earthquakes (fig. 16-6 and 16-7) Images of earthquake damage Digital world tectonic activity map USGS earthquake hazards program	Plate Tectonics links The PaleoMap - an excellent overview USGS plate tectonics overview (excellent site with graphics) Hell's Crust: Our ever-changing planet: background and animations of plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis diagram of Pangea -- the supercontinent this animation shows the breakup of Gondwana (the supercontinent) and the formation of the island Seychelles another animation - overview of plate tectonics interactions This shockwave animation allows you to move around plates and see the effects See how "atolls" are built - it's not tectonics, but an interesting geological process Separation of the Seychelles island chain from Asia Natural hazards page has lots of info on earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes Basic overview of tsunamis and earthquakes NOAA tsunami research program Lots of animations - plate tectonics, tides, hurricanes, etc Schoolyard Geology - looking at urban features as a way to understand geology The Earthscope project explores plate movement in the US Tour of National Park System geological features and Park Service Geologic Wonders Plates on the move Geology of New Zealand has lots of good stuff Science Bulletins - interactives and videos from the American Museum of Natural History - includes features on volcanoes, Yellowstone, and other geology topics Geology of the Colorado Plateau Geology of the National Parks - 3-D views | another site

II. Non-tectonic processes produce most surface features

A. glaciation

• Mystery of the Megaflood - explore geological evidence of post-glacial flooding in North America
• Quiz yourself - identify geological origin of landscapes
• power point presentation on glacial effects
• Explore glacial features in the National Parks
• 3-D images of glaciers and other features in national parks (USGS)
• Forest Service National Avalanche Center
  

B. mechanical weathering/erosion by wind and water

• Explore cave and karst features in the National Parks
• Explore coastal geology in the National Parks
  

C. chemical weathering

            D. The geologic history of the mid-Atlantic

• Geology of Virginia (JMU)

• Geology of Virginia (William and Mary)

• Geology of the Potomac Watershed

• Virginia Rocks and Ridges

• Geologic Features of Maryland

• Geology of Maryland

• Mid-Atlantic Geology and Ecology tour

• Satellite image of Maryland and northern VA

• Sierra Club: Atlantic Coast | Central Appalachians

• Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forest

• National Park Service Nature and Science overviews: Shenandoah | George Washington Parkway

• Tour the geology of US National Parks

• Geology of the National Monuments on the Mall

III. The rock cycle (another link) (fig. 16-9)

• practice identifying rock types - become a rock expert
• mineral identification
• This animation connects the water cycle with the rock cycle and the tectonic cycle
  

A. igneous rock is formed beneath the earth’s surface in a molten state

• interview with a granite rock
  

B. sedimentary rock forms from sediments weathered off existing rock/soil and deposited in water

• layers of rock can be seen at Sideling Hill, MD
  

C. metamorphic rock is produced when existing rock is heated enough to change its form

IV. Soils

• "SK worm" answers your soil questions
• The soil biology primer is a good overview of the living components of soils
• State Soils
• Web soil survey - interactive maps give detailed info about local soil conditions

A. layers – fig. 4-25

1. Surface layer (O horizon) – surface litter

2. A horizon – topsoil – mostly organic (varies with soil type)

3. B horizon – subsoil

4. C horizon – parent material – lies on the bedrock

• in desert and near-desert regions, the soil crust is very thin and fragile.  Check out the basics (soil 101) and some pictures
  

B. soil organisms create soil (fig. 4-26) and add nutrients to it

C. soil profiles vary in different biomes and are a determining factor for biome types (fig. 4-27, and more later in chap 6)

D. soil types (more on soil classification) (more here - info on the 12 soil "orders", range maps, etc) (technical info)

1. clay

2. sand

3. silt

4. soils are a mixture of the three types, which results in a complex assortment of soil texture

5. soils with roughly-equal mixtures are called loams

6. differing properties result from varying combinations of the three types

E. erosion

1. three types – p. 279

2. historical examples - dust bowl (p. 281)

3. seriousness of erosion worldwide – fig. 14-7

4. desertification is a related problem (fig. 14-9)

• both of these problems are related to water over-use and over-grazing by livestock
  
• the Aral Sea provides a frightening example of the worst-case scenario (check out satellite images)
• we will discuss this further with regard to resource use and food production
  

5. solutions to soil erosion problems

farming adjustments - p. 284-286


animal and artificial fertilizers can present a host of problems – more on this when we discuss water pollution


Natural Resource Conservation Service (a program of the USDA) addresses erosion in the US