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Unit of study_
GEOS3103: Environment, Sediment and Climate Change
2025 unit information
Sediments and sedimentary rocks cover most of the Earth's surface, record much of the Earth's geological and climatic history and host important resources such as water and mineral ores. The aim of this unit is to provide students with the skills required to examine, describe and interpret sediments and sedimentary rocks for a variety of different purposes. Specific foci of the unit will be the identification of the recent or ancient environment in which sedimentary materials were deposited, and the processes that control the production, movement and storage of sediment bodies. On completion of this unit students will be familiar with the natural processes that produce and modify sediments across a range of environments at the Earth's surface. The various controls on the sedimentary record such as climate and sea-level change, as well as diagenesis and geochemical cycles, will be discussed. Practical exercises will require students to examine samples and regional datasets and determine the properties and significance of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The course is relevant to students interested in mineral exploration, environmental science and engineering geology as well as marine geoscience.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Geosciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
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(GEOS2114 or GEOS2914) or (GEOS2116 or GEOS2916) or (GEOS2124 or GEOS2924) |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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GEOS3803 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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(GEOS1003 or GEOS1903) |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate an understanding of the processes responsible for transporting sediments into and within oceanic basins.
- LO2. Recognise different types of marine sediments and understand how and where they form.
- LO3. Demonstrate an understanding of the controls on carbonate and silica production and deposition and their relationship to global carbonate and silica cycles.
- LO4. Describe and classify different types of sedimentary rocks and interpret their environments of deposition.
- LO5. Describe the processes responsible for the production and preservation of lithified and unlithified sediment in terrestrial and marine environments.
- LO6. Design and execute laboratory-based research in environmental sedimentology.
- LO7. Constrain both accuracy and precision in laboratory-based analyses.
- LO8. Operate safely in research laboratories.
- LO9. Identify and utilise common techniques for describing and analysing sediment and sedimentary rocks.
- LO10. Communicate scientific information appropriately, both orally and through written work.
Unit availability
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