This course is not offered in 2019
Sedimentary basins are the source of all our fossil fuel resources, paleoclimate records and make our planet distinctive. This course will cover sedimentary basin development and the methods used to correlate sedimentary sections around the world. The architecture of large sedimentary basins (greater than 500 km across) will be investigated, with an emphasis on how and why they form. Correlation of rock units in time and space rely on global stratigraphic methods, with emphasis placed on 'event' stratigraphy such as Oceanic Anoxic Events and warm intervals from the sedimentary record like the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and other times of 'Extreme' climate that occurred during the past 100 million years. The skills learned in this course provide the building blocks of climate reconstructions.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the skills and knowledge to:- Assess large scale sedimentary basin architecture using seismic stratigraphy, well logs, coring and in some cases outcrops.
- Describe depositional history of selected basins using case studies from the literature and my personal research. Demonstrate an understanding of how magnetostratigraphy works.
- Evaluate how constructing stratigraphies using stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon is accomplished.
- Develop a working knowledge of how paleotemperature and atmospheric CO2 are reconstructed.
- Analyse and understand how extreme climate events such as the PETM and OAEs are reconstructed.
- Critically analyse how the stratigraphic record can inform us about future climate change and sea level rise, examples from Pliocene stratigraphic study.
Indicative Assessment
Assessment will be based on:- 6 quizzes 30% (LO1-7)
- Weekly practical assignments (6 assessed, including the field trip; LO1-7) 30%
- Theory Exam (LO 1-7) 40%
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
There will be 24 hours of lectures and 24 hours of practical/workshops in total. One local field trip is planned.Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
There will be no set text, but a series of journal articles will be included in the course material.Assumed Knowledge
Basic Geology.Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5460 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3610 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | View |
