COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

10000: The Dynamic Earth Basic concepts of geology.
The materials, structures, and surface features of the earth, and the processes which have produced them. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

10100: The Atmosphere
An introduction to the processes and phenomena of our atmosphere. Topics include clouds, sky color, greenhouse effect, storms, climates and Ice Ages. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

10600: Earth Systems Science
A systematic global view of the features, processes, and underlying scientific concepts of the earth, atmosphere, and oceans, emphasizing environmental applications. 3 LECT., 3 LAB. HR./WK.; 4 CR.

21300: Engineering Geology
Fundamental facts and principles of geology with special reference to their importance in engineering projects; geologic perspective on current environmental issues; remote sensing; techniques for geologic study of project sites in terms of the surface and subsurface environment. 3 LECT. HR./WK., NINE 3 HR. LAB. SESSIONS/ SEM.; 3 CR.

Advance Courses

21700: ESS: Systems Analysis of the Earth
Analysis and modeling of the grand cycles and systems in the Earth Sciences including plate tectonics and climate change by incorporating the underlying physical, chemical and biological principles. Physical and chemical properties of earth materials are examined. EXCEL, Visual Basic and PowerPoint are all used extensively.
Prereq.: EAS 10600 or 21300, Physics 20300 or Chemistry 10300 or equivalent; coreq.: Sci 20000. (W) 3 LECT., 2 LAB. HR. WK.; 4 CR.

22700: Structural Geology
Geometry of elementary earth structures, especially faults and fractures, their modes of origin, stress analyses, and models. The mechanics of naturally occurring structures and their relationship to human-made structures. Includes earthquake mechanics and development of geological maps.
Prereq.: EAS 10000, 10600 or 21300. 3 LECT., 2 LAB. HR./WK.; 4 CR.

30100-30400: Honors I-IV
Research and studies in Earth Systems Science. Approval of Dean and Department required. Apply in J1328, no later than December 10 in the Fall term or May 1 in the Spring term. VARIABLE CR., USUALLY 3 CR./SEM.

30800: ESS: Modeling/Databases
Applications of the principles of ESS to the diagnosis and modeling of global and local environmental problems. Introduction to remote sensing techniques, processing, and analyses of global data sets, and computer models of Earth Systems.
Prereq.: EAS 21700, or permission of the instructor. (W) 3 LECT., 1 LAB. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

31000: Independent Study
Individual laboratory, field or library investigation of a problem in Earth Systems Science.
Approval of instructor required. 1-4 CR./SEM.

31100-31500: Selected Topics in Earth Systems Science
Current topics and problems with emphasis on aspects not treated in regular courses.
Department permission required. 3 LECT. OR REC. HR./WK.; 3 CR./SEM.

31700: Atmospheric Change
Introduction to the phenomena and processes of the atmosphere and their interactions with the oceans and solid earth, including atmospheric composition, chemistry and evolution, atmospheric structure, radiation, heating, clouds and precipitation, atmospheric motions, circulation systems, storms, and climate. Applications include elements of weather forecasting, air quality monitoring and remote sensing. Prerequisites: EAS 21700 and Science 20000 or equivalent or permission of instructor. 3 HR./WK.: 3 CR.

32000: Global Change
Analysis and modeling of the grand cycles and systems in the Earth Sciences including plate tectonics and climate change by incorporating the underlying physical, chemical and biological principles. Physical and chemical properties of earth materials are examined.
Prereq.: EAS 10600 or 21300; coreq.: Physics 20300 or Physics 20700 or Chemistry 10300; Math 10100 or Math 10500 or equivalent. 2 LECT., 2 LAB. HR./WK; 3 CR.

32800: Global Environmental Hazards
Study of important, naturally-occurring, destructive phenomena, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and coastal flooding. Long-term causes and remediation of these problems. Topics will focus on consequences to urban environments. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

33000: Geographic Information Systems
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems using ArcGIS. Analysis of spatial data based on location. Hands-on work with downloading databases from the Internet, modification of formats, editing, and data analyses. Visual representation of data will emphasize different data types (point, linear, and spatial) and use of various analytical tools (IDW, spline, nearest neighbor, quadrat analysis, and different pattern types, such as random, clustered, uniform, bi-modal, etc. Environmental Applications are stressed in class and include: Earthquake Patterns and Risk Analysis, Vegetation Patterns and Changes over Time, Patterns of Sea Level Change due to Global Warming, remote sensing of fracture patterns, aerosol dispersal over time, pollution plumes in subsurface groundwater. 3 HR./WK.; 3 CR.

34500: Hydrology
Introduction to hydrological data, the hydrologic cycle. Precipitation, streamflow, evaporation, and runoff. Emphasis is on their interactions and processes. Prereq.: Math 20300 or 20800, Physics 20800, or permission of the instructor. 2 LECT., 2 LAB. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

36400: Field Methods in Oceanography
An interdisciplinary introduction to theories, principles and laboratory methods in aquatic and coastal sciences. Includes extensive fieldwork involving cruises on a research vessel. Course is taught as a continuous three week block of lectures and laboratories during summer session. Students will be required to be in residence at an appropriate field station in the New York area for the duration of the course.
Prereq.: Completion of a lecture plus laboratory course designed for majors in either Biology or Geology. Completion of one year of chemistry and one semester of calculus is strongly recommended. Enrollment by application only. 4 CR.

36500: Coast and Ocean Processes
Principles governing atmosphere-coastocean interactions. This course utilizes the Department’s Weather Station and Geosciences Computer Laboratory where oceanographic and atmospheric data are remotely sensed from space. The role of the world’s oceans to current global warming/ cooling models will be examined. Topics also include: bathymetric features, origins of the hydrosphere, sea-level change, wave formation, temperature, salinity, and density of the ocean water.
Prereq.: EAS 10600 or 21300, or Bio 10200 or 10500, or permission of the instructor. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

41300: Environmental Geochemistry
A traditional geochemistry survey course that emphasizes earth system science considerations. The survey includes groundwater systems, the ocean system, carbonsilicon cycle relative to these systems, stable and radioisotope geochemistry, trace metal distribution theory and applications, and an introduction to igneous and metamorphic petrology. Hands-on exercises in x-ray fluorescence and x-ray diffraction spectrometry complement lecture materials. Prereq.: EAS 21700 or permission of the instructor; pre- or co-req. Chem 10401. (W) 3 LECT., 1 LAB. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

42600: Environmental Remote Sensing and Image Analysis
Remote sensing of the environment is a course devoted to the study of earth system interactions through downloading and manipulating satellite data. The course reviews the historical creation of satellite platforms, current usages of satellite data in the earth sciences, and emphasizes image analytical techniques used to highlight important data sets. Lecture and laboratory work emphasizes the use of Interactive Data Language (IDL) programming to perform image manipulations.
Prerequisites: undergraduate course in computer science or permission of instructor. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

43900: Mineral/Energy Resources
Minerals in Earth Systems Science: principles of mineral stability and mineral associations; identification and recovery of earth resources. Mineral issues in human terms: toxic waste sites, climatology, and slope stability. Course introduces mineral optics and x-ray diffraction.
Prereq.: EAS 21700 or permission of the instructor. 2 LECT., 4 LAB. HR./WK.; 4 CR.

44600: Groundwater Hydrology
Occurrence of ground water. Basic equations and concepts of groundwater flow. Flow nets. Methods of groundwater investigation.
Prereq.: Math 20300 or 20800, Physics 20800, EAS 10600 or 21300, or by permission. 2 LECT., 2 REC. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

47200: Environmental Project
Senior-level project utilizes field data to solve an urban environmental problem. Can be taken in the spring semester or in the summer. Also open to post-graduates in the environmental fields, by permission. Prereq.: EAS 21700 and 22700; coreq.: EAS 30800, or permission of the instructor. (W) 4 WEEKS IN FIELD PLUS LAB. ANALYSES; 6 CR.

48800: Climate Change
This course links processes and interactions of the atmosphere, ocean, and solid earth and their impact on climate and climate change. Topics include the physical principles of climate; climates of the past and present; Ice Age theories; the Greenhouse Effect; and human impact on climate.
Prereq.: EAS 10100 or 10600; one semester of college math. 3 LECT., 2 LAB. HR./WK.; 4 CR.

52800: Plate Tectonics/Geodynamics
This course treats the processes that change the face of the earth. It includes the concepts of mantle convection, continental drift, leading to the modern theory of plate tectonics. The perspective is global and process-oriented, with examples from nearby active plate boundaries. The plate tectonic model explains global distributions of earthquakes, volcanoes, mineral deposits, and long-term climate patterns. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

56100: Geophysics
This course covers the physical principles that govern the behavior and techniques used to infer the earth’s internal structure, composition, and mineral resources. It provides earth scientists and engineers with the techniques to determine earth structures, locate environmental pollutants, and prospect for natural resources from remote locations. Topics include: seismology, geodesy, gravity, magnetics, and thermal properties of the earth.
Prereq.: EAS 10600 or 21300 and Physics 20800. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

56500: Environmental Geophysics
The application of geophysics to environmental and engineering problems. Handson work and demonstrations on seismic, electrical, electromagnetic and magnetic instruments and techniques. Survey design and execution. Computer analysis of survey results.
Prereq.: EAS 56100. 3 LECT., DEMONSTRATION, OR FIELDWORK HR./WK.; 3 CR.

56600: Solid Earth Geochemistry
Deep earth involvement in Earth Systems Science: plutonism and volcanism; isotopic age dating; non-radiogenic isotope systematics; and trace metal characteristics of evolving earth systems. Course introduces petrography and x-ray fluorescence. 3 LECT. HR./WK.; 3 CR.

GRADUATE COURSES OPEN TO UNDERGRADUATES

Qualified undergraduate students may take, with permission of department, courses available in the Master’s Program in Earth Systems Science (see Graduate catalogue) or at Lehman College or other CUNY campuses.