GEOLOGY 431- SPRING 2016
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN GEOLOGY
Dr. Allen Dennis
Phone 641-3396,
Office 224 Science
Email: allend@usca.edu (subject line AGLY 431).
This course is 4 credit hours
Office Hours 9-11 W.
Other times by appt
Text: Tectonolithofacies map of the Appalachian Orogen, Harold Williams, 1978; Allaby, Oxford Dictionary of the
Earth Sciences, 2009.
Handouts from the Literature will be distributed by email, blackboard, or in class. Several introductory Geology
texts will be on reserve for your use.
January
14
21
28
Introduction
Foreland Deposition
Foreland deformation
February
4
Blue Ridge easterly t’s & sutures, Problems
Williams and Hatcher, 1982; Moecher et al, Shervais
et al.; Dennis, 2007.
11
Steltenpohl.
March
Wilson, 1966; King, 1955; Secor et al, 1983.
Thomas, 1978; King, 1968.
Rich, 1934; Cook et al., 1979.
no class scheduled
18
Carolina & the Alleghanian
20
25
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
17
(Sat) Clarks Hill Eastern Piedmont Transect, 7am -7pm
Big Picture Problems
Thomas, 1993; Nance and Linneman
Pre-Trip Wrap-Up
Leave for Dunlap, TN (Dunlap)
Valley & Ridge of TN (Knoxville)
V&R, western Blue Ridge (Townsend or Banner Elk)
Western BR
(Franklin or Morganton?)
Eastern BR & Inner Piedmont, Brevard zone (Spartanburg)
Carolina terrane
Return to Aiken
Review and Discussion of Field Trip
Comparisons ax Appalachian Range Nance and Linneman,
Alonso-Gutierrez et al
Mesozoic and Teritary
Olsen et al; Nelson, Colquhoun, Prowell
24
Hibbard et al, 2007; Sacks and Secor, 1990;
My objectives for this class are that
1) You develop an understanding of geological reasoning, and the nature of geological relations.
2) You get experience identifying igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
3) You read and comprehend some recent and classic literature concerning the southern Appalachians.
4) You practice thinking critically and writing.
Each week you will be responsible for writing one page summaries for two of the assigned papers. I’ll also ask you
to prepare a vocabulary list composed of new geologic words or terms you read, learn and define in the readings.
Finally, I’d like for you to prepare several questions based on your reading for the week. The questions need not be
profound but should show that you read the article and/or what additional background you need(ed) to understand the
material. Two of these three-part assignments are due at the beginning of class.
These writeups will make up 75% of your grade. The remaining 25% will be your choice of either a discussion of the
evolution of the Appalachians or a description of the field trip we take over Spring Break. Either should run between 510 pages. This paper will be due (to me) 27 March 2014.
I have made the list as short as possible, partly because many students have a limited geological background, and
adding more readings would not help you understand better. Most of my selections are special to sites we will visit on
our field trip. Several geology texts, glossaries, and additional materials are on reserve at the library. I will also distribute
additional handouts, drawn from other (non-assigned) readings.
Exotic nappes Taconic klippen 200-208
F&Ti V&R 321-332, Canadian rockies 343-347, Urals 347-352, Taiwan
F&Tii N Apps 863-867
Basement Uplifts Blue-Green-Long 464-471, 481-483