Course Manual and Overview

Coordinator:

Dr. Mark Dekkers
Paleomagnetism, Fort Hoofdijk
m.j.dekkers@uu.nl

1. Content

Human society is currently faced with major challenges relating to population growth, supply and use of natural resources, environmental pollution and degradation, the impact of natural disasters on our ever-growing population concentrations and the question of global change. Earth and Environmental Sciences occupy a central position in addressing these challenges, and it is with this aspect of the Earth Sciences that the present course is concerned, namely with the relation between "System Earth" and society. The course builds on an Earth System Science approach. It involves an analysis of the interplay between resources and the (potential) hazard and risks related to their exploitation. Topics covered under these headings include mineral and energy resources, their depletion and management, and the environmental impact of their exploitation. The quality of natural mineral water - drinking water is perhaps the foremost commodity of the 21^th century - and its relation to rock composition are analyzed. Natural hazards and their mitigation also receive detailed attention, the focus being placed on volcanic hazards. A more quantitative approach will be adopted throughout the course.

2. Course Aims

Understanding of the relations between environmental problems and geological aspects. Appreciation of the pathways of ore formation, realization that ores are really rare, the testimony of unique geological boundary conditions. We will put our analysis based on geoscientific principles on a quantitative footing by performing calculations. Training of debating skills.

3. Planning

The 2019 course will analyze the next topics in detail (random order):

1. Overview and resources and sustainable development
2. Going underground: Energy & utilization of underground space
3. Composition of mineral waters and its relation to bedrock
4. Microscopy and rock types

Each topic is accompanied by a series of exercises, assignments.

4. Material

Recommended background "Introduction to Environmental Geology, 2nd edition", Edward A. Keller. Prentice Hall, 2002.
Earth - Portrait of a planet, Stephen Marshak. 4^th or 5^th edition, Part V, chapters 14 & 15
Earth & Society website: http://www.geo.uu.nl/UCU_SCI343/
Material put on the work space, including hand-outs on the various topics.

5. Assessment & Grading

Grading of assignment exercises. Assessment of debate performance. The first half of the course will be concluded with a written exam.

Groundrules 2019

All practicals must be done individually.
Completed exercises need to be handed in before the start of the next one.
Overdue exercises suffer from penalty.

6. Course planning

Individual topics broadly take one full week each. The topic is introduced by means of a lecture (often during Monday's class). Thursdays are available for the exercises that need to be finished in your own time and handed in when the next exercise starts. The course will be completed by a debate on the societal aspects of the Groningen gas field and a written exam. Details will be provided during the course.

Check the assignments and Blackboard for more information.

Calendar Weeks 5/6: Part 1; "System Earth and the Challenge of Sustainable Development"
Calendar Week 7: Part 2; "Provenance and composition of mineral water"
Calendar Week 8: Part 3; "Thin section microscopy"
Calendar Week 9: Part 4; "Non Fossil Fuel Energy Resources and Utilization of Underground Space "
Calendar Week 10/11: Groningen gas field debate preparation and debate
Calendar Week 12: exam

7. Questions / Suggestions

Contact Mark Dekkers: m.j.dekkers@uu.nl

Office: Paleomagnetic Laboratory 'Fort Hoofddijk' (in the botanical gardens of Utrecht University on the 'Uithof')
Phone: 1671