The University of British Columbia

EOSC 420 Volcanology

Field and lab-based studies in volcanology concentrating on physical and chemical aspects of volcanic processes.

EOSC 421 Advanced Sedimentology

Description and interpretation of ancient and modern sediments, with emphasis on the origin, composition, textures, structures, diagenesis and chemistry of biogenic sediments.

EOSC 422 Structural Geology II

Studies of natural deformation using advanced techniques.

EOSC 424 Advanced Mineral Deposits

Advanced concepts in the processes that lead to the formation of mineral deposits. Introduction to the study of ore minerals using reflected light microscopy.

EOSC 425 Paleontology

Assessment of the geological impact of life both before and after the advent of hard skeletons. Fossilization processes; skeletal composition and structure; numerical taxonomy; bioerosion; biostratigraphy; and paleobiogeography in the context of plate tectonics.

EOSC 428 Field Techniques in Groundwater Hydrology

Hydraulic head measurements, water-quality sampling, pump and slug testing, infiltration measurements, profiling techniques. Held over five days after spring term at the Richmond groundwater hydrology field-school site. Enrollment limitations.

EOSC 429 Groundwater Contamination

Contaminant transport processes in groundwater flow systems; aqueous and multiphase transport; mathematical models describing migration and chemical evolution of contaminant plumes; case studies.

EOSC 430 Aqueous Geochemistry

Quantitative approaches to practical groundwater geochemistry problems. Equilibrium thermodynamics, kinetics, complexation, oxidation reduction, cation exchange, sorption and partitioning of organics. Case Studies.

EOSC 431 Groundwater Remediation

Methods for containment and remediation of subsurface contaminants; including groundwater control, groundwater extraction, and in situ treatment. Experience with common design approaches.

EOSC 432 Fossil Fuels

Origin, geochemistry and distribution of petroleum and coal in the stratigraphic record. Sedimentation of organic matter, organic diagenesis, migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons. Principles of exploration and development. Techniques for measurement of organic maturation and source rock analyses.

EOSC 433 Geotechnical Engineering Practice

Application of the principles and techniques of geotechnics, engineering geology, geophysics, soil mechanics and rock mechanics at engineering sites. Analysis of projects and problems on a local and regional scale, using analytical, empirical and numerical methods. Case histories.

EOSC 434 Principles of Geological Engineering

Role of geology and hydrogeology in siting, design, and construction of engineering structures; synthesis of rock mechanics and soil mechanics methods in various geological environments; introduction to computer applications in geological engineering.

EOSC 442 Climate Measurement and Analysis

Local climate time series collection and analysis. Retrieval and analysis of on-line climate data and model output.

EOSC 445 Engineering Design Project

Geological engineering design project from scope definition to final design. Based on a problem from industry.

EOSC 447 B.A.Sc. Thesis

For B.A.Sc. Topic to be approved by the Department.

EOSC 448 Directed Studies

Investigation of a topic to be agreed upon by a member of the faculty and the student. Permission of an undergraduate adviser and of the supervising faculty member is required before registration.

EOSC 449 B.Sc. Thesis

Honours students in Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences specializations are required to submit a thesis involving original research, on a subject approved by the Department, in their fourth or final year. (Honours ENSC and Honours ATSC students should enroll in ENVR 449 or ATSC 449, respectively, but all BSc thesis courses in the Department are run together as one course, EOSC 449.)

Before Major students approach potential EOSC 449 thesis supervisors, they must obtain permission from both their specialization advisor and the course instructor. They should seek an initial determination of eligibility from their specialization advisor no later than April prior to fourth year. Eligible Major students must have an Academic Record that is otherwise equivalent to that required of a student in honours (no failed courses, >68% average for entire Academic Record) except for not meeting the minimum credit load limit due to reasons such as a commitment to varsity sport or student government. A minimum grade average of 75% is strongly suggested.

EOSC 450 Potential Fields in Earth and Planetary Sciences

Theory, application and quantitative interpretation of potential field methods in Earth and planetary sciences. Topics drawn from problems in geophysical exploration, geodesy, geodynamics of the planets, geomagnetism, planetary magnetic fields, heat flow and fluid flow.

EOSC 453 Physics of the Earth and Other Planets

Identification and quantitative analysis of diverse physical problems in the earth, ocean, atmospheric, and planetary sciences.

EOSC 454 Applied Geophysics

Using geophysics to characterize the Earth's subsurface for resource exploration, engineering, environmental, and other tasks. Data acquisition, processing, inversion, and interpretation of individual and multiple surveys, including electrical, electromagnetic, seismic, gravity, and magnetic methods.

EOSC 470 Biological Oceanography

A quantitative examination of processes regulating the abundance, distribution and production of phytoplankton, zooplankton, microbes and fish. Controls of primary and secondary production, ecosystem dynamics and foodwebs.

EOSC 472 Introduction to Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry

Elemental abundance in seawater and marine sediments; solution chemistry of seawater; chemical and mineralogical composition of sediments; the carbonate system; organic matter in the sea; gases; the nutrient elements; heavy metals; geochemical balance in the oceans.

EOSC 473 Methods in Oceanography

Methods of data acquisition, study and analysis required in solving oceanographic problems. Includes a field school held during the mid-term break. A fee is to be paid by January 31. Open to third- and fourth-year students in Oceanography, or with permission of the Department Head.

EOSC 474 Marine Pollution

An interdisciplinary study of pollution, with examples drawn from coastal and oceanic environments, including areas of local interest. Intended for third and fourth year students with a background in the sciences.

EOSC 475 Marine Microbiology

Advanced biology, ecology and diversity of marine microbes. Emphasis on the roles of bacteria and viruses in marine foodwebs and geochemical cycles.

EOSC 476 Estuaries

An interdisciplinary study of the features and the physical, chemical, biological and geological processes in estuaries.

EOSC 477 / ATSC 414 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

The fundamental principles governing the flow of a density-stratified fluid on a rotating planet, with applications to the motions of the ocean and atmosphere. Equivalent to ATSC 414.

EOSC 478 Introduction to Fisheries Science

An introduction to the ecology and management of marine and freshwater fisheries. Topics include: population dynamics, ecology of fish production, community dynamics, environmental influences, fishery economics, social anthropology of fisheries, models of fishery managment that derive from ecology, economics and sociology, case studies.

EOSC 498 Co-Operative Work Placement III

Approved and supervised technical work experience in an industrial, university of government setting for a minimum of 14 weeks. Normally taken in the Summer Session (Terms 1 and 2) following third year. Technical report required. Restricted to students admitted to the Co-operative Education Program in Earth and Ocean Sciences.

EOSC 499 Co-Operative Work Placement IV

Approved and supervised technical work experience in an industrial, university or government setting for a minimum of 14 weeks. Normally taken in the Summer Session (Terms 1 and 2) following fourth year. Technical report required. Restricted to students admitted to the Co-operative Education Program in Earth and Ocean Sciences.