Today’s coastlines provide a dramatic physical and biotic transition from land to sea. Their ancient counterparts provide a rich record of past environments and changes in local and global processes. This course offers an overview of coastal processes and their control over modern and ancient coastal systems. It starts with a discussion of modern ocean/lake processes, sediment transport, and coastal deposition. We will then use the models developed from present-day beaches and nearshore deposits to understand ancient coastal systems preserved in the geologic record. Finally, we will examine the growing pressure placed on today’s coastline by growing population and human exploitation. The course uses basic and advanced geologic principles to understand how coastal systems are assembled and preserved.. PLEASE Note Prerequisite: GEOL 120, 160, or 162.

Geol 250: Beaches & Coasts

Three weekly lectures (MWF 12 - 12:50: Carnegie 301) are supplemented by laboratory exercises and field trips to view modern and ancient coastal deposits.. On some Fridays, we will combine lecture and lab to allow us to travel farther or look at things in more detail - please plan to bring a lunch on those days. Also, please note that there is a mandatory $10 laboratory fee for all Geology courses with labs.

Text: Davis, R, and FitzGerald, D., 2003, Beaches and Coasts, Blackwell Publishing, UK. It is available in the Oberlin College bookstore. Supplemantal readings will be placed on eres.

Photo: Essex Inlet, Massachusetts, showing well-developed flood- and ebb tidal deltas at low tide.