Please report any broken links to jmeyers@winona.edu

Monday, January 16 - No Class Martin Luther King Holiday

Text, Chapters 1 and 2, and web readings listed below.

Minnesota's Geology - The Big Picture (an outline of the lecture topic, with links to associated material)
Minnesota's place in geologic history - outlines of two chapters in the text "Minnesota's Geology." The first emphasizes the rocks of Minnesota as well as soils, concepts of geologic time, geologic structures such as folds and faults, and plate tectonics. The second gives an outline of the geologic history of Minnesota. A third external link is also provided that deals with a very general outline of Minnesota's geologic history. We will continue to deal with this same material in the following weeks, but from a variety of perspectives.

Monday and Wednesday, January 23 and 25 - Text, chapters 1 and 2, and web readings listed below, especially the USGS site on Plate Tectonics. You will need to work through that web site in some detail in order to complete our next warmup.

Plate tectonics and the Earth's internal processes - outline of plate tectonics. We will be discussing plate tectonic theory in order to understand internal geologic processes in the context of Minnesota, both present and past.
Plate Tectonics, United States Geological Survey (USGS) - a most excellent source for information on various aspects of plate tectonics - richly illustrated. Just follow the links and surf the topic!
Plate Tectonics, University of Nevada at Reno - another good outline of the plate tectonic theory, with many illustrations

Friday and Monday, January 27 and 30 - We are still reading chapters 1 and 2. For specific material on earthquakes and earth's interior, read the web material listed below. The first is an outline of the topic that I will use in class, along with links that you should read. The second is a series of links you may find useful for additional background, especially if you don't understand the outline very well. You should go to the third site dealing with Minnesota's earthquakes, and read the material there. The fourth focuses on mid-continent earthquakes. The fifth is a map of the epicenter of the 1975 Minnesota earthquake.

Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior - Outline of the topic, with links that elaborate on certain aspects of the reading
Earthquakes, Earth's Interior, and Plate Tectonics - links to external web sites that provide additional information on Earthquakes, Earth's Interior, and Plate Tectonics
Minnesota Earthquakes - go here to see the occurrence of earthquakes in Minnesota

Midcontinent Earthquakes - a nice comparison between earthquakes in the Mississippi Valley, and those on the San Andreas Fault.

Example of Minnesota Earthquake, 1975

Earthquakes in Minnesota - Minnesota at a Glance Series (pdf file)

Minnesota's place in geologic history - emphasis will be placed upon the bedrock of Minnesota, with more background material on rocks from the following assignment. Read especially the outline for pages 3-13.
Minerals and Rocks - A thorough outline on minerals and rocks, their classification and origins.
Minnesota at a Glance - Common Rocks of Minnesota - A nice several page document describing the common rocks of Minnesota, their nature and their origins.

Principles of Earth History - Emphasis is on the ways in which we can tell time from a study of the record of the rocks. We begin with the principles of superposition, cross-cutting relationships, original horizontality, and the concept of unconformities as illustrated by a cross section of the geology of the North Shore of Lake Superior. Study the lecture notes for Friday, then go to this diagram, print it out, and work out the sequence of events. Finally, submit that sequence of events in the essay question on our warmup application, an bring the cross section to class.
DeKalb College outline of principles of Earth history - a brief outline of the ways in which we can tell geologic time. Has a few useful diagrams to help understand superposition, cross-cutting relationships, and unconformities.
University of California Berkeley geologic time machine - a nice tour through the various eras and periods of geologic time. Browsing here will help you to remember the outline of the geologic column and the progression of the major events in Earth history. You can then place Minnesota into this calendar or framework

Monday, February 20 - Finish Earth History and do an overview of the geology of Minnesota in the context of Earth history.

Here are two NEW readings that you must complete at this time. Both are PDF files of documents published for laypersons by the Minnesota Geologic Survey. The first deals with the common rocks of Minnesota. The second is a very nice outline of the means by which we tell time in Earth history. You will be accountable for the material in these two documents.

Read the web material titled overview and lecture notes. This reading is a nice summary or overview ot the general topic of Minnesota's geologic history. You should also re-read chapters 1 and 2 of the text, as well as the outlines for these chapters.

Also, at this time the readings on Minnesota's geologic history, from the Minnesota Guide, become very important. Begin by a light read of the entire outline, then go back and begin to study the early Precambrian part of the outline in greater detail. As we move forward in time, from the earlier to later geologic events in Minnesota, continue to place emphasis on those sections of the guide that are germain to our topic at any one time. This is an ongoing assitnment.

Geologic History of Minnesota - Overview and Lecture Notes -

We will review the general geologic setting of Minnesota, the bedrock geologic map, and the surficial deposits map of the state. The landscape of the state will then be studied in light of the distribution of the bedrock and surface deposits. Finally, we will study the various geologic terranes of the state as defined by the type and age of the bedrock in different regions.

Outline of "Minnesota's Geology", p. 3-13 - an outline of chapter 1 in the Ojakangas and Matsch text, based on a tour of the Minnesota River Valley, its rocks, and its landscape. General review of the distribution of different rock types and surface deposits is also given. Finally, soils and fossils, principles of earth history, and geologic structures and plate tectonics, are reviewed in a general way, with occasional reference to Minnesota geology.

Outline of "Minnesota's Geology" - p. 15-20 - the geologic setting of the state, including a somewhat detailed outline of geologic history

Geologic history of MN - from Minnesota Guide, Chapter 2 - use as a continuing guide for review of Minnesota's geologic history. Return to this page periodically to refresh your memory of the sequence of events.

Wednesday and Friday, February 22 and 24 -

Read the outline printed below on the Archean Geologic History of Minnesota. And be certain to check out the associated links that show various maps, cross sections, and photos.

Read textbook, pages 23-34, and 176-197, 203-207, 213-215, 227-229

Archean Geologic History of Minnesota - UPDATED!!! this updated version has more images that pertain to this important part of Minnesota's geologic history. Be certain to study it carefully!!!

Archean Geologic History of Minnesota - Outline - Archean geologic history of Minnesota is the topic for these two days. We will discuss how the oldest Precambrian rocks in Minnesota reveal the early history of the continental crust of North America

Monday, Wednesday, an Friday, February 27, March 1 - 3.

Read the outline on Early Proterozoic of Minnesota. It is extremely helpful and it contains links to pictures and cross sections, etc., that are not in the text.

Read Textbook, pages p. 34-45, 163-167, 213-214.

Also read the Minnesota Geologic Survey's pdf file on the Precambrian of Minnesota. It's a very nice summary of the geologic events for the Archean and the Proterozoic.

Finally, one of the themes of the Early Proterozoic in Minnesota is the formation of BIF's (Banded Iron Formations) and their relationship to the evolution of photosynthesizing plants. There are some very useful links to web sites that summarize BIF's and Precambrian atmosphere and life. Be certain to read them.

Early Proterozoic Geologic History of Minnesota - UPDATED!!! - this updated version has more images that pertain to this important part of Minnesota's geologic history. Be certain to study it carefully!!!

Early Proterozoic Geologic History of Minnesota - Outline - Early Proterozoic History
in Minnesota contains the record of the evolution of the atmosphere, which is also tied closely to the development of life on Earth.

Geologic Time - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on methods of telling time in the rock record.

Subsurface methods of discovering geology in Minnesota - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on subsurface methods as applied to mapping Minnesota's bedrock

Precambrian of Minnesota - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on the Precambrian Geologic History of Minnesota (also printed in your MRW notebook from the bookstore)

Below are some outside readings that you should consult on the topics of the development of Precambrian life, the atmosphere, and Banded Iron Formations (BIF's)

www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanointro.html nice concise summary of cyanobacteria

www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanofr.html a good summary of early life in the Precambrian, with nice photos of bacterial forms, etc.

www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteriafr.html fossil record of bacteria

www.dc.peachnet.edu/~pgore/geology/geo102/precamb.htm nice outline by Pamela Gore of Precambrian rocks and origins of life - concise

www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/117/Lec13/lec13.html a nice outline of life through the Cambrian explosion

www.geol.binghamton.edu/faculty/naslund/Geol.111.lect26c.html a nice summary of Archean crustal evolution and evolution of the atmosphere

rainbow.ldeo.columbia.edu/ees/SIPA/Lectures/Lecture_1.html first half of page deals with banded iron formations and evolution of the atmosphere

www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/proterostrat.html concise summary of Proterozoic and rise of oxygen. Evidence in rocks.

Be certain to read the outline on Late Proterozoic Geologic History of Minnesota. Two things we really plan to emphasize are the mid-continent rifting (along with the Duluth Gabbro and the North Shore Volcanic Group) and the formation of the Sioux (and Baraboo) Quartzite.

Continue reading in the Minnesota Geologic Survey's "Precambrian of Minnesota." Remember, it's a PDF file and is linked below. Also continue reading in the Common Rocks of Minnesota (another MGS PDF file). It is linked in an earlier assignment.

Text p. 47-62, 167-176, (215-217), 228-231

Late Proterozoic Geologic History of Minnesota - Outline - Late Proterozoic History in Minnesota contains the record of deposition of pure quartz sandstones, and subsequent rifting of the North American Continent
http://www.uwrf.edu/~wc01/Pipestone.htm nice geologic summary of the Sioux Quartzite, Catlinite, and a discussion of the pipes

Geologic Time - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on methods of telling time in the rock record (also printed in your MRW notebook from the bookstore)

Subsurface methods of discovering geology in Minnesota - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on subsurface methods as applied to mapping Minnesota's bedrock

Precambrian of Minnesota - A Minnesota Geologic Survey reading on the Precambrian Geologic History of Minnesota (also printed in your MRW notebook from the bookstore)

www.angelfire.com/mn/RachelFrisk/Catpipe.html a nice site on Catlinite pipes

www.tcinternet.net/users/cbailey/pipetom.html the Pipestone petroglyphs

Read the outline on the Paleozoic Geologic History of Minnesota. It contains the material I will go over in class, including photos and maps and diagrams. It will give you an important roadmap for making connections that allow you to understand the geology of the southeastern part of the state.

Also, note the reading in the text. This reading will further amplify the points made in the outline, and it contains photos and other illustrative materials not on the web outline.

Finally, be certain to read the PDF file from the Minnesota Geologic Survey on Fossils in Minnesota. Fossils are very important in understanding sedimentary rocks, their environments of deposition, and their ages.

Text, p. 62-86, p. 233-241

Paleozoic Geologic History of Minnesota - Outline - Paleozoic history in Minnesota is a record of shallow seas teeming with life, the sediment, and the fossil record. Focus on the ways in which we interpret the evidence of the rock and fossil record to figure out the history of events that shaped much of the interior of North America

Fossils in Minnesota - This is another reading in the Minnesota Geologic Survey's series "Minnesota at a Glance." It is a nice summary of the occurrence of fossils in Minnesota, and their meaning to interpreting the record of Minnesota's geologic history.

Paleozoic Bedrock of Minnesota - Minnesota at a Glance Series, Minnesota Geologic Survey, pdf file - Essential reading for our section on the Paleozoic Geologic History of Minnesota - outlines the history of the Cambro-Ordovician inland sea, flucutations in sea level, and the influence of environment of deposition on the resulting rocks.

Mesozoic Geologic History of Minnesota

Text, p. 86-95

Wednesay, April 5 - Exam #3 - Late Proterozoic, Paleozoic and Mesozoic geologic history of Minnesota

No class Friday, April 7

Wednesday, April 19, Discussion session in SLC 120

Read the outline on Quaternary Geologic History of Minnesota. It contains the guts of our comments in class, many diagrams (some from the text and some from outside sources), and photographs not in the text.

Quaternary Geologic History of Minnesota - we now begin a three day series of discussions on the glacial landscape of Minnesota, and how that landscape can be related to the glacial history of Minnesota and the upper Midwest. The outline begins with some background material on the formation of glacial ice, and on different types of glacial deposits and the landforms that are developed on them. There is also some material on the glacial theory, developed by Louis Agassiz. The emphasis in class, however, will be on glacial features in Minnesota, and how those features can be used to work out the glacial history of the upper midwest. Watch periodically for new additions to these notes.

Read the excellent section in the text on the Quaternary history of Minnesota:

Text, p. 96-121

Also, read these sections of the text that deal with glacial landscapes, deposits, and history of various parts of Minnesota. You will have to be selective, and focus on the glacial parts of these sections.

Text, p. 161-163, 168-170, 199-203, 208, 211-213, 217-221, 223-227, 229, 233-234, 235-239, 241242

Finally, read the summary paper on the Quaternary History of Minnesota from the Minnesota Geologic Survey

Minnesota at a Glance - Quaternary History of Minnesota,

Minnesota at a Glance - Karst in Minnesota

April 28 - Discussion session in SLC 120

Final Examination Wednesday, May 3, 10:30-12:30 - Half of the exam will cover material since the last test. The other half is comprehensive