ES640A - Earth System Processes

Principles: Earth System processes, geomorphic systems, Threshold and equilibrium; scale in geomorphology, key concepts in geomorphology, hydrologic cycle. Processes and Products: Exo-genetic and endogenetic processes, climatic vs. geomorphic processes, soil and weathering system. The Surface water system: Drainage basins and river systems, river morphology and hydrology, fluvial erosion, transport and sedimentation, fluvial depositional landforms, geo morph-o-metric concepts and drainage basin morph-o-metry. The Groundwater system: Groundwater in hydrological cycle, water table, groundwater flow and storage; porosity and permeability, aquifers, chemistry of ground water. The Atmospheric System: Atmospheric composition and mixing, atmospheric circulation, greenhouse effect. The Ocean and Coastal system: Coastal environment, waves, tides and currents, description and classification of coasts, shoreline development, coastal erosion and resulting topographic features, coastal deposition and land forms. Global geomorphology and tectonics: Earths physiography and landscape evolution; Landforms and tectonics of plate margins and plate interiors; Tectonic uplifts and denudation rates and controlling factors, Sea level change evidence, mechanism and effects; coupled tectonic surface process models.