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GEOL 270
Analytical Techniques
Dr. Andrew WulffOffice Hours: MWF 8:00-9:00 and MF 10:00-12:00 p.m. EST Room 437 (x 5976) E-mails: andrew.wulff@wku.edu |
Course Meeting Times/Place: 12:40 – 3:20 p.m. Wed in EST 316
Design & Purpose of Course - Geology 270 (3 credit hrs.) This course is an introduction to an array of different techniques employed in the routine (and sometimes esoteric) analysis of geological materials. Includes sample preparation techniques, theory of various analytical techniques, and use of equipment available on campus. Techniques covered will include thin section preparation, analysis of thin sections, X-Ray Fluorescence, X-Ray Diffraction, Atomic Absorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and others as time allows.
Prerequisite: GEOL 111 and GEOL113 or permission of the instructor.
Textbook: Various readings as assigned
Attendance: Attendance is required and participation strongly encouraged. Students are responsible for all material covered in class, whether or not they are in attendance. I expect students to be on time for both lecture and lab sessions.
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Details: Rapid and
accurate analysis of solids, liquids and gases has become routine in the past
decade or so, such that knowledge and familiarity with the techniques is now
requisite in the study and interpretation of earth materials. In this course you will learn about a wide
variety of analytical techniques, ranging from the prosaic to the extremely
complicated. Certain fundamental
principles, such as analytical precision and accuracy, sample contamination and
proper calibration of each technique and equipment involved, will be consistent
throughout the course. Coursework will
involve readings (from online and paper texts), lectures (and notes – notes –
notes!!), and experiential learning of the equipment. Emphasis will be placed on learning how the
technique is implemented by analysis of various materials, and how the
capabilities of each piece of equipment may be maximized. Students will be given samples to prepare and
analyze, and therefore should expect to spend quite a bit of time outside of
the course period. I suppose the central
point of this class is the need to know HOW data are collected and presented -
and how the method and equipment bias the results. The careful and accurate identification and
analysis of earth materials has been a critical human endeavor for millennia,
recorded even in tomb paintings 5000 years ago!! Learning objectives for this course include
not only training in the theory and techniques of analysis, but a consideration
of the societal relevance and significance to human welfare of these materials.
Do not fall behind on the
readings or the projects!
Two different approaches will
be required for mastery of the material.
Quizzes and the final exam will concentrate on theory, and will involve
a different studying strategy, one that is based on recall and synthesis. Projects will involve attention to the
details of each piece of equipment, careful work, and repetition to ensure some
comfort level has been reached. In cases
where equipment is quite sensitive, students will be closely supervised. By the end of the semester you will have
learned a number of different techniques, and those who receive a grade of A
will have stayed current in readings, quizzes, projects, and will have
synthesized how the various fundamental principles guide the analytical process
in each case.
Product:
1) A research proposal
concerning the analysis of some specific material (rock, mineral, etc.). More on this later, but start thinking of a
material NOW, so that you may work on it a little at a time throughout the
semester. The proposal will include all
aspects studied in this course including: a statement of the problem, an
overview of the sample area, techniques of sampling, analytical procedures and
rationale for each, anticipated results, and importance to the discipline.
2) A Laboratory Notebook for
the project, outlining the work you did, with ALL aspects of your labwork,
including “flubs”. Laboratory notebooks are kept by all scientists, and they
are the place where you record your ideas and speculations, notes on
techniques, comments from others concerning your work, the things you tried,
what your results were (success/failure), and what you think your results mean.
I want to see it all!! Purchase one now
and keep everything in it!
3) A summary table of all
data collected (good or bad).
Demonstrations
As
you learn how to use a piece of analytical equipment or perform some technique,
keep close track of all steps
involved. Figure out how to tweak it this
way or that and maximize the precision and accuracy of the technique
involved. You will write a thorough SOP
(Standard Operating Procedure) for some piece of equipment, including all steps
(carefully articulated), hints and suggestions.
Few or none of you will ever design your own equipment or procedures -
you will use those that others have devised.
Use this exercise to critically examine what goes into a successful
experiment or research project.
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World
Wide Web
The WWWeb will be used as a resource to supplement our texts and additional readings. There are quite a few good sites on the WWWeb that offer lecture notes from other universities, software and freeware, photos and photomicrographs, geochemical modeling programs, ........ and just a lot of fun and cool stuff pertaining to rocks and volcanoes and such. So - This course page will exist primarily as a clearing house for a number of good sites. Some of these are included on other WKU pages. So - Have at it!!
You all will need to review Optical Microscopy techniques for the labs. So – might as well start with this Short Review of Optical Microscopy
Petrogenetic and Geochemical Modeling
Mineral Data Sets Links
Minerals in Thin Section
Links
Chemical data obtained from the WWWeb.
The Interactive Periodic
Table at this site (Los Alamos National Lab) is one of the best available
on the WWWeb, as is this Periodic Table and this one. There are many others - in all languages -
and with slightly different emphases. A word of caution: some contain erroneous information - so - BEWARE.
Reference Materials
A downloadable reference file and links
to other reference sites
A list of online (and
other) journals having to do with volcanoes
Tephra Base
UC-Santa Barbara - Volcano
Information Center
A Couple of Additional Links
A comprehensive page of Links for Petrologists from UNI-Wuerzburg
A Tour of Igneous
Rocks from John Francis at
A page on Magma Mixing based on papers by Blake and Ivey
A page of Igneous Textures from
Peter K. Haff at
Another page of Igneous Textures
from
A page of common Metamorphic
Textures from
Referencing the WWWeb
A final word concerning any of the information you glean from the WWW; there is
no peer review process in place for WWWebsites -
which means that ANYONE can put something on the WWWeb.
Be careful to check all the sources and (if you can) find out a bit concerning
the person (s) in charge of maintaining the site. If you do use materials from
the WWWeb, be sure to reference them accordingly. A
few suggestions may be found in an article called: “Beyond the MLA Handbook:
Documenting Electronic Sources on the Internet by Andrew Harnack
and Gene Kleppinger.
It shows examples of how to cite web pages, newsgroups, email, etc. You may find it at: http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.2/inbox/mla_archive.html.
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Latest Revision:
Jan. 19, 2007