Geophysical and Tectonic Overview of the Western United States
Each member of the class should skim these papers and be familar with them to ask questions and participate in classroom discussion. Papers will be bound in a notebook on a small table outside of my office, Room 106 Building 3. Many other original references can also be found there. You can also get references at the Earth Sciences Library.
The goal for each presenter should be to teach the class the main points of their reading assignment in the clearest way possible. The goal of the audience should be to clarify their understanding through questions. Members of the audience should jot down at least one question for discussion at the end of each talk. My job is to make sure everyone participates, i.e., I may call on you for your question.
Each presenter will prepare a 1-5 page summary of their paper outlining
the important assumptions and conclusions of the paper. Important
figures should be included. Summaries of each paper must be given
to each member of the class. See me before class so you can make
the necessary copies. Please prepare an oral presentation of your
paper with overhead transparencies of pertinent figures and data.
Each presenter will have 15 minutes for the presentation. In the
spirit of national scientific meetings, plan on a 10 minute presentation
so there can be at least 5 minutes of questions afterwards. I encourage
you to be critical in your reading and to glean meaningful results or facts.
Ask yourself "What is the main point or result of this paper?" Determine
what has meaning and could be useful in understanding the structure and
tectonics of the Death Valley region.
Readings from Geological Society of America, Memoir 172, Geophysical Framework of the Continental United States, 1989; and the Journal of Geophysical Research
11:20-11:40 C.A. Langston - finish tectonic overview of North America
11:40-11:55 Dorian Gunderson - Mooney, W.D., and C.S. Weaver, Regional crustal structure and tectonics of the Pacific Coastal states; California, Oregon, and Washington, Chap. 9, 129-161.
11:55-12:10 Daejin Kang - Anderson, R. E., Tectonic evolution of the Intermontane system; Basin and Range, Colorado Plateau, and High Lava Plains, Chap. 10, 163-176.
12:10-12:25 Marcello Santillan - Thompson, G.A., R. Catchings, E. Goodwin, S. Holbrook, C. Jarchow,C. Mann, J. McCarthy, D. Okaya, Geophysics of the western Basin and Range province, Chap 11, 177-203.
12:25-12:40 Soledad Velasco – A crust/mantle structural framework of the conterminous United States based on gravity and magnetic trends, Chap. 18, 383-403.