Multi-media Materials Compiled/Created
by Dr. Steve Gao for GEOL51 Lectures

Website: http://www.mst.edu/~sgao/g51/plots

(A). Introduction

1). About Steve Gao
3). More about Steve Gao
5). Areas of study by Dr. Gao and students
6). Advantages of taking classes over self-study
7). Syllabus
8). Course structure
8.5). Lots of galaxies and fragments from Hubble space telescope
9). The 9 planets of our solar system
10). A 3D view of our Planet Earth
11). Geological time
12). A cross-section view of our Planet Earth
13). Earth's surface along the Equator

(B). Plate Tectonics

1). Earthquake distribution
2). A cross-section view of earthquakes beneath Japan
3). Southern California crustal movement from GPS
5). Ages of ocean floor
7). Cross-section of ages of ocean floor across North Atlantic Ocean
9). Distribution of currently or recently active volcanoes

11). Current position of South Africa and South America
13). The solved jigsaw puzzle
15). Position of the current continents at about 200 million years ago
17). Distribution of the fossils of a land reptile at about 300 million years ago
18). convection cell in a tank of water
19). Distribution of major tectonic plates
21). A photo of the mid-Atlantic ridge at Iceland
23). Models for convergent boundaries: S. America, Japan, and Tibet
24). continental collision
25). The mighty San Andreas fault in California
27). Southern California crustal movement from GPS

29). Three kinds of plate boundaries
30). Elevation profiles across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
31). An example of thermal convection
33). Relationships between lithosphere, asthenosphere, crust, and mantle
35). Major continental rifts on Earth
37). Processes related to subduction
39). Tibet plateau: result of continental collision
41). Earthquakes in the San Andreas fault system
43). Hawaii Island Chain

(C). Seismology

1). Subdisciplines of modern Seismology
3). Global Seismic Network Stations
5). Global Seismicity: 1910-1999 Mag >=4.5
7). Body and surface waves
9). Particle deformation of P and S waves
11). Focus and epicenter
13). A seismogram
17). Hawaii Island Chain
18). Download a software package for earthquake/volcano display
19). Shallow earthquakes occurred during 1970-2002
21). Deep earthquakes occurred during 1970-2002
23). Big (mag. >= 6.5) earthquakes occurred during 1970-2002: mostly in subduction zones
25). Earthquakes beneath Japan: a typical distribution of subduction zone earthquakes
27). Earthquakes in China: 1963-2001 Mag >= 3.0
29). California Big Earthquakes
31). Earthquake Hazard Map by USGS
33). Generation of a tsunami by fault movements

(D). The followings are for a Special Talk on
"Abnormal Damage Caused by the 1994 Northridge Earthquake"

1). Title and Facts
3). Northridge: damage photo 1
5). Northridge: damage photo 2
7). Northridge: damage photo 3
9). Northridge: damage photo 4
11). Damage Map
13). Proposed causes
15). Testing the seismographs
17). Installing the seismographs
19). More digging
21). More Field Work 1
23). More Field Work 2
25). More Field Work 3
27). Station Locations
29). Event Locations
31). Seismograms from 2 nearby stations
33). Seismograms from one earthquake
35). P and S wave amplitudes
37). The final model
39). For more information ...
41). Important issues...

(E). Earthquake prediction


1). An optimistic view
3). A skeptical view
5). A view arguing for intrinsic impossibiligy

7). Many weather stations and billions of $$$ have made weather prediction possible
9). Too few seismic stations
11). California Big Earthquakes
13). Southern California crustal movement from GPS

(F). The following is a Powerpoint presentation about earthquakes in NE Kansas


Earthquakes in NE Kansas (ppt format)

(G). The followings are for a Special Talk on "Earthquake Weather"


1). Number of earthquakes per year
3). S. California Seismicity
5). S. California Seismicity: No Aftershocks
7). Earthquakes occurred 10 days after the Landers Earthquake
9). Earthquakes occurred 10 days before the Landers Earthquake
11). Landers aftershocks
13). Number of earthquakes per 30 days
15). Possible causes for the annual cycle
17). Variation in air pressure
19). The model to explain the observations
21). For more information ....

(H). Mineral Photos

1). Cleavage of Mica
3). Reddish brown streak of hematite
5). Silicate minerals Clockwise from upper left: feldspar, mica, pyroxene, quartz, olivine
7). Non-silicate minerals Clockwise from upper left: halite, spinel, gypsum, hematite, calcite, pyrite, galena
9). Halite
11). Quartz
13). Bowen's Reaction Series

(I). Igneous Rocks and Volcanism

1). Constituents of a granite
2). Three kinds of rocks
3). The rock cycle
5). Sedimentary Rocks, Manhattan
7). Sedimentary Rocks, Bryce NP
9). Magma Chamber
11). Granite
12). Basalt (shows fine-grained structure)
13). Basalt
14). Table: changes in major elements from felsic to mafic rocks
15a). Table: Factors affecting melting temperature
15b). Pyroclastic rocks (Obsidian, pumice, ash)
17). Porphyry
19). Basalt in the forming (Hawaii)
21). Rhyolite, an extrusive rock
23). Gabbro (Maine, USA), an intrusive rock
25). Granite
27). Basalt
29). Andersite

30). An example of scientific observation & research - tree-leaf pattern

31). Magma Chamber
33). Mantle plume
35). Plutons, stocks, dikes, and sills
37). A dike in Grand Canyon
39). Three ways of magma intrusion

41). Basaltic lava (Hawaii)
43). A model for a shield volcano
45). A model for a volcanic dome
47). An example of a vocanic dome: Mt. Helens
49). An example of a Cider Cone volcano, Nicaragua
51). An example of a composite volcano, Fujiyama, Japan
53). Formation of a Caldera
55). An example of a Caldera: Crater Lake, Oregon (8 km in diameter)
57). A photo of phreatic explosion: Western Pacific Ocean
59). Map of active volcanoes in the world

61). Video: Eruption of Kilauea, 1959-1960
63). Video: Eruption of Kilauea, 1959-1960 (explosive phases)
65). Video: Mount Shasta: Composite volcano

(J). Sedimentary Rocks

1). The rock cycle
3). Example of Sedimentary Rocks, Manhattan, KS
5). Sedimentary Rocks, location unknown
7). Example of Sedimentary Rocks, Arizona
9). Example of Sedimentary Rocks, Arizona No. 2
11). Formation of Sedimentary rocks
13). Poorly sorted sand grains
15). Well sorted sand grains
17). Sedimentary Environments
19). A Reef

21). Chert
23). Halite
25). Limestone
27). Conglomerate
29). Sandstone
31). Shale
33). Bedding in a shallow sea environment, Manhattan, KS
35). Cross-bedding in a desert environment. Zion National Park, Utah
37). Old ripple marks in sandstone
39). Mud cracks and other photos from Death Valley NP, CA by Steve Gao

(K). Weathering and Erosion

1). Invasion of tree roots into fractured rocks
3). Frost wedging, Antarctica
5). Weathering due to uneven distribution of expansion and contraction

(L). Geological Time Scale

01). A matter of time-scale
02). A photo taken in 1871 at Green River, Utah
03). A photo taken in 1968 at Green River, Utah
05). Horizontality
07). Almost horizontal layers, Manhattan, KS
09). Not-so-Horizontal rock layers, Israel
11). Heavily eroded rock layers, but still horizontal. Badland NP, S. Dakota
13). A model for the formation of an unconformity
15). A unconformity in Grand Canyon, Colorado
17). The geologic time scale
19). Geologic time line of Earth's history

(M). Oceans

1). Circular movement of water particles
3). Bending of wave crests due to water refraction
5). Two bulges of water due to the moon
7). Elevation profile along the Equator
9). Submarine cayons and fans
11). Submarine cayons and fans
13). Evolution of a coral reef from a subsiding volcanic island
15). Coral reefs of the Indian Ocean

(N). Geological Structures (Folds and Fractures)

01). Flat rock layers, Manhattan, KS
03). Deformed sedimentary rock layers, Israel
05). Bent layers (folds)
07). Displaced rock layers by faults
09). Dipping limestone, England. Kids walking along the strike
11). Strike and dip
13). A simple geological map and a cross section
15). 3 kinds of forces
17). Rock experiments under shallow crust and deep crust condictions
19). Parts of folds
21). Dome model
23). Photo of the Sinclair dome, Wyoming
25). Basin Model
27). Valley and Ridge Province of the Appalachian Mountains (Photo)
29). Valley and Ridge Province of the Appalachian Mountains
31). Vertical joints across horizontal shale layers, New York
33). A typical fault -- San Andreas
35). Normal fault, which is a kind of dip-slip faults
37). Reverse fault, which is a kind of dip-slip faults
39). Strike-slip fault
41). Oblique-slip fault

(O). Mass wasting

1). Wet sand has a large angle of repose
3). Mass wasting as a result of removal of vegetation by fire, Yellowstone NP
5). Landslide triggered by the 1964 Alaska earthquake
6). Trees with pistol butt
7). Bent rock layers caused by creep
8). Bent rock layers caused by creep, No. 2
9). Tilted poles due to creep, California
11). A debris flow, Rocky Mountain NP
13). A mudflow, Tadzhikistan
15). An earthflow, Alaska
17). Results of solifluction, Canada
19). A slump, Wyoming

(P). Water

turk
1). Water distribution
3). Water cycle
4). Topographic map of the Manhattan, KS area
5). Alluvial fan, Death Valley NP
7). Mississippi delta
9). Stream valleys and drainage basins
11). The drainage basin of the Colorado river
13). A satellite photo of the Great Lakes
15). A satellite photo of Lake Michigan
17). Saturated and unsaturated zones
19). Sinkholes from groundwater pumping, Antelope valley, CA

21). Everglades (a movie)
23). Stream Dynamics (animation)
25). Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico (Chinese Theater)
27). A large sinkhole formed by the collapse of a cavern, Winter Park, Florida
29). Circulation of water over a magma body for the production of geysers or hot sprints

(Q). Desert

1). Distribution of deserts on earth
3). Formation of desert pavements
5). Desert pavements, Arizona
7). Desert pavements, Deathvalley National Park, CA
9). A ventifact
11). A ventifact, Deathvalley National Park, CA
13). Yardangs, Iran (100 km long)
15). Sand dunes, central Peru
17). Sand dunes, Arabian penisula
19). Formation of sand dunes
21). Sand dunes (an animation)

(R). Glaciers

1). Glacial Accumulation (an animation)
3). Glacial Ablation (an animation)
5). Glacial equilibrium (an animation)
7). Glacial polish, Alaska
9). A U-shaped valley, Montana
11). Iceberg calving, Alaska
13). Glacial deposits, Sierra Nevada, California
15). Glaciation of the northern hemisphere. Blue: formerly covered by glacier ice
17). Elephant-sized giant ground sloth existed during the last Ice Age

19). Unsolved problem: formation of the Earth's magnetic field
20). Unsolved problem: cause of long-term temperature change of the earth
21). Unsolved problem: cause(s) of long-term variation of seismicity
23). Unsolved problem: formation of the Rocky Mountains
25). Unsolved problem: IS the Big Blue River along a fault?

(S). Landforms; Earth Resources

1). Landforms in the contiguous US
3). A mountain range in southern Argentina
5). A mesa in Arizona
6). Web-based interactive landform simulation model
7). Percentages of energy types used in the US
9). Estimated world reserves of crude oil
11). Solar pannels, Nepal
13). The Geysers, the world's largest supply of natural steam

(T). Earth's systems

1). Formation of the greenhousr effect on the Earth
2). Manhattan is a good place to live
3). A result of the belief above ...
6). Number of families of marine animals as a function of time
8). Chicxulub impact crater in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

(U). Highlight figures

1). Formation of the Universe and the solar system 1
3). Formation of the Universe and the solar system 2
5). Plate Tectonics
7). Earthquakes
9). Rocks and minerals
11). Weathering and erosion
13). Volcanoes
15). Geological Structures
17). The Oceans
19). Water cycle
21). Mass wasting
23). Streams and lakes
25). Deserts
27). Required classes for Geology majors

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