Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Earth surface processes is the study of processes that shape landscapes and their development. Properly done, the study of earth surface processes must consider any number of processes and Earth characteristics: fluid flow, mass transport, structure, lithology, tectonics, weathering, and in most of the world today, humans. This course starts with basic turbulent flow mechanics and mass transport at the grain-scale and ends with a quantitative description of formation of drainage basins and mountain belts. Over these broad space and time scales we will develop tools to predict the transport, accumulation, and erosion of rock and sediment in landscapes and sedimentary basins. In this course, emphasis will be placed on understanding the relevant processes driving landscape change rather than the history of landscape change.

3 credits