

Geological Sciences
The study of our planet and its neighbors, from their deep interiors to the surface, and through their multi-billion year history.
Geological Sciences
- Overview
- Why major in Geological Sciences?
- Living on the Edge
- Co-Evolution of Earth and Life
- Landscapes and Tectonics of the San Francisco Bay Area
- Data Science for Geoscience
- Introduction to Geology
- Diamonds!
- GEOLSCI 20: Learn the (geo)science behind the environmental (in)justice concepts
- Learn the (geo)science behind the environmental (in)justice concepts
- Our Dynamic West
- Rivers: The Arteries of Earth's Continents
- Sediments: The Book of Earth's History
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GEOLSCI 224 - Rivers: The Arteries of Earth's Continents
Rivers are the arteries of Earth's continents, conveying water, sediments, and solutes from the headwaters to the oceans. They provide a haven for life and have been at the heart of the world's economy by generating fertile floodplains, human habitats, as well as by facilitating international commerce.
This course offers a quantitative examination of rivers, from headwaters to deltas. We will first develop a basic mechanistic understanding of fluvial processes, including flow hydraulics, erosion, sediment transport, and deposition. We will then apply our acquired knowledge through thematic discussions of relevant issues. Possible themes include deltas and climate change, rivers and human activity (damming, sand mining, deforestation), rivers and the evolution of land plants, rivers and biogeochemical cycles, submarine channels, and the alien rivers of Mars and Titan.
Spring Quarter, Tu/Th 1:30-3:20PM, 3 Units