GEOS 253T(F) Baja California Geology and Ecology

Sometimes called the "forgotten peninsula," Baja California, Mexico, remains one of the frontier regions of North America where large tracts of land still remain unexplored by geologists and paleontologists. Tectonically, it is a unique sliver of land that was transferred from the North American Plate to the Pacific Plate by the subduction of the East Pacific Rise beneath mainland Mexico. On its Pacific coast, the peninsula is brushed by the cool waters of the California current. The subtropical waters of an actively spreading Gulf of California are influenced by a semi-monsoonal wind field that stimulates the upwelling which supports a rich marine ecosystem. This course examines the tectonic origins of Baja California and the geology of its two contrasting coastlines. It also focuses on the complex interactions of the atmosphere, the ocean, and the land, both as found today and also from the perspective of conditions reflected by the Cretaceous to Pleistocene rock record over the last 100 million years. Readings on these topics are selected from recent journal articles. The course will be linked to a 1999 winter-study trip to Baja California. Participation in the winter-study excursion is not required of tutorial enrollees, but the tutorial is a prerequisite for the winter study course. Evaluation is based on five written papers, participation in discussions, and critical analysis. There are no exams. Prerequisites: any 100-level Geosciences course or consent of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 10, with preference to sophomores.

Hour: M. JOHNSON