Earth Resources and the Environment

Topics include: coal and acid rain; oil & natural gas, photochemical smog, oil spills; unconventional fossil resources (shale gas, tar sands); greenhouse gas emissions and climate; nuclear power and radioactive hazards; solar, hydroelectric, tidal, and geothermal power; energy storage (methane, hydrogen); and key materials (rare earth metals, lithium) required for the energy transition. Labs will emphasize datasets and tools (drilling methods, satellite remote sensing data, and subsurface imaging techniques) for discovering and developing resources, and assessing and mitigating environmental impacts.
Course Notes: Course includes three hours of laboratory work each week and two field trips. E-PSCI 109 is also offered as ESE 109. Students may not take both for credit. Undergraduate engineering students should enroll in ESE 109. This course fulfills the EPS sub-discipline requirement of Geology, Geophysics and Planetary Science. Given in alternate years.