6 EC
Semester 2, periode 5
5131VGEH6Y
| Eigenaar | Bachelor Future Planet Studies |
| Coördinator | dr. A.C. Seijmonsbergen |
| Onderdeel van | Bachelor Future Planet Studies, jaar 1Minor Fysische Geografie, jaar 1 |
| Links | Zichtbare leerlijnen |
Welcome to the Virtual Globe - Environmental Hazards course!
Environmental hazards have large impact on society, e.g. on our behavior, our food security, our water resources, our climate and on the quality of the landscapes. Environmental hazards can have a huge impact, such as rapid events like volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, landslides and avalanches, while others are slow, and relate to climate (change), but can influence our society for long periods, such as desertification, weathering, soil erosion, permafrost melt, and more. The distribution, frequency of occurrence, the impact and the extent of such hazards is of paramount importance, but often difficult to predict.
To fully understand the distribution, frequency, rate and impact of earth surface processes, lectures by geo-experts will be offered in the first part of the course, focusing on key earth science landforms and processes, that result from geological and geomorphological (weathering, fluvial, coastal, glacial/periglacial, mass movement and Aeolian) activity. Scientific understanding of the patterns of environmental hazards that were formed in the past, in combination with knowledge of the geomechanical, hydrological and rheological behavior of (sub) surface materials and the parameters that determine the rate and extent of environmental hazards is key to predict future hazards.
To combat such rapid and slow environmental hazards, we will identify both patterns and processes from satellite imagery and aerial photographs that are available on Google earth, as well as additional thematic information from historical air-photos, and thematic / topographical maps. To fully understand the environmental situations across the globe, we will combine the geological, geomorphological, hydrological and topographical conditions to reconstruct, analyze, quantify and evaluate the environmental processes and hazards in a wide diversity of landscapes. For that we will extract information from the Virtual Globe that will serve as input in process-specific formulas, needed to quantify e.g. flow velocities of lava flows in volcanic settings, denudation rates in karst landscapes, slope stability analyses in mountains, permafrost melt rates in high latitude areas, and erosion power in river landscapes.
We will study the effects of human interventions in the landscape and their corresponding stabilizing or destabilizing effects, in the light of future land use and land cover scenarios.
To do so, a student team will select an area which will be quantitatively analyzed and evaluated concerning past, current and future processes and actual and potential environmental hazards. The findings will be documented in a Virtual Globe project.
The VG - Env-H Team
Christopherson & Birkeland: Geosystems - An introduction to Physical Geography, 5th edition - see Canvas modules for exact chapters and pages
Most practical meetings have additional information accompanied on Canvas - see modules section
See Canvas: datasets, quizzes and tutorials will be published
Google Earth Pro, Excel
Scientific calculator needed
The lectures will offer theoretical context to the practical meetings and are therefore highly recommended to attend. Reading ahead of practical meetings from the book chapters indicated during self-study will adequately prepare one for both the lectures and the practical meetings and invite deeper understanding of landscapes, processes, and identification of features. The experiences and skills are necessary in the project, which reflects on all theoretical and practical skills and together supports the course objectives.
|
Activiteit |
Aantal activiteiten |
Totaal uren |
|
College |
9 |
18 |
|
Werkcolleges in week 14 t/m 17 |
8 |
16 |
|
Vragenuur in week 19 |
1 |
2 |
|
Proeftentamen vanaf week 17 |
1 |
1 |
| Zelfstudie week 14 t/m 17 en week 19 |
52 |
|
|
Tentamen week 19 |
1 |
2 |
|
College week 20 |
1 |
2 |
|
Werkcollege week 20 t/m 22 |
3 |
6 |
|
Zelfstudie week 20 t/m 22 |
|
69 |
|
Totaal |
|
168 |
Aanvullende eisen voor dit vak:
The practical meetings are mandatory; they instruct and prepare for meeting the course objectives, in particular:
1. Can explain the rock cycle, the geomorphological cycle and the hydrological cycle (practicals week 14-15)
2. Can identify and reconstruct the genesis of main exogenic and endogenic landforms and processes in the context of the landscape (practical weeks 14-17)
3. Can classify igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks (week 15, rock practical)
4. Can apply the mathematical formulas that describe the principles of physical and hydrological processes (practical weeks 14-17)
5. Can quantify the speed, rate and impact of environmental hazards in the context of a landscape (practical weeks 14-17)
The tests for each practical should be passed with a 75% score and can be taken multiple times.
What does this mean?
- that the student attends at least 90% (= 1) of the practical meetings at Science Park. Less attendance means that the course cannot be finished.
- that the student ise prepared for the practical meetings: read instruction material in advance
- that absence, with valid reason, should be communicated with the responsible teaching assistant (cc. to the coordinator)
| Onderdeel en weging | Details |
|
Eindcijfer | |
|
0.5 (50%) Tentamen digitaal | Moet ≥ 5.5 zijn |
|
0.5 (50%) Project VGEH | Moet ≥ 5.5 zijn |
The weekly assignments prepare for the digital exam and need to have scores of at least 75%. They can be retaken multiple times. The digital exam will be in the ANS software. Google Earth Pro will be used; a basic calculator is allowed. For the project and the digital exam, there is an official retake date.
| Learning objective | Week 14 | Week 15 | Assignment 3Week 16 | Week 17 | Digital exam | Project |
| 1. Can explain the rock cycle, the geomorphological cycle and the hydrological cycle | x | x | x | |||
| 2. Can identify and reconstruct the genesis of main exogenic and endogenic landforms and processes in the context of the landscape | x | x |
x |
x |
x | |
| 3. Can classify igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks | x | x | ||||
| 4. Can apply the mathematical formulas that describe the principles of physical and hydrological processes | x | x | x | x | ||
| 5. Can quantify the speed, rate and impact of environmental hazards in the context of a landscape | x | x | x | |||
| 6. Is able to create an environmental hazard impact assessment for a future scenario in the context of land use and land cover change | x | |||||
Students that attended this course in earlier years but did not pass should contact the teacher during the first practical meeting.
Grades of week assignments will be opened after the deadlines. Feedback is automatically provided via Canvas.
The digital exam will be evaluated within 10 working days, after which the grades will be announced via Canvas and the solutions of the exam will be published. Students can make an appointment with the coordinators/responsible assistants to review their work.
The project outcome can be reviewed through the feedback Rubrik form. If necessary, the students can make an appointment with the coordinators/responsible teacher for additional feedback.
The weekly assignments will be individually assessed, and students need to score 75%, retakes are possible, these scores do not count for the final grade; feedback is automatically provided via Canvas. The digital exam is an individual, graded activity. The project is a team effort of two students and will be graded as a team; exceptions are possible.
Dit vak hanteert de algemene 'Fraude- en plagiaatregeling' van de UvA. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd. Bij verdenking van fraude of plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Zie de Fraude- en plagiaatregeling van de UvA: http://student.uva.nl
| Weeknummer + algemeen onderwerp | Lectures (overview, can change, see Canvas) | Studiestof - zie details op Canvas |
| 14. Introduction and volcanism |
1. Course introduction and environmental hazards 2. Volcanic processes and landforms and materials. Rheology / rate of lava flows |
1. Lecture 2. Lecture, Handout
|
| 15. Weathering and rocks |
3. Identification of rocks, strength, and practical 4. Weathering processes and landforms—chemical / physical, and aeolian processes and landforms |
1. Lecture, Handout 2. Lecture, Handout |
| 16. Rivers and glaciers |
5. Fluvial processes and landforms—erosion speed, Hjullstrom curve, hydrodynamics 6. Mass movement processes and landforms, slope stability and geomechanics |
1. Lecture, Handout 2. Lecture, Handout |
| 17. Mass movements and coasts |
7. Glacial and periglacial processes and landforms - mass balances, GLOFs, methane release 8. Periglacial landforms and processes; Coastal processes and landforms, coastal erosion. 9. Course summary |
1. Lecture, Handout 2. Lecture, Handout |
| 18. No education activities | ||
| 19. Digital exam | Week 14 t/m 18 - see also Canvas announcements | Study materials from weeks 14 to18 |
| 20. Project Environmental hazards | Select topic via Canvas | First part of the course + scientific literature |
| 21. Project Environmental hazards | Select topic via Canvas | First part of the course + scientific literature |
| 22. Project Environmental hazards | Select topic via Canvas | First part of the course + scientific literature |
Not applicable
We vinden het belangrijk dat je je op de UvA en bij Future Planet Studies veilig voelt. Krijg je onverhoopt te maken met ongewenst gedrag of voel je je onveilig, dan kun je terecht bij verschillende personen. Je melding wordt altijd vertrouwelijk behandeld. Kijk op onze website voor meer informatie over waar en bij wie je terecht kunt.
It is important that everyone feels safe at the UvA and Future Planet Studies. We are committed to provide social safety and we offer various forms of support for people experiencing inappropriate or unsafe situations. Consult the UvA website or Future Planet Studies Canvas page for more information and contact info.
Vanaf 2013-2014 hebben we ervoor gekozen om d.m.v. onderstaande tabel de studenten meer inzicht te geven in de kwaliteitszorg. Daarom nemen we een korte weergave van de studentenevaluatie op en de daaruit voortvloeiende acties ter verbetering van het vak.