| CODE | GSC2102 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Earth Surface Processes; Hydrology and Hydrogeology | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Geosciences | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Understanding how landscapes operate and change is a crucial part of gaining a full understanding of the Earth system. Geomorphology is the science that studies the origin and development of landforms, and how these combine to form landscapes. Geomorphological investigations may be directed towards reconstructing past processes and landform changes, or towards anticipating future processes and landscape evolution. Geomorphological considerations underpin many aspects of environmental policy and management decisions, and provide knowledge and perspectives that are complimentary to those provided by other academic disciplines and professions (e.g. engineering, archaeology, ecology, etc.) Surface and sub-surface water are key players in landscape evolution. The scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth is called hydrology, whereas hydrogeology is concerned with the movement and storage of water in the crust of Earth. This study-unit covers the fundamental knowledge on earth surface processes, hydrology and hydrogeology, and the basic field and laboratory techniques necessary to address important scientific questions in these research fields. The study-unit will cover the following topics: Earth surface processes • Nature and history of geomorphology • Fundamental concepts • Spatial and temporal scales in geomorphology • Weathering • Biogeomorphology • Mass wasting • Fluvial geomorphology • Groundwater geomorphology • Coastal geomorphology • Glacial and periglacial environments • Arid environments • Tectonic geomorphology • Marine geomorphology • Planetary geomorphology Hydrology • Hydrological cycle and its components • Surface runoff assessment • Hydrograph theory • Watershed processes • Field methods and laboratory analyses Hydrogeology • Geological framework for the occurrence of groundwater • Aquifer properties o Recharge, storage and transmission of groundwater o Fundamentals of groundwater flow (hydraulic head and Darcy's Law) • Resource estimation • Groundwater investigation techniques Field skills: Ta’ Kandja underground galleries; geomorphological mapping. Laboratory skills: geomorphometry, landscape evolution modelling, catchment analyses in GIS, water testing. Study-unit Aims: To provide students with a broad-based understanding of the: - processes operating at the Earth’s surface and the role that they play in landscape evolution at a range of spatial and temporal scales; - elements of the hydrological cycle and their inter-relationships across scales; - principles of physical and chemical hydrogeology; - latest theories and methodologies used to investigate the above. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • demonstrate an understanding of theoretical framework of geomorphology; • explain the major processes that govern landscape evolution, and the landforms and deposits that they produce, in a wide range of settings; • describe the different compartments of the Earth's hydrosphere, its specific components, and the principal field and laboratory methods used in hydrological investigation; • outline the major factors governing the storage and flow of groundwater, and its interaction with surface water; • explain the principal methods of surface and groundwater investigation. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • demonstrate familiarity with the latest techniques in quantitative geomorphology and numerical models for landscape evolution; • demonstrate proficiency in geomorphological mapping and water testing techniques; • perform basic calculations of water balance and flow rates. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Allen, P.A. (1997) Earth Surface Processes. Wiley and Sons. - Gregory. K. (2010) The Earth's land surface. SAGE Publications Ltd. - Brutsaert, W. (2005) Hydrology: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press. - Hiscock, K.M. (2005) Hydrogeology: Principles and Practice. Wiley-Blackwell. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite qualifications: Background in environmental sciences, geography, physics, or engineering Pre-Requisite Study-units: GSC1100, GSC1400 |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Fieldwork | ||||||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Ritienne Gauci |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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