GEO 305: LIVING WITH ACTIVE CASCADE VOLCANOES SUMMER 2002 (7/22 8/15) COURSE SYLLABUS. Faculty Contact: Instructor, Summer 2002:

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1 GEO 305: LIVING WITH ACTIVE CASCADE VOLCANOES SUMMER 2002 (7/22 8/15) COURSE SYLLABUS Faculty Contact: Instructor, Summer 2002: Roger Nielsen Heather Petcovic Geology Program Director Office Dawes 21 Dept. of Geosciences 104 Wilkinson Hall Phone (message) Office hours by appt. Phone Course Objectives: This course will cover the risks and benefits of living with active volcanoes, as well as the physical processes that control volcanism and the technology used to understand and monitor volcanic activity. Examples will involve volcanoes from around the world, with an emphasis on the hazards, monitoring, and mitigation of volcanic activity in the Pacific Northwest. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: o Describe why and how volcanic eruptions occur, including the role plate tectonics plays in controlling the style (and hence the hazard potential) of volcanic eruptions. o Identify societal and ecological risks and benefits of living near active volcanoes such as those in the Cascade Range. o Identify the rocks and minerals that make up common volcanic products in the Cascades. o Create a volcanic hazard map. o List techniques used to monitor and assess hazards at active or potentially active volcanoes. o Synthesize information on past volcanic eruptions and current monitoring to evaluate the hazard potential at a single Cascade volcano. Time, place info: Wilkinson 105 MTWTh 9:00-10:50 am Textbook: Fire Mountains of the West, by Stephen L. Harris. Additional readings on reserve in the library. Grading: In-class laboratory assignments (5% each). Late labs will drop 10 points per day late. Attendance on required field trip (10%). [Transportation fee charged.] Group presentation (20%) Short (6-8 page) term paper (45%). Late papers will drop one letter grade per day late. Brief in-class written assignments (5%). TBA in class. Wrap-up assignment (5%). Given in class on last day.

2 Schedule (subject to change!): 7/22 Course info, risks/benefits of volcanoes, four historical eruptions - effects on people and how they changed the world. 7/23 Intro to the Cascades, why volcanoes exist (plate tectonics & volcanic eruptions). 7/24 Lab 1: Igneous rocks and minerals. 7/25 Lab 2: Volcanic products. 7/29 Labs 1&2 due in class. Types of volcanoes and their products. 7/30 Non-eruptive processes, geothermal systems, volcanoes and climate change. 7/31 Volcanic risk: types of volcanic hazards and who/what they affect. 8/1 Mt. St. Helens Day: the 1980 eruption, human impact, ecological recovery. 8/3 Field Trip to Mt. St. Helens. Depart from campus at 8 am. 8/4 Field Trip. Return to campus by 8 pm. 8/5 Lab 3: Creating and evaluating volcanic hazard maps. 8/6 Lab 3 due in class. Tools of the trade: methods of volcano monitoring. 8/7 Mitigation & emergency management: history and methods. 8/8 The social/political side of monitoring and mitigation: worth the cost? 8/12 Group Cascade volcano presentations. Term paper due by 5 pm. 8/13 Group presentations continued. 8/14 Group presentations continued. 8/15 Group presentations continued. Wrap-up assignment in class.

3 GEO 305 FIELD TRIP INFORMATION Trip Itinerary: Saturday 8/3/02 1. Meet 8 am, outside the lobby to Wilkinson Hall. 2. Drive to the Johnson visitor center at Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument 3. Toutle River: lahar deposits. 4. Basaltic lava tubes of Ape Caves. 5. Camp near Ape Caves. Sunday 8/4/02 1. Pyroclastic flows on the north flank. 2. Landslide deposits and devastation of Spirit Lake 3. Tree blow-down in surrounding forests, and ecological recovery. 4. View of the lava dome and 1980 crater. 5. Return to Corvallis by 8 pm. The field trip will cost approximately $XX, which will be billed to your student account. If you choose to bring your own vehicle, you are responsible for all extra fees including trailhead permits (NW Forest Pass sites) and extra fees for vehicles at campsites. You will need to bring: Food: Bring your own breakfast, lunches, and snacks. Coolers will be provided. We will cook dinner together on Saturday night, and stop on the way back to Corvallis on Sunday. Gear: We will camp at XXX. The campground has running water and restroom facilities. Bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and ground pad (or share with someone). It can get very cold at night. Bring a jacket and flashlight for the lava tube, a rain coat, and shoes for light hiking. Bring money for campsite ($1-2 per person), and food, snacks, etc.

4 GEO 305 GROUP PRESENTATIONS AND TERM PAPER DUE 8/12/02 The term paper and group presentation will examine the volcanic history and hazards of a Cascades volcano of your choice. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the classroom; please choose a volcano for your paper and project from the list and sign up (limit 3 people per volcano). The term paper is to be an individual effort feel free to share references but turn in your own work. The presentations, however, will receive a group grade. Term paper requirements: 6-8 pages, double spaced, reasonable (12 pt) font, not including figures or references. At least 5 references, one may be your textbook. Only 2 may be websites. Cite references in the text by author and date (Petcovic, 2002). Also include a reference list at the end of the paper. Figures and/or tables may be attached at the end or placed within the text. Figures and tables should be clearly referenced in the text (i.e., Table 3 summarizes the major eruptions at Mt. St. Helens in the past 300,000 years. ). Captions for tables are placed above the table, captions for figures are placed below the figure. Information to include in the paper: 1. A short (1 paragraph, half page maximum) abstract that summarizes the major points of the paper. 2. An introduction that mentions the location and tectonic setting of the volcano. The introduction can also include volcano facts (for example, Native American legends about the volcano, who discovered it, or how it received its name). 3. A section on eruptive history. Include information from the rock record as well as historic to modern eruptions. For example, how often does the volcano erupts? What kinds of volcanic products does it make (lavas, pyroclastics, tephra)? Does it have a history of landslides, lahars, etc.? You may want to make a table or chart that shows this information. 4. A hazard assessment. How dangerous is this volcano to people? to property (including livestock, forests, and agriculture)? to infrastructure (buildings, dams, roads, railways, etc.)? Who/what would the volcano affect if it erupted (towns, population sizes, public land, infrastructure)? How likely is it that the volcano will erupt? When will it erupt? What will it make (tephra, lavas, lahar, etc.)? Does it have an ice cap and will this effect the eruptions? Include what you think the most likely eruption scenario will be based on past behavior. This section should include a hazard map. If you can t find a hazard map, make one! 5. A section on monitoring and mitigation. Describe current monitoring techniques at the volcano (if any) and whether you think the current monitoring is sufficient. Also include information on current mitigation plans, and again whether you think they are sufficient. 6. A brief conclusion that reiterates the main points of the paper. Group presentations: Presentations will be 20 min with ~5 min for questions at the end. Presentations should present the same information as the term paper. You may use overheads, slides, powerpoint presentations, or other visuals. If you want to do a powerpoint presentation, please let me know by 8/8.

5 Grading will be based on clarity (speaking and visuals) and content. All group members should contribute to the presentation. Getting started: Once you have chosen your volcano, the best initial references are the textbook and the USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory website: ( I have USGS information available to check out for Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, and Crater Lake; please see me! Hints for a Successful Paper/Talk: The bulk of the paper/talk should focus on the hazards, monitoring, and mitigation of the volcano. A critical part of the paper is your evaluation of (1) the most likely future eruption/activity scenario, and (2) the current monitoring techniques and mitigation plans at your volcano. Assume you are writing for a volcano-literate audience (i.e., instructor and classmates). There is no need to explain common volcano terminology. Consider using tables and figures. Much factual information can be easily summarized in a table or chart, and the visual format makes it easier to see trends. Plus, tables save space! Break the paper into clearly organized categories, perhaps with headings for each section. Avoid vague terms like scientists, they, etc. Be as factual and specific as you can, using names, dates, locations, etc. when the information is available. Be careful to cite references whenever you use a number, figure, date, quote, etc. you need to reference where that information came from.

6 GEO 305 FINAL WRAP-UP ASSIGNMENT Due by the end of class, 8/15/02 Part 1. For each of the Cascade volcanoes listed below, describe the most significant hazard (i.e., pyroclastic flow, lahar, landslide, lava flow, etc.). You may complete this part of the assignment on this paper or on a separate sheet (don t forget to put your name on the paper). Part 2. Based on what you have learned from the group presentations, choose what you think are the 5 most dangerous Cascade volcanoes and rank them from most to least dangerous. Be sure to explain what you mean by dangerous (define this in your own words), and to justify the ranking you give each volcano. Your answer should be about a page in length; you may use the back of this paper or a separate sheet Here are the volcanoes discussed in presentations and in class: Lassen Shasta Medicine Lake McLoughlin Crater Lake Thielsen Newberry 3 Sisters Jefferson Hood Adams St. Helens Rainier Glacier Peak Baker Garibaldi