Profiling Earth's Surface using GeoMapApp
Summary 
In this exercise, students relate large-scale features on Earth's surface to lithospheric plates, the underlying asthenosphere, earthquakes, and volcanoes. After creating a cross section showing elevation using GeoMapApp, students add additional features by hand.
Learning Goals
(1) To recognize large-scale surface features on Earth as plate boundaries, continents, ocean basins, mountain ranges, etc.
(2) To relate these features to volcanoes and earthquakes.
(3) To understand that variations in surface elevation reflect variations in crustal and lithospheric thickness.
(2) To relate these features to volcanoes and earthquakes.
(3) To understand that variations in surface elevation reflect variations in crustal and lithospheric thickness.
Context for Use
This exercise is appropriate for an introductory physical geology class or as a review in a structural geology or introductory geophysics class. It is designed as homework following lectures related to plate tectonics and Earth's interior structure. Alternatively, it could be used as an in-class or in-lab exercise provided students have access to computers connected to the internet and printers. Although the exercise should take approximately an hour for students to complete, it is likely to take longer as students experiment with GeoMapApp. GeoMapApp is easy to use, but it has a lot of interesting features that students can explore.
Description and Teaching Materials
The Assignment Handout is a ready-to-use exercise for students. Identical WORD and PDF versions are provided. The handout is given to students. Students take the handout to a computer connected to the internet and a printer to complete the exercise. Students must download GeoMapApp, a freely available mapping program that works on both Mac and PC platforms.
The B to B' elevation profile that students should produce using GeoMapApp is provided as a PDF file. Assignment Handout as PDF (Acrobat (PDF) 689kB Apr3 07) Assignment Handout as WORD file (Microsoft Word 107kB Apr3 07) Elevation Cross Section ( 54kB Apr3 07) Schematic Answer Key ( 136kB Aug2 07)
The B to B' elevation profile that students should produce using GeoMapApp is provided as a PDF file. Assignment Handout as PDF (Acrobat (PDF) 689kB Apr3 07) Assignment Handout as WORD file (Microsoft Word 107kB Apr3 07) Elevation Cross Section ( 54kB Apr3 07) Schematic Answer Key ( 136kB Aug2 07)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Suggest to students that they attempt to download GeoMapApp well before the assignment is due. It should download without any trouble, but, as with any program, there can be glitches.
The assignment contains little background information on plate tectonics, so the instructor must supply the appropriate context for students. At an introductory level, this might involve a number of lectures before students attempt the homework. At an upper level, this might simply be a brief review of plate tectonic concepts.
The assignment asks for sketches to the Moho and lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary. Make sure students understand whether or not you want a scaled drawing or simply a sketch of relative changes in thickness.
GeoMapApp has many interesting features. This exercise is meant, in large part, to introduce students to the software. There may be additional assignments where students will find it useful.
The assignment contains little background information on plate tectonics, so the instructor must supply the appropriate context for students. At an introductory level, this might involve a number of lectures before students attempt the homework. At an upper level, this might simply be a brief review of plate tectonic concepts.
The assignment asks for sketches to the Moho and lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary. Make sure students understand whether or not you want a scaled drawing or simply a sketch of relative changes in thickness.
GeoMapApp has many interesting features. This exercise is meant, in large part, to introduce students to the software. There may be additional assignments where students will find it useful.
Assessment
Students turn in a cross section to be graded. It would also be useful to review this in class to ensure students understood the most important concepts. The assignment, as presented, asks for a drawing and does not ask for additional written explanations. One could easily add some questions requiring students to comment on specific tectonic features.
References and Resources
GeoMapApp is available for download from http://www.marine-geo.org/.
