Isostasy and crustal thickness
This activity was selected for the Teaching Computation in the Sciences Using MATLAB Peer Reviewed Teaching Collection
This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Computational, Quantitative, and Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teaching_computation/materials/activity_review.html.
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection
This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.
This page first made public: Oct 12, 2015
Summary
Learning Goals
matlab is used to make the same calculation multiple times.
Students learn the concept of airy isostasy, and the limitations of the concept.
Context for Use
Description and Teaching Materials
In locations where calculated and actual thicknesses are significantly different, students discuss possible geodynamic processes and/or conditions that could be in play.
student handout for Airy Isostasy (Acrobat (PDF) 205kB Oct6 15)
crustal thicknesses ( 239kB Oct6 15)
Plotting crustal thicknesses (Matlab File 922bytes Oct6 15)
global topography data ( 239kB Oct6 15)
plot topography (Matlab File 974bytes Oct6 15)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Assessment
students hand in table of 5 locations with calculated and actual crustal thickness.
students use geologic and geodynamic principles to discuss possible processes/conditions that could explain significant differences between calculated and actual crustal thicknesses.