Learning About Marine Sediments Using Real Data

Kristen St. John, James Madison University (mailto:stjohnke@jmu.edu)

Mark Leckie, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
Megan Jones, North Hennepin Community College,
Kate Pound, St. Cloud State University,
Larry Krissek, Ohio State University.

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Initial Publication Date: June 6, 2013 | Reviewed: July 12, 2015 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

This exercise set explores marine sediments using real core photos and composition data from the scientific ocean drilling programs DSDP, ODP, and IODP in an inquiry-based approach.

Geophysics, Deep Marine Environment, Techniques of Sedimentary ...(more) | College Introductory | Online Ready

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Context

Audience

Undergraduate courses in oceanography, marine geology, sedimentology, introduction to climate change, historical geology. It can be adapted up or down - it has been successfully used with high school teachers and graduate students.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Pre-req: basic geography, latitude and longitude

How the activity is situated in the course

It is a 4-part sequenced exercise (see Instructor Notes). It has been used in large and small classes. Some parts can be assigned as homework as pre-class assignments. A brief-synthesis lecture on the original and distribution of marine sediments should follow this exercise, but should not precede this exercise as student will derive the sediment distribution map of the seafloor for themselves though this inquiry-based activity and will be making predictions on what controls that distribution.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Goal: To explore marine sediments (a major archive of Earth history) using cores, photos, and smear slide data.

Objectives: After this exercise, your students should be able to:

Describe the physical characteristics of sediment cores.
Identify major sediment components and their origin.
Use composition and texture data from smear slide samples to determine the lithologic names of the marine sediments.
Make a map showing the distribution of the primary modern sediment lithologies of the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
Explain the distribution of modern marine sediments on their map.
Accurately predict what the modern sediment lithologies are at other locations on the sea floor (e.g., in the Indian Ocean).

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Making observations; plotting data on maps; forming questions; making hypotheses and predictions; interpreting data from photos, tables, and maps; integrating and drawing broad conclusion

Other skills goals for this activity

Working with real data, working in groups; working from multiple perspectives; written communication; making persuasive and well supported arguments

Description of the activity/assignment

This exercise set explores marine sediments using core photos and authentic datasets in an inquiry-based approach. Students' prior knowledge of sea floor sediments is explored in Part 1. In Parts 2-3 students observe and describe the physical characteristics of sediment cores and determine the composition using smear slide data and a decision tree. In Part 4 students develop a map showing the distribution of the primary marine sediment types of the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans and develop hypotheses to explain the distribution of the sediment types shown on their map.

Determining whether students have met the goals

There are several ways the instructor can assess student learning after completion of this exercise. For example:

Students should be able to answer the example questions included in the instructor guide after completing this exercise. To obtain a copy of the instructor guide email Kristen St. John: stjohnke@jmu.edu

Since the focus of this activity is on the Pacific Ocean, with some additional cores selected from the northern Atlantic Ocean the instructor could select locations on the physiographic map of the sea floor that are in the Indian Ocean and south Atlantic Ocean and ask students to predict what the primary sediment would be at that location and why. The instructor could use Rothwell (1989) map as his/her key.

In addition, the instructor could select additional scientific ocean drilling cores and develop an assessment instrument that models the activities in this exercise.

Instructions for accessing additional core data are provided in the instructor guide.

More information about assessment tools and techniques.

Teaching materials and tips

Activity Description/Assignment: The student activity can be downloaded from: http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileychi/stjohn/sample_chapters.html. Select Chapter 2: Seafloor Sediments.

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Instructors Notes: See the pdf file Marine Sediment Instructor Notes (Acrobat (PDF) 88kB Jun6 13).

In addition go to: http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileychi/stjohn/supplementary.html for suggested supplemental materials (Chapter 2).

For a supporting powerpoint for workshop use, and that instructors can use to guide student learning, go to:

Click to view
Solution Set: A pdf file that contains a detailed answer key and additional suggestions for instructors can be obtained by emailing the lead author, Kristen St. John (stjohnke@jmu.edu).

Other Materials

To access larger scale core photos used in this exercise see the pdf file Core Photos (Acrobat (PDF) 2.6MB Jun6 13).

To access a larger scale map of the seafloor sediment sites used in this exercise see the pdf file Physiographic Chart Student (Acrobat (PDF) 4.8MB Jun6 13).

To access an excel version of the smear slide compositional table used in this exercise see the excel file Student Smear Slide Table (Excel 2007 (.xlsx) 27kB Jun6 13).

To access an erratum slip for this exercise see the pdf file Ch 2 Erattum Slip (Acrobat (PDF) 8kB Jun6 13).

The following are example photomicrograph images of the main marine sediment types. These are from a subset of smear slides used in this exercise (see compositional excel table above):
- siliceous ooze (diatoms)
  
  ×
  
  siliceous (diatom) ooze 145-887C-2H-1, 75(PPL20x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- calcareous ooze (discoasters)
  
  ×
  
  calcareous ooze (discoasters) 8-75-1-3, 10 (PPL50x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- calcareous ooze (coccoliths; cross polars)
  
  ×
  
  calcareous ooze (coccoliths) 82-558-3-6, 75(XPL20x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- terrigenous (shelf)
  
  ×
  
  terrigenous (shelf) sediment 174-1073A-1H-1,10 (PPL10x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- glaciomarine sands
  
  ×
  
  Glaciomarine (terrigenous sand) 178-1101A-2H-2, 106 (PPL10x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- red clay
  
  ×
  
  red clay 8-75-1-1,100(PPL10x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.
- minor sediment component: volcanic ash
  
  ×
  
  volcanic ash (glass shards) 152-919A-2H-3, 18(PPL10x)w_scale
  Provenance: Kristen St. John, James Madison University
  Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.

Supporting references/URLs

This exercise is an open access chapter from:

St. John, K., Leckie, R.M., Pound, K., Jones, M., and Krissek, L., 2012. Reconstructing Earth's Climate History: Inquiry-based Exercises for Lab and Class. Wiley-Blackwell, 485p; http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP002690.html.

For other open access chapters from this book go to: http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileychi/stjohn/sample_chapters.html.

References used in constructing this exercise include:

Aumento, F., et al., 1977, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 7, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Austin, J.A., Jr., et al., 1998, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 174A, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.174a.1998.

Barker, P.F., et al., 1999, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 178, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.178.1999.

Bougault, H., et al., 1985, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 82, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.Bralower, et al., 2002, Proceeding of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 198, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.198.2002.

Carter, R.M., et al., 1999, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 181, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.181.2000.

Creager, J. S., et al, 1973, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 19, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Dziewonski, A., et al, 1992, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, vol. 136, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.136.1992.

Fouquet, Y., et al., 1998, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 169, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.169.1998.

Hayes, D. E., et al, 1972, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. XIV, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Hayes, D. E., et al., 1975, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 28, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Heath, G. R., et al., 1985, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 86, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Hollister, C. D., et al., 1976, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 35, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Jansen, E., et al., 1996, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 162, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.162.1996.

Keigwin, L.D., et al., 1998, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 172, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.172.1998.

Kennett, J. P., et al., 1974, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 29, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Kroenke, et al., 1991, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 130, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.130.1991.

Kulm, L. D., et al., 1973, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 18, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Larsen, H.C., et al., 1994, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 152, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.152.1994.

Leinen, M., et al., 1986, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 92, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Lyle, M., et al., 1997, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, vol. 167, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.167.1997.

Lyle, M., et al., 2002, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 199, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.199.2002.

Mazzullo and Graham, 1998, Handbook for Shipboard Sedimentologist, ODP Technical Notes No. 8, Texas A&M University.

Mix, A.C., et al., 2003, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial reports, vol. 202, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.202.2003.

Rea, D.K., et al., 1993, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 145, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.145.1993.

Rothwell, R. G., 1989, Minerals and Mineraloids in Marine Sediments: An optical identification guide, Elsevier Applied Science, London, 279 pp.

Salisbury, M.H., et al., 2002, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 195, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.195.2002.

Schlanger, S. O., et al., 1976, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 33, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Srivastava, S. P., et al., 1987, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 105, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.105.1987.

Stephen, R.A., et al., 2003, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 200, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.200.2003.

Suess, E., et al., 1988, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 112, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.112.1988.

Tamaki, K., et al., 1990, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 127, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.127.1990.

Tracey, J. I. Jr., et al., 1971, Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. 8, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

Westbrook, G.K., et al., 1994, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 146 (Part 1), College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.146-1.1994.

Wilson, D.S., et al., 2003, Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, vol. 206, College Station, TX, Ocean Drilling Program, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.206.2003.

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