University of Kerala Courses

M.Phil. (Geology)

Course Structure

• Paper  I  - Recent Trends and Tools in Geological Research
• Paper II     Advances  in  Geosciences    
• Paper  III  (Any one of the following)
  • Structural Analysis  (VPK)
  • Advance Sedimentology (SA)
  • Igneous Petrology (SNK)
  • Advance Environmental Geology (BK)
  • Advance Hydrogeology (RR)
  • Micropalaeontology (RR)

Course Syllabus

Paper  I  - Recent Trends and Tools in Geological Research

Structural analysis : Fabric development, analysis of microstructures (VPK). Sedimentary environments, Fluvial and laccutrine sedimentation, Authigenic and allogenic sedimentation (SA). Human impact on environment, Hazardous geologic processes (SNK).

Climatic change : Green house warming and stratospheric ozone depletion (BK). Geochemical environments and patterns of geochemical distribution. Geochemical drainage survey (BK). Static resource and dynamic recharge of groundwater, augmentation of groundwater recharge, GIS based groundwater management, groundwater information system, groundwater modeling. (RR). Geographical Information System, Remote sensing data products (RR).

Paper II     Advances  in  Geosciences    

Geophysics : Gravity and figure of Earth, Earth’s rotation, Centripetal and centrifugal acceleration, Effects of tides on gravity measurements. Satellite Geodesy, Free air and Bouguer gravity anomalies. Elasticity theory (SNK).

Climate Variability : Fundamental principles of climatology, Palaeoclimatic proxies and applications in palaeogeography and palaeoenvironment studies.  Climatic cycles in the history of earth. Climatic zones of India.  Dynamical meteorology: Centripetal and Coriolis forces, Inertial flow, Divergence and Vertical motion. Circulation Vorticity and Divergence, Atmospheric turbulence – mixing length theory planetary boundary layer equations, eddy transport of heat, internal   and external gravity waves, Inertia waves; kinetic, potential and internal energies of atmosphere (ES).

Instrumentation in Geosciences : Principles and applications of XRF, XRD, Microprobe, GPS, SEM, ICP, etc. Preparation of standards and samples (BK)

Marine Environment : Primary productivity in the oceans, Remote sensing techniques to asses the oceanographic conditions with special emphasis on primary productivity.  Pathways of major, minor and trace elements to the marine system (RR). 

Quaternary Environments: Atmospheric circulation and environmental changes during Quaternary, volcanic and tectonic activities during Quaternary, Quaternary glaciation. Pattern of glacial and interglacial cycles. Glacial and interglacial desert environments.  Evidences of Quaternary changes  from oceans, rivers, lakes, deserts, terrestrial fauna and flora (ES).

Paper  III  (Any one of the following)

Structural Analysis  (VPK) Rock deformation – changes in length and angle. Geological significance of displacements. Factors affecting deformation. Geometrical and genetic classification of folds. Theory and criteria of rock failure. Classification of tectonites. Mechanism of development of tectonic fabric.

• Progressive deformation – ductile and brittle deformation
• Deformation and metamorphism – Deep crustal fluids – Mass transport
• Shear zones – Shear indicators and shear sense indicators Structural analysis on mesoscopic and microscopic scales.

Advance Sedimentology (SA)

• Survey of sedimentary environments – continental, transitional and marine. The processes and products. Geochemical environments.
• Date collection and stratigraphic analysis.
• Barrier islands. Marine shelf sedimentation.
• Fluvial sedimentation. Deltas. Coastal dunes. Desert sedimentation. Deep sea sediments. Turbidity currents and Turbidites. Methods of collecting marine sediments.
• Sediment production - Role of weathering and  climate. Parent rock and  relief.
• Erosion – Geological and accelerated. 
• Sediment load.
• Methods of documenting erosion dates. 
• Fundamentals of sediment transport. 
• Principles of fluid mechanics, shear stress.  Shields criterion. 
• Estimation of sediment transport rates and discharge.
• Survey of modern sedimentation in the shore and shelf zones.
• Submarine fans and the sedimentary processes.

Igneous Petrology (SNK)

• Rock forming minerals- Physical and optical properties of olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, feldspar, feldspathoids, mica, and silica group.
• Meteorites: Introduction, classification, bulk chemical composition, mineralogy and phase composition, petrology, trace elements, physical properties.  Fall and Recovery, origin
• Lunar Rocks- Introduction, Lunar mineralogy, Lunar petrology- the igneous rocks, the fines and microbreccias, comparison with Terrestrial rocks, meteorites and Tektites, lunar geochemistry.

Advance Environmental Geology (BK)

• Place of humans in the environment. Earth system, cycles, structure and materials. Hazardous geologic processes – earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, landslides, mass wasting, subsidence and floods. Hazards of ocean and weather. Meteorite impacts.
• Nature of earth resources-fossil fuels, mineral resources, water resources, near shore water and resources. Human impacts on environment – waste disposal contaminate in geologic environment, atmospheric change.
• Tools of study – Environmental geologic maps and mapping. 
• Data sources and data storage.  Archival data and baseline data. 
• Application of remote sensing data products.
• Sampling of geological materials for environmental analysis.
• Methods of collection, preservation and pre-treatment. 
• Types of instrumentation analysis in environment geochemistry.
• Environmental geochemistry - Geochemistry and water quality.  Geochemistry and agriculture. Geochemistry and man. 
• Metal pollution of soils, rivers and estuaries.
• Coal mining and human health.
• Radio activity in the environment.

Advance Hydrogeology (RR)

• Groundwater movement.
• Surface and subsurface investigations for groundwater.
• Groundwater and well hydraulics.
• Pollution of groundwater.
• Groundwater modeling techniques.
• Water balance studies.
• Artificial recharging of aquifers.
• Isotope Hydrogeology
• National Groundwater Status 
• Groundwater conditions in Kerala.

Micropalaeontology (RR)

• Environmental distribution of Foraminifera and Ostracoda.
• Deep sea record and stable isotopic study of foraminifera.
• Boundary Problems and micro fossils.
• Environmental significance of micro fossils. Micro fossils as tools for palaeo-    environmental, palaeo-ecological and palaeo-oceanographic studies.
• Micro fossils as pollution indicators.
•  Application of microfossils  and pollen analysis in Quaternary sea level studies.