20211 Geology of Israel

Credits: 6 intermediate credits in Geology

Prerequisites: none

Required: Introduction to Earth Sciences (or Secrets of the Earth) or comparable background

Recommended: Laboratory: Metamorphic and Sedimentary Petrography, Laboratory: Optical Mineralogy and Magmatic Petrography

Authors: Nechama Shafran, Emanuel Mazor, Shlomo Shoval. The materials include Steps in Geology of Israel (in Hebrew), edited by Nechama Shafran and Emanuel Mazor; and The Geological Time Scale (in Hebrew), by John W. Harbaugh and Emanuel Mazor.

This course on the geology of Israel focuses on the periods, rocks and geological structure of Israel. Throughout the geological history of Israel, oceans flooded and receded and Israel’s location on the planet shifted through plate tectonics (continental drift) which formed the Dead Sea transform. These dramatic events left their mark on rocks in Israel with which the student becomes familiar during the course.

To demonstrate the study material, the course includes a laboratory session on stratigraphy and fossils conducted at the Open University, and three field trips that present geological aspects of the geographic area: a two-day field trip to the Eilat-Timna area (for students who did not participate in the field trip in course 20239),1 a two-day field trip to Makhtesh Ramon (jointly with course 20307),1 and a field trip to the Kinneret area.

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1Students are expected to cover the cost of accommodations during the field trips.