A petroleum-engineering geology field camp in existence for over 50 years has evolved to reflect the goal of developing a multidisciplinary foundation, or shared cognitive interface, with other geoscience disciplines. Five learning objectives form a framework for a series of progressively complex exercises. Students make geologic field maps, measure sections, record notes, create field sketches, and link outcrop to the subsurface through a series of complementary daily field activities. Field experiences create tangible links and mental images for comprehending the subsurface.Orienting the field activities toward the ultimate goal of developing a shared cognitive interface helps us overcome challenges that include dislike of geology and inexperience with the outdoors, teaching iterative and relational thought processes, and creating linkages to promote retention of material. Varying the physical and content pace of the course helps keep the non-geology audience engaged. Sequential field activities use technology to iteratively analyze the same problem. Daily journals supplemented by activity reports and exams promote assessment of content and teaching effectiveness. Asking open-ended questions in activity reports is most effective for assessing relational thinking. In the long-term, effective assessment comes from observations in a succeeding multidisciplinary design course.
This article uses measurements from outcrops of the Point Loma Formation to define the hierarchical organization of a distributive submarine fan and spatial changes in its constituent parts. A four-tier hierarchy for lobes is documented: bed, element, complex, and system. Across each hierarchical tier, there is an increase in size, duration of deposition, number of cross-cutting relationships, number of superposed stratal units, and degree of compensational stacking. Lobe elements contain systematic axis-to-margin and longitudinal decreases in amalgamation ratio, erosion, net sand content, proportions of sand-rich facies, and maximum grain size, with the exception of shale clasts in fringe position. The cross-sectional aspect ratios of lobe elements in the Point Loma are ~1000, a similar value to those measured in other systems, although aspect ratios are slightly higher at the distal reaches of lobe elements than in proximal locations. The key longitudinal patterns in lobe complexes are decreases in proportion of sand-rich facies, maximum grain size, amalgamation ratio of elements, net sand content, and amount of interelement erosion and a longitudinal increase in the degree of the amount of compensational stacking. Lobe complexes stack laterally and progradationally to build a lobe system.
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