The history of the oceans is deduced from records preserved in marine sediments. The course focuses on classification of marine sediments, their mineralogical and biogenic composition, and deposition processes and environments. The course also introduces basic concepts in seawater composition and bio-geochemical cycles, gives tools for understanding sequence stratigraphy and examines paleoclimate information and isostatic and eustatic sea level records.

Quantitative methodologies and interpretation of tracers and proxies in deep sea sediments allow reconstruction of key past-properties of the ocean (temperature, salinity, sea-ice cover, seasonal gradients, ventilation, oceanic currents, thermohaline circulation, sea level and productivity).

The course encompass physical methods (grain- size studies, magnetic and mineralogical properties), current biological proxies (planktic and benthic foraminifers, deep sea corals, diatoms, coccoliths, dinocysts and biomarkers) and key geochemical tracers (trace elements, stable isotopes, radiogenic isotopes, and U-series).

The course is given every second year also in the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat (IUI) and offers an ideal setting to practice paleoceanographic methodologies using sediment cores collected in an open sea cruise expedition.

The course presents the concept of geological time and reviews dating methods. We start with an overview on the geological timetable, dating materials and different dating approaches. Description of basic concepts in relative dating at the field and using archaeological artifacts and move to radioactivity and radiometric dating.

In particular, Quaternary dating methods as 14C, OSL, and U-series are in focus, but also the use of 18δO wiggle matching, dendrochronology, tephrochronology, paleomagnetism, and varve chronology. The use of short-lived isotopes from nuclear experiments and disasters as chronological markers for environmental reconstructions is also discussed.

The course focuses on current topics relating to the Mediterranean, from natural sciences, through the humanities and social sciences, to politics and current-day policies.

Invited experts review current studies performed in Mediterranean. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the course, the students observe different dynamic processes in a holistic perspective that integrates information from a wide environmental perspective. Special emphasis is given to hydrocarbon explorations in the South-Eastern Mediterranean and their implications to social structures and environmental impacts.

A one-day field trip that explores the geology and geomorphology of the coast in the past hundreds to thousands of years regarding to climate, sea level change and human activities.

In the field trip we discuss the development and termination of coastal wetlands, Nile-driven sand migration, development and erosion of the aeolinite ridges (“Kurkar”), sand dunes and their relations to human settlement, the Holocene and the last interglacial (MIS 5e) beach rocks and their connection to sea level changes.

An over-night cruise off shore Israel (the Eastern Mediterranean) to experience a variety of oceanographic and geophysical methodologies including the use of piston and box corers, CTD and rosette, side scan sonar and multi-beam bathymetry and seismic reflection. The cruise is followed by a practical that uses the data gathered in a research project to explore different issues regarding sediment transport, submarine mass flow, tectonics and different conditions of the water column.