EMSC3022 Planetary Science
Later Year Course
| Offered By | Research School of Earth Sciences |
|---|---|
| Academic Career | Undergraduate |
| Course Subject | Earth and Marine Science |
| Offered in | First Semester, 2010 and First Semester, 2011 |
| Unit Value | 6 units |
| Course Description | This course provides an introduction to planetary geology with a view to understanding what makes planet Earth so special in a galactic context. We will explore the solar system and humans' place in it. We will examine the essential ingredients for life on planets and how the planets come by them. We will step back in time to examine the earliest solar system, going back to the origin of the elements themselves and the processes that have occurred in carrying matter from where it formed to where it can build new solar systems. The conditions on individual planets appears to be the result of many stochastic processes and it can be concluded that our solar system is the end-product of many accidental and chance events, leading to a philosophical discussion of whether planets similar to Earth will be discovered elsewhere in the universe. |
| Learning Outcomes |
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to: 1. Explain, in scientific terms, the astronomical context of planet formation in general and the formation of our solar system in particular, recent exoplanet detections, our planetary system, meteoritics and cosmochemistry, chronology of the early Earth, composition of the Earth, the Moon-forming impact.2. Write two scientific essays on relevant topics, including abstract and bibliography, and make a scientific research presentation on one of these topics. 3. Demonstrate laboratory skills through a range of modules requiring, for example, experimental analysis of radioactive decay, petrographic description of rocks from the solar system, crater counting methodology for Mars and Moon, observation of Urey-Miller experiment. 4. Explain the learning opportunities of field trips, through local field trips to a) identify major minerals/rock types in the area; and b) to visit Mt Stromlo for evening of observations of planets and star formation regions. |
| Indicative Assessment |
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| Workload |
Three lectures per week and a seminar as needed |
| Areas of Interest | Earth and Marine Sciences |
| Requisite Statement |
Any first year PHYS, CHEM, EMSC or GEOL course. |
| Incompatibility | GEOL3022 |
| Prescribed Texts |
Morrison D. and Owen T. (2003) The Planetary System, Third Edition, Addison Wesley, San Francisco. |
| Science Group | C |
| Academic Contact | Prof Trevor Ireland |
The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.
