ESCI 383 - Planetary Geology

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

This seminar-style course will consist of reading and discussion of technical scientific papers inthe field of planetary geology. Students will read and discuss the original research that led to groundbreaking discoveries related to the planetary topic of the week and think about how our understanding of our Earth, the solar system, and the universe, has changed throughout history. Topics will include: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, gas giants, Europa, Titan, comets, meteorites, dwarf planets, the sun & stars. There will be an emphasis on past and present planetary missions, with a term project focused on the finalist proposals for one of the most recent NASA multi-year space missions. This course allows students to hone their scientific reading, writing, and communication skills while learning about the surface & subsurface processes, atmospheres, fluvial systems, and scientific missions throughout our solar system. Michelle Tebolt

Prerequisite(s): A 200 level course in either Earth Science or Astronomy.

One 3-hour period.

Course Format: INT