Vassar Moodle

Archive from Blackboard (July 2010)

The earth is made up of many different materials, including minerals, rocks, and ions in solution, representing the same atoms recycled continually by geological and biogeochemical processes. This course covers the earth materials in their plate tectonic context. We approach this study through field techniques (outcrop description and hand specimen identification), and laboratory work (optical microscope and X-ray analysis).

This seminar-style course will consist of reading and discussion of technical scientific papers in
the 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: Venus, Earth & astrobiology, Mars, gas giants, Europa, Titan, comets & meteorites. There will be an emphasis on past and present planetary missions including a class 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 and subsurface processes, atmospheres, fluvial systems, and scientific missions throughout our solar system.