Planet Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World (3)
NATS 101 emphasizes our own planet and the special conditions that it provides for life. NATS 101 reviews how the evolution of primitive life dramatically changed the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, and it explores humanity’s role in further altering our planetary environment.

NATS 101 is a Tier I Natural Science course in the University’s general education curriculum.

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Larson
  

The Universe and Humanity: Origin and Destiny (3)
The Universe And Humanity: Origin And Destiny places Earth and humanity in a broad cosmic context. Topics range from the Big Bang cosmology to human consciousness with emphasis on the events and evolutionary processes that define the physical universe and our place in it.

NATS 102 is a Tier I Natural Science course in the University’s general education curriculum.

Section 13 Class home page

Pierazzo
  

First Year Colloquium (1)
195A CLQ Giacalone: The Changing Sun and its Influence on Earth: Does the Sun’s natural variability affect climate on Earth? How dangerous are solar flares to Earth’s inhabitants and to Moon or Mars-bound astronauts - both in terms of radiation dosages, and also energetic-particle-induced instruments failure? In this course, we will discuss the evidence supporting a connection between solar-cycle changes and Earth-climatic changes and the physical mechanisms that can induce this change. We will also discuss the space radiation environment and the associated perils of space travel. At the end of this colloquium, students should have a better understanding of this topical issue that has both scientific and political implications.

195A CLQ Lauretta: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites. This seminar is designed to introduce students to the study of asteroids,
comets, and meteorites and will cover many different aspects of the field. We will discuss the history of astronomical observations of small bodies in the Solar System and the evidence that finally convinced the scientific
community that rocks actually do fall from the sky. Modern and historical meteorite collection will be explored including meteorite hunting expedition on the ice sheets of Antarctica. The course will include a discussion of the formation of the Solar System as recorded by the meteorite record and the impact hazard posed by asteroids and comets. Past, current, and future
spacecraft missions to small bodies will also be discussed.

195A CLQ Showman: Planetary Climate. This colloquium will provide an introduction to the climate of planets. We will explore global warming on Earth, the possibility of an ancient warm, wet Mars, the fiendishly hot, corrosive atmosphere of Earth’s twin, Venus, and the methane rain of Saturn’s smog-shrouded moon, Titan. Sampling the exotic diversity of atmospheres will bring out themes fundamental to how all atmospheres work.

Giacalone
Showman
 

The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration (3)
PTYS 206 emphasizes the part of the universe that is within reach of direct human experience and exploration.

We will review current understanding of the contents of our Solar System and emphasize the processes that unite all of the planets and smaller bodies, such as tectonics, weathering, cratering, differentiation, and the evolution of oceans and atmospheres. The course will build on this knowledge to understand humankind’s motivation to explore beyond our Solar System, especially to search for planets around distant stars and to look or listen for evidence of life elsewhere in the Universe.

PTYS 206 is a Tier II Natural Science course in the University’s general education curriculum.


Section I (Hubbard) Class home page

Hubbard
Kortenkamp
 

Astrobiology: A Planetary Perspective (3)
We will explore questions about the origin, evolution, and future of life on Earth and the possibility of life arising independently elsewhere in the Universe. We will examine what it means for a planet to be habitable, both in terms of basic necessities for living organisms to function and environmental limits to their ability to survive. Finally, we will review different approaches for searching for life within the Solar System and beyond using direct and remote sensing techniques.

PTYS 214 is a Tier II Natural Science course in the University’s general education curriculum.

Pavlov
  

Special Topics in Planetary Science (1)
Exploring the Moon. A new wave of lunar exploration via spacecraft is poised to commence. These missions will investigate the many unsolved problems that remain from the exploration of previous decades. In this colloquium class we will review the current state of knowledge and open questions about the Moon: geology, geophysics, origin, and history.

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Byrne
  

Chemistry of the Solar System (3)
Abundance, origin, distribution, and chemical behavior of the chemical elements in the Solar System. Emphasis on applications of chemical equilibrium, photochemistry, and mineral phase equilibrium theory.

Prerequisites: CHEM 103b, MATH 125b, and PHYS 132 or their equivalents.

PTYS 407 is required for the PTYS Minor.

PTYS 407 is identical with CHEM 407.

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Lunine
  

Asteroids, Comets and Kuiper Belt Objects (3)
This is an introduction to the "minor planets," the asteroids, comets and Kuiper Belt objects. The focus will be on origin and evolution (including current evolution), as well as techniques of study. It will include an evening at the telescope of an asteroid search program.

Graduate-level requirement includes some original work or calculations in the paper/project submitted and to research one of the primary topics and lead the class discussion of it.

PTYS 416 is identical with PTYS 516.

D2L home page

Swindle
  

The Chemical Evolution of Earth (3)
Chemical differentiation and evolution of Earth's mantle and crust according to major-element, trace-element and isotopic characteristics of neodymium, hafnium, strontium, lead and other isotopes.
Prerequisite(s): GEOS 356 or equivalent undergraduate petrology.
Identical to GEOS 430.

Patchett
  

Dynamic Meteorology (3)
Thermodynamics and its application to planetary atmospheres, hydrostatics, fundamental concepts and laws of dynamic meteorology. Prerequisite: PHYS 426 or consent of instructor.
Identical to ATMO 441A.

Mullen