Dr. Robert
Herrick
Geophysical Institute
108I WRRB
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7320
rherrick@gi.alaska.edu
Work: (907) 474-6445
Fax: (907) 474-7290
Home: (907) 455-4664
Guest instructors for selected topics will include Drs. Jerry
Johnson
and Kenji Yoshikawa
Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m., REIC 204.
Office hours: Formally, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. I am in my office most of the time from 10:00 – 5:30 during the week, but you might want to call and check that I am in before dropping by.
Course Description: In this survey course students will learn the fundamental processes that formed our Solar System and shaped the planetary bodies within it. Understanding the geography of other planets provides key insights about Earth, and vice versa. Students will learn how we have arrived at our current state of knowledge and the limitations imposed by the types of data we can collect for the other planets. As the semester progresses, the course evolves from a discussion of geologic processes to planet-specific studies. One focus will be Alaskan analogs to features observable on other planets.
Course Goals: There are two primary course goals. The first is to impart general knowledge about the solar system. The second, more important goal is to introduce the scientific way to approach problems and to communicate how scientific exploration is conducted. Our knowledge of the planets results almost entirely from manned and unmanned space exploration, so planetary science is a very young field where fundamental discoveries are still being made. Within a short period individuals with no science background can be provided enough information to gain a solid understanding of current research topics.
Required text:
The Planetary System, 3rd Edition, by David Morrison and Tobias
Owen, Addison Wesley Publishing, 2003. There is a web site for the
book at
http://wps.aw.com/aw_morrison_planetsys_3/0,6095,446863-main,00.html.
The web site has review questions, tutorials, etc., that are fairly
useful.
Grading:
3
non-cumulative tests (including final)
.............................23.3% each (70% total for
tests)
Tests will be mostly
short answer, and will be graded on a curve (if necessary)
Term
paper.............................................................................20%
Homework..............................................................................10%
Tentative date for beginning of topic:
9/03 Introduction
9/8
Brief overview of the Solar
System,
Chap. 1, 3
intro notes
9/15 Formation of
the Solar
System,
Chapter 17
notes on solar system formation
9/17 Instruments
used in data collection
notes on types of data collected
9/24 Meteorites,
Asteroids, and
Comets
Chapters 4-6
notes on small bodies
9/29 Planetary
Interiors
Chapter 9.2
notes on planetary interiors
10/6 Impact Cratering Chap 7.3 – 7.4
notes on
impact cratering
Assigned Reading on 10/16/2009
10/15 Volcanism, tectonics, and
erosion
Chap 9.3 – 9.4
Topic for term paper due
10/22 Atmospheric processes Chap. 9.5 – 9.7
10/27 Earth Chapter 9
11/3 Moon and Mercury Chap. 7,8
11/10 Test 2 – through Moon and Mercury
11/12 Venus Chapter 10
11/19 Mars Chapter 11
Outline and 3 references due for term paper
11/26 Happy Thanksgiving!
12/1 Outer planets Chapter 13
12/3
Rings
Chapter 16
12/10 Outer
Planet
Satellites
Chapter 15
Term Paper Due
Test 3 during final exam period
Term paper:
The term paper will be 8 - 12 pages of double - spaced 12 pt. text, 1” margins, not including title page, abstract, references, tables, or figures. Twenty points will be deducted for papers not within this length range. The paper should discuss a topic in planetary science for which multiple points of view exist. The author should summarize existing knowledge of a topic and support a particular point of view.
Format:
Title page - Must
include your name and title of the paper
Abstract
Body of the paper. 8 - 12 pages
References
Figure Captions
Tables
Figures
Format should file
AGU (American Geophysical Union) style guide for submitted
manuscripts – Directions for how to prepare a paper can be found at
http://www.agu.org/pubs/au_contrib_rev.html.
Ignore the directions for index terms and supporting nonprint
material. Please pay particular attention to the link for the
Grammar and Style Guide and the Reference Style Guide Term papers
should be submitted in hardcopy, not electronic, form.
References should be peer-reviewed articles from relevant scientific journals with perhaps a few references to abstracts from presentations at scientific meetings. With few exceptions, WEB PAGES ARE NOT REFERENCES. At least five references must be peer-reviewed articles or books. The most common publications that have articles in planetary science are: Nature, Science, Journal of Geophysical Research (Planets), Icarus, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Geology, and Geophysical Research Letters. Two good places to look up articles are the NASA Astrophysics Data System (http://adswww.harvard.edu/) and the abstracts of a recent Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/abstracts.shtml).
Twenty points off per day for late papers.
Sample topics (others may be selected):
Resurfacing history
of Venus
Dating surfaces on
Mars with small craters
The dark area on
Iapetus
History of water on
Mars
Does Europa have an
ocean?
Formation of
complex craters
Association of
asteroids and meteorites