Syllabus (Preliminary) EPS 400 - Special Topics: Planetary Crusts, 2014

Topics by week

Week 1: Aug. 25-29      Introduction & overview; reading assignments

                Sep. 1              Labor Day Holiday

Week 2:  Sep. 2-5          Formation of Planets & Moons, Types of Crust

Week 3:  Sep. 8-12        Lunar Highlands: Example of Primary Crust

Week 4:  Sep. 15-19      Lunar Volcanics: Example of Secondary Crust

Week 5:  Sep. 22-26      Mercury, Old and New: MESSENGER Results

Week 6:  Sep. 29 - Oct. 3     Mars I: Martian Meteorites, early ideas

Week 7:  Oct. 6-10        Mars II: Surface Composition, Missions 

Week 8:  Oct. 13-16      Mars III:  Sedimentation and Alteration, Views from the Surface 

                 Oct. 17: Fall Break

Week 9:   Oct. 22, 24      (GSA, LEAG Mtg)  Crustal Processes; Focus time to work on Projects

Week 10:  Oct. 27-31       Venus: Earth’s Twin?

Week 11:  Nov. 3-7           Earth I: Early Crust 

Week 12:  Nov. 10-14      Early Earth II, Modifications; Project Presentations

Week 13:  Nov. 17-21       Project Presentations; Vestan Crust, HEDs

Week 14:  Nov. 24       Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets, what to expect? 

                   Nov. 26-30    Thanksgiving break

Week 15:  Dec. 1-5,    Comparative Crustology

Week 16:  Dec. 8-17    Reading Week, Finals

                   Dec. 15-19   AGU Fall Meeting

                                          Final Exam will not conflict with AGU

*Term Project: 

Week 3: Discuss and select assignments

Topics: Select a mission/planet and develop a report on key findings to date (for large missions, select a specific topic).  Target length: 10-15 pages, including text, graphics, tables, references, and next steps.  

Possible term project topics:

•     Mars Exploration Rovers (Opportunity)
•     MSL Curiosity
•     Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
•     Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
•     MESSENGER
•     Mars Odyssey
•     Dawn

Concepts (will be worked into various class periods)

•     Geochemical principles and geochemistry of planetary crustal materials
•     Impact as a major crustal geologic process and cratering mechanics
•     Origin and characteristics of topography, gravity vs. strength, etc.
•     Magma oceans

Primary Text:  Planetary Crusts, Their Composition, Origin, and Evolution (2009) Taylor and McLennan, Cambridge Planetary Science  (will use as outline, but with much supplementation with more recent compilation papers)

Supplemental Materials:

Planetary Surface Processes, H. J. Melosh, 2011, Cambridge Planetary Science

The Martian Surface, edited by J. Bell, 2008, Cambridge Planetary Science

Elemental Composition of the Martian Crust, McSween et al., 2009, Science 324, 736-739.

MER: Recent Science papers

MESSENGER & Mercury, Science and JGR papers 

Dawn & Vesta,  Science, 336, 2012; JGR papers)

MSL: Dec 2013 Science papers and other recent publications