The aim of this course is to expose students to the diversity of research areas that encompass astrobiology and planetary science, and to enhance the communication between astrobiologists, planetary scientists, engineers, and other space enthusiasts on campus. Each week an invited speaker (internal or external) will present on a topic related to astrobiology and/or planetary science for 40-45 minutes, with time for questions and discussion.
This course covers the fundamentals of glacier and ice-sheet dynamics and their application to problems in sea level, paleoclimate, and planetary science. Course content includes glacier mass balance, the material properties and rheology of ice, the basic equations of ice-sheet and -shelf flow, basal processes, the stability and history of ice sheets.
This course will cover the broad spectrum of techniques for making remote measurements of the composition, morphology, and thermophysical properties of solid surfaces on Earth and other planetary bodies. Both the physics underlying the techniques and their applications to a range of problems of interest will be discussed. Students will gain experience accessing, processing and interpreting remote sensing data, and will acquire an understanding of which techniques are most useful for answering particular scientific questions about a range of land environments.
This course will study the forces and influences that determine the composition, structure and evolution of the planets in our solar system. The keys to understanding solar system formation and evolution reside in observable planetary characteristics and those inferred from theory and indirect observation. This understanding has evolved over the last several hundred years as telescope technology and space travel have enhanced our ability to make sophisticated measurements of much of the solar system.
Astrobiology combines astronomy, physics, Earth and atmospheric sciences, chemistry and biology in seeking to understand the origin, evolution, and possible distribution of life throughout the universe. We have substantial expertise in many of these topics here on campus, and a primary objective of this class is to foster more cross-disciplinary understanding and discussion between and within the relevant Schools.We'll meet for two hours each week to discuss a different highly cited paper, spanning all the sub-disciplines by the end of term. Each week a different student wil
This course will explore the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere using a combination spacecraft observations and fundamental plasma physics. Credit not allowed for both EAS 4360 and EAS 6360.
In this course we will study the forces and influences that determine the composition, structure and evolution of the planets in our solar system.
Pre-requisite: PHYS 2212 and MATH 2552
This course will explore the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere using a combination spacecraft observations and fundamental plasma physics. Credit not allowed for both EAS 4360 and EAS 6360.