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| Unit name |
Planet Earth |
| Unit code |
EASC10003 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
C/4
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
|
| Unit director |
Professor. Tim Elliott |
| Open unit status |
Open |
| Pre-requisites |
n/a
|
| Co-requisites |
n/a
|
| School/department |
School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Science |
Description including Unit Aims
An overview of our Planet Earth, showing how the dynamic interior has shaped its evolution through time and given rise to the present earth structure, materials, life forms and behaviour. There are no practical classes or fieldwork.
Aims:
The course presents an overview of our Planet, showing how the dynamic interior has shaped its evolution and given rise to the present Earth structure, materials, life forms and global tectonics . We emphasiset the inter-disciplinary bio-, chemico- and physico-principles that underlie many of the Earth systems examined.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding of:
- terminologies, classifications, nomenclatures and practical means of identifying and collecting data on earth materials and structures;
- terminologies, classifications, nomenclatures and practical means of identifying and sampling strategies for earth materials with a view to precise documentation;
- structure and composition of the constituent parts of the solid earth and physico-chemical controls on their genesis;
- structure, composition and properties (gravity, heat flow magnetism) of the constituent parts of the solid earth and their influence on the near-surface to surface environment;
- evolution of the Earth in terms of its chemical variation, thermal development, chronological and stratigraphic history recording the major events in earth history;
- the development of life and its role as an integrated part of earth processes;
- the influence of extra-terrestrial events on the evolution of the earth;
- movement of materials and energy within the solid earth as visualised in the plate tectonic paradigm, and the resultant petrological, geophysical and tectonic expressions of this movement;
- chemical and physical controls on the movement of fluids and contaminants (organic, metallic & radioactive) in the surface and near-surface environment, so as to model and predict their fate in the environment;
- basic understanding of the driving forces and behaviour of the atmosphere, linking to its chemistry, physics and interrelationship with volcanology and climate change;
- interaction between physical, chemical, biological and dynamic earth processes on varying spatial and temporal scales.
Be able to:
- critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (often incomplete);
- to frame appropriate questions and make judgements;
- to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem;
- act independently and in a team, in planning, researching backgrounds and undertaking tasks;
- appreciate the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge;
- be able to develop and sustain arguments in the analysis and solving of problems;
- apply subject knowledge, understanding and skills in interpreting, analysing and solving geological problems of a familiar and unfamiliar nature;
- retrieve information and data using library and on-line resources and where appropriate manipulate data confidently and accurately using algebra, graphs, error analysis, logarithms and exponentials, trigonometry, vectors, calculus and statistics;
- evaluate one's own progress and performance;
- manage one's own learning environment by identification of, and working towards academic and personal targets and career development;
- understand the need for continual training of a professional or equivalent nature.
Teaching Information
This Unit comprises the Planet Earth series of 72 lectures and associated tutorials.
Assessment Information
Planet Earth (EASC 10003, 20cp)
25% from a January progress exam (1 hour) 75% from the summer exam (2 hours)
Reading and References
Essential
Benton, M.J. & Harper, D.A.T. An Introduction to Palaeobiology and the Fossil Record. WileyBlackwell, 2009; Henderson, P. and Henderson, G.M. The Cambridge Handbook of Earth Science Data. Cambridge; University Press, 2009; *Lambourne, R and Tinker, M. Basic Mathematics for the Physical Sciences.Wiley Blackwell, 2000; Mackenzie, W.S.. and Adams A.E. Rocks and minerals in thin section: a colour atlas. Wiley 1994; Nichols, G. Sedimentology and stratigraphy. (2nd ed.) Blackwell, 2009; *Press, F., Siever, R., Jordan, T & Grotzinger, J. Understanding Earth 5th ed.). Freeman, 2007; Woodcock NH and Strachan RA. Geological History of Britain and Ireland. Wiley, 2000;
Background reading
Barnes, J.W. & Lisle, R.W. Basic geological mapping (4th ed.). Wiley, 2003. (for mapping classes); Fortey, R. A. The Hidden Landscape: a journal into the geological past (2nd ed.). The Bodley Head, 2010; Park, R.G. Foundations of structural geology (3rd ed) Nelson Thornes, 1997; Stanley, S. M. Earth System History, 3rd Ed. W.H.Freeman, 2009; Tucker, M.E. Sedimentary petrology: an introduction to the origin of sedimentary rocks. (3rd ed.). Blackwell, 2001; Van Andel, T.H. New views on an old planet: a history of global change (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press, 1994.
