Foundations of Planetary Science

Catalog description

Provides a quantitative survey of the physical, chemical and geological processes that govern the formation and evolution of planetary bodies. Students (figuratively) tour the major planets, both terrestrial and giant, along with their diverse satellites and the myriad populations of 'small bodies' such as comets and asteroids. The course centers on our solar system, but applies the foundational principles of planetary science to the study of exoplanets, including the remote characterization of both rocky and gas-rich exoplanets.