Planetary Geology

Catalog description

Planetary Geology will introduce students to the rocky planets and moons of the solar system. Students will learn the geological processes that are important in the shaping of planetary surfaces and interiors, as well as their ancient or current potential habitability. Throughout the course, students will learn about the various geologic processes that are relevant for each planet and moon, including volcanism, impact cratering, sediment transport, differentiation, and plate tectonics, among others. Students will understand the geologic history of planets using the best available data, but will also learn about the evolution of our knowledge through successive planetary missions to collect more data. The course will couple scientific material and real data with historical perspectives surrounding space and planetary exploration missions.