4.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Students in this course will gain an understanding of the origin of various forms of matter in our Solar System and beyond, along with its evolution through geologic processes. Beginning with the concepts of nucleosynthesis and stellar evolution, this course will then cover the condensation of matter, meteoritics, and petrogenetic evolution of differentiated, rocky bodies (i.e. asteroids, the Moon, Mars). Evolution of matter in extra-Solar planetary systems (i.e. exoplanets) will also be broached. In lab we will examine thin sections of meteorites, lunar material, and terrestrial analogs - a field trip to the Smithsonian Meteorite Collection is planned. Graduate and advanced undergraduate-level students are encouraged, as are interdisciplinary students with an interest in planetary science.