Breadth Craduate Courses

ESS2222 Tectonics and Planetary Dynamics

A treatment of the fundamental physical processes by which planets form and evolve. The course will be taught using specific case studies from selected themes, which will change on a yearly basis. Possible themes might include: tectonic modeling, structural analysis, Precambrian geophysics and dynamics of the terrestrial planets. The course will be team taught, in which individual instructors will focus on a particular aspect of each theme, providing some lectures for background prior to reading the important literature.

Prerequisites: none

Instructors: Staff

ESS2302 Mineral Resources
This course will focus on the fundamental processes by which Earth materials are concentrated into economically-viable deposits. The geology, petrology and geochemistry of specific types of mineral deposits will be used to focus discussion on petrogenetic models of ore formation. Possible types of deposits will include diamonds, other gems, porphry systems, magmatic sulfides, sed-ex and volcanogenic massive sulfide. The course will be team taught, in which individual instructors will focus on a particular deposit type, providing some lectures for background prior to reading the important literature.

Prerequisites: none

Instructors: TBA

GLG2303 Earth Systems Evolution
This course will focus on the geological evidence and causes for change in the Earth System (coupled lithosphere-hydrosphere-biosphere-atmosphere) over the last 4.5 billion years. It will be taught using specific case studies from selected time intervals, which will change on a yearly basis. Possible topics will include global biogeochemical cycling of C,S,O; deep biosphere geobiology and the origin and evolution of life; proxy indicators for global change; evolution of the atmosphere; the stratigraphic record of sea level change and plate reconstruction. The course will be team taught, in which individual instructors will focus on a particular topic, providing some lectures for background prior to reading the important literature.

Prerequisites: none

Instructors: TBA

GRG1213 Global Ecology and Biogeochemical Cycles

ESS2304 Geochemistry
This course will focus on the application of chemical principles to studies in the Earth Sciences. It will be taught using specific case studies from selected themes, which will change on a yearly basis. Possible themes might include: global geochemical cycles, microbial geochemistry, origin and distribution of the elements and geochemical kinetics. The course will be team taught, in which individual instructors will focus on a particular aspect of each theme, providing some lectures for background prior to reading the important literature.

Prerequisites: none

Instructors: TBA

ESS2704 Isotope Geochemistry
The course is focused on the principles and applications of stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry to understanding geological and planetary processes. The course will be taught using specific case studies from selected themes, which will change on a yearly basis. Possible themes might include: early solar system chronology, isotopic contraints on Earth differentiation, tracing pollutants in the subsurface, nature of the early Earth, ocean and atmospheric circulation, applications to tectonics. The course will be team taught, in which individual instructors will focus on a particular aspect of each theme, providing some lectures for background prior to reading the important literature.

Prerequisites: none

Instructors: TBA

ESS2708H Characterization of Geological Materials
This course provides both theoretical and practical instruction on a range of instrumental methods used in determining the composition, structure and chemical state of geological materials, including fluids, gases, glasses, rocks and minerals. The course includes laboratory assignments providing practical application of these techniques.

Prerequisites: none

Instructor: TBA