Details of ES2101 (Autumn 2012)

Level: 2 Type: Theory Credits: 3.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
ES2101 Planetary, Earth and Environmental Sciences Ravikant Vadlamani,
Sutapa Bose,
Tarun Kumar Dalai

Syllabus
Planetary, Earth and Environmental sciences



Scope: This course deals with introduction to planetary, earth and environmental sciences



Course content



The Universe and our solar system- age, origin. The Earth-Moon system; Characteristics of

the Planets. Time - absolute and relative and cosmic time scales. Kinds of forces and their

magnitudes in the Earth. Time scales of processes - days to millions of years. Meteorites -

what they tell. Planet Earth Formation of a zoned planet; The structure - from core to the

upper levels of magnetosphere. The interior structure, distribution of pressure, temperature

and density: Information from seismology . Magnetic field, gravity field, mechanical

properties rheology. Origin and cosmic abundance of elements, Cosmochemical and

geochemical classification. Origin of ocean and atmosphere. Building Blocks of Earth -

Minerals, rocks, water, melts and the atmosphere.The Surface we live on - Geomorphologic

features and processes. Sediments and sedimentary processes. Plate tectonics today and its

consequences An introduction to Earthquake, Volcanoes, Mountain Building, Tsunami,

Mineral Deposits. Geologic time scale: Measurement of absolute time. Evolution of isotopic

reservoirs- an introduction particularly relevant to core, mantle and crust formation (Nd

isotopes, Sr isotopes, Hf-W isotopes). Origin of Life - development of the genetic

components; Oxygen revolution. Dynamics of the Earths Atmosphere and the oceans.

Sustenance of Life and resources Environment today; problems and future

perspectives. Earths climate, climate forcing factors.





References
Text Books:



1. Press, Siever, Grotzinger & Jordan: Understanding Earth; W.H. Freeman & Co., NY,

2004 (4th Ed).

2. The Solid Earth: An Introduction to Global Geophysics: 2nd Ed, CMR Fowler,

Cambridge University Press, 2005.

3. Condie, K.C.: Earth as an evolving Planetary System: Elsevier, 2005.

4. Marshak: Earth, portrait of a planet; W.W. Norton & Co., NY, 2005, (2nd Ed).

5. Lunine: Earth, evolution of a habitable world: Cambridge, 1999.

6. Eby: Principles of environmental geochemistry; Thomson, 2004.

7. Alberede, F: Geochemistry, an introduction; Cambridge, 2003.

8. Ranalli, G: Rheology of the Earth; Chapman & Hall, 1995 (2nd Ed).

9. Stanley, S.M.: Earth System History, W.H. Freeman & Co. m 2005 (2nd Ed).

10. Davies, G.F.: Dynamic Earth, Plates, Plumes and mantle Convection, Cambridge,

2001.

11. Turcotte, D.L. & Schubert, G: Geodynamics, Cambridge, 2002 (2nd Ed).

12. Anderson, G.M.: Thermodynamics of natural systems, John Wiley, 1996.

13. Turcotte, Schubert & Olson: Theory of Mantle Convection and Plumes, Cambridge,

2000.



Course Credit Options

Sl. No.ProgrammeSemester NoCourse Choice
1 IP 1 Not Allowed
2 IP 3 Not Allowed
3 MS 3 Core
4 RS 1 Not Allowed