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Center for Isotope Geochemistry, UC Berkeley and LBNL
Link to CIG homeLink to CIG peopleLink to CIG researchLink to CIG PublicationsLink to CIG ResourcesLink to Earth Sciences Division, LBNLLink to Earth and Planetary Science, UCB

Donald J. DePaolo
Instructor

Office Hours:
Mondays 2-4 or by appointment

475 McCone Hall
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-4767

T • (01) 510/643-5064
F • (01) 510/642-9520
E •

Jim Watkins
Graduate Student Instructor

455 McCone Hall
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-4767

E •

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EPS 102: History and Evolution of Planet Earth

Syllabus

Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisite: EPS 50. Grading is based on:

  • Midterms → 40%
  • Final → 25%
  • Paper → 15%
  • Homework → 20%

Formation and evolution of the Earth—

  • Nucleosynthesis
  • Formation of the solar system
  • Planetary accretion
  • Dating the Earth and solar system
  • Formation of the core, mantle, oceans and atmosphere
  • Plate tectonics
  • Heat transfer and internal dynamics
  • Stratigraphic record of environment and evolution
  • Climate history and climate change

Lecture Schedule

Date Lecture Reference Topic
1/17 Earth timeline, interacting systems, rock record Condie Ch 1 geochronology
1/19 Geochronology 1 (Prof. Renne) White Ch 8  
1/24 Origin of the elements - Nucleosynthesis White Ch 10, 8; Broecker Ch. 2 nuclear processes
1/26 Condensation sequence - Composition of the Earth White Ch 10  
1/31 Meteorites
Geochronology 2 		Condie pp 374-85
White Ch 10 		chemical equilibrium and condensation
2/02 Mantle convection Condie Ch 4, handouts  
2/07 Heat Flow handouts mantle minerals
2/09 Melting in the Earth handouts  
2/14 Origin of oceanic crust handouts convection, melting
2/16 Planetary differentiation (radiogenic isotopes)
Geochronology 3 		White Ch 8, 12  
2/21 Age and evolution of continents, Tectonic settings Condie Ch 2, 8 REVIEW
2/23 MIDTERM #1    
2/28 Continental drift - sea level Condie Ch 6, 9 plate tectonics

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Link to CIG homeLink to CIG peopleLink to CIG LabsLink to CIG ResearchLink to CIG PublicationsLink to CIG ResourcesLink to Earth Sciences Division, LBNLLink to Earth and Planetary Science, UCB