Course Syllabus:
EESC V3101 – Geochemistry for a Habitable Planet
Fall 2014
Professor: Philipp Ruprecht office: Comer 403, LDEO
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences phone: 845-365-8635
Office Hours:
T 2:30 - 3:45 556 Schermerhorn email:
R 12-1 & 2:30 - 2:55 (need to catch bus at 3 pm to LDEO on Thursdays)
Class Meeting Time: TR 1:10 - 2:25 pm • 506 Schermerhorn
OverviewThis course tells the story of our planet through geochemistry, following closely the book by Langmuir & Broecker, How to Build a Habitable Planet. In this course you will learn about the formation of elements in stars, the formation of Earth in the context of the solar system, the differentiation of the planet via igneous processes, the origin of the continents, the effects of water and CO2 on Earth climate, the source of fossil fuel and mineral resources, the origin of life, and our effect on the planet. Along the way, we will explore principles in isotope geochronology, trace element geochemistry, aqueous chemistry, stable isotope geochemistry and chemical proxies in dynamic systems.
Pre-requisites any EESC 1000 or 2000 level course; MATH V1101 (Calculus I); CHEM C1403(General Chemistry I)
Required Textbook:How to Build a Habitable Planet, Langmuir & Broecker, 2012, Princeton Univ. Press; supplemented with additional readings, to be provided at no cost.
Class Schedule Other Events: Attached is a preliminary class schedule, with topics for each class, associated readings, problem set due dates, and exam dates. Other paper readings and written assignments will occasionally supplement the problem sets.
Analytical Project: As a class, work through a small research project. We will collect samples, analyze them by laser ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectro-meter, and put the data on-line as a published product. All students will take part in at least one aspect of the project - of sample collection, geochemical analysis, and on-line production.
Absences: Please let me know if you will not be able to make any classes, and I will arrange for you to obtain the material, or to take an early exam. Make-up exams require a written and compelling excuse.
Late Work: Problem sets must be handed in on the date assigned in class. Ten points will be deducted (out of 100 total points) for each day late.
Grading Criteria:
Hour Exams (2): 30%
Final Exam: 24%
Problem Sets (3): 36%
Class Participation: 10%
Total 100%
Academic Integrity: Students are expected to do their own work on all tests and assignments for this class and act in accordance with the Faculty Statement on Academic Integrity and Honor Code established by the students of Columbia College and the School of General Studies. Because any academic integrity violation undermines our intellectual community, students found to have cheated, plagiarized, or committed any other act of academic dishonesty can expect to [specify academic sanction: fail the class/receive a zero for the work inquestion] and may be referred to the Dean’s Discipline process.
EESC 3101 Schedule, TR 1:10 - 2:25 pm, Fall 2014
Instructor: Prof. Philipp RuprechtHtBaHPOther Problem
# Date Topic Sets
1 Tues 2-Sep Introduction; Chemistry Review - radioactivity Ch. 21Alb: 1 (1-6, 17-18)
2 Thurs 4-Sep The Origin of Elements in Stars Ch. 2 Faure: 2 (8-13)
3 Tues 9-Sep The Origin of Elements in Stars Ch. 3
4 Thurs 11-Sep Chemistry Review & Planet Formation Ch. 4-5Alb: 1 (6-17) A out
5 Tues 16-Sep The Age of Things: Isochron Method Ch. 6 Faure: 16 (276-286) A due[PR1]
6 Thurs 18-Sep The Age of the Solar System: U-Pb Faure: 16 (286-290)
7 Tues 23-Sep Age of Earth & Core Ch. 7 Alb. (127-135)
8 Thurs 25-Sep The First Few Million Years: Extinct nuclides
Tues 30-SepReview and Project Update
Thurs 2-Oct Exam -1
9 Tues 7-Oct Magma from the Mantle Oceanic Crust Ch. 11 Klein (1-15)
10 Thurs 9-Oct Mantle, Crust and Back again: Subduction Ch. 12 Cox, Bell -14
11 Tues 14-Oct Comp'n & Formation of Continents Alb. (145-150) B-out
12 Thurs 16-Oct Evolution of Continents Rollinson-6
13 Tues 21-Oct Analytical Methods Alb. (205-210)
14 Thurs 23-Oct Water on Earth Ch. 9B-due
15 Tues 26-Oct Aqueous Chemistry & Exam Review Brown (177-207)
Thurs 30-Oct Exam-2
Tues 4-Nov no classes - CU Holiday
16 Thurs 6-Nov Surface-Solid Interactions: Weathering Brown (355-369)
17 Tues 11-Nov Rain and River Chemistry Faure-20
18 Thurs 13-Nov Ocean Chemistry Berner - Ch8 C-out
19 Tues 18-Nov Long-term climate change; CO2; O isotopes Ch. 16-17
20 Thurs 20-Nov Glacial cycles, climate proxies Ch. 18 Faure-17
21 Tues 25-Nov Project Update C-due
Thurs 27-Nov no class - Thanksgiving
22 Tues 2-Dec Organic chemistry, carbon cycle, life Ch. 13 Brown (297-319)
23 Thurs 4-Dec Fossil fuels, Mineral resources Ch. 19 Brown (319-332)
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, 12/16/2014
1:10pm - 4:00pm SCH 506
Bibliography
HtBaHP = How to Build a Habitable Planet, Langmuir, C.H. and Broecker, W. (2012) Princeton University Press
Albarede, F. (2003)Geochemistry, Cambridge Univ. Press.
Berner, E.K. & Berner, R. (1996) Global Environment: Water, Air & Geochemical Cycles. Prentice Hall.
Brownlow, A. (1996) Geochemistry, Prentice Hall.
Cox, K.G., Bell, J.D. & Pankhurst, R.J. (1980) The Interpretaion of Igneous Rocks, George Allen & Unwin.
Klein, E. (2003) Geochemistry of the Igneous Oceanic Crust; Treatise on Geochemistry v. 3: The Crust. Elsevier.
Faure, G. (1998) Principles and Applications of Geochemistry. Prentice Hall.
Rollinson, H. (1993) Using Geochemical Data. Longman Group, UK.
[PR1]Moved to Thursday prior to class