2021 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Graduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Advanced Earth and Space Sciences E
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Ohta
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Tue / 7-8 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.A418
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The teacher gives lectures regarding a topic of solid Earth science, and then discuss the topic with students, according to the contents in Treatise on Geophysics.
Course description and aims
To appreciate research hystory and the unsolved problems regarding Solid Earth Scince field. Topics in the class are deep Earth structure, mantle and core dynamics, and formation and evolution of Earth, planets and moons.
Keywords
Solid Earth, crust, mantle, and core
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
At the beginning of each class, the teacher gives lectures, and then students present and discuss the assignment.
Course schedule/Objectives
Course schedule | Objectives | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Deep Earth structure: Crust and upper mantle | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding crust and upper mantle. |
Class 2 | Deep Earth structure: Mantle transition zone and lower mantle | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding mantle transition zone and lower mantle. |
Class 3 | Deep Earth structure: Outer and inner cores | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding outer and inner cores. |
Class 4 | Mineral physics: High pressure and temperature phase relations for minerals | To summarize phase relations of the major materials in the Earth's mantle and core. |
Class 5 | Mineral physics: Physical properties of minerals under high pressure and temperature | To summarize the methods of physical properties measurement under high P-T conditions. |
Class 6 | Mineral physics: High pressure and high temperature experiment | To summarize the methods to generate high P-T conditions relevant to the interior of the Earth. |
Class 7 | Geomagnetism: Generation of Earth's magnetic field | To summarize the theories to generate geomagnetic field. |
Class 8 | Geomagnetism: Paleomagnetism | To summarize the methods to determine paleomagnetic field from rocks. |
Class 9 | Dynamics in crust and lithosphere | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding crust and lithosphere dynamics. |
Class 10 | Mantle dynamics: Mantle convection | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding mantle dynamics. |
Class 11 | Core dynamics: Outer core dynamics | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding the outer core dynamics. |
Class 12 | Core dynamics: Inner core dynamics | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding the inner core dynamics. |
Class 13 | Interaction between core-mantle boundary | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding the interaction between core and mantle. |
Class 14 | Formation of Earth and its thermal evolution | To summarize the ideas of Earth's formation process. |
Class 15 | Dynamics in planets and moons | To summarize the unsolved problems regarding dynamics in planets and moons. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Provided at each class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Elsevier [Treatise on Geophysics]
Evaluation methods and criteria
The score is based on understanding degree of the class, quality of handouts students made, and students' presentations.
Related courses
- EPS.A205 : Introduction to Earth Sciences
- EPS.A331 : Earth Materials
- EPS.A424 : Advanced Earth and Space Sciences H
- EPS.A426 : Advanced Earth and Space Sciences I
Prerequisites
It is required that students have basic knowledge and research experiences in the solid Earth field.