2023 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences

Earth System Science

Academic unit or major: Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Instructor(s): Kazumi Ozaki
Class Format: Lecture (Face-to-face)
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): 5-6 Tue (理学院地球惑星科学系, 石川台2号館, 318室) / 5-6 Fri (理学院地球惑星科学系, 石川台2号館, 318室)
Class: -
Course Code: EPS.A338
Number of credits: 200
Course offered: 2023
Offered quarter: 4Q
Syllabus updated: Jul 8, 2025
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course is intended for undergraduate students who are interested in learning about Earth System Science. The course will cover the basic concept and goals of Earth System Science and the techniques used in Earth System Science. We will also explore the history of the Earth as an example of a habitable planet and will consider how the coupled evolution of Earth's environment and life can be understood in the framework of the biogeochemical cycles.

Course description and aims

Students will learn the following skills from taking this course:
・Be able to understand the basic concept and goals of Earth System Science
・Be able to recognize the sequence of and interrelationships between major events in the history of the Earth and life
・Be able to recognize the major techniques employed by theoretical studies of biogeochemical cycles

Keywords

Earth System Science, Biogeochemistry, Earth history, Astrobiology

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Basic understanding about Earth System Science

Class flow

Students will be required to answer a brief quiz after each class.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	What is Earth System Science?	Learn the historical background and philosophy behind the Earth System Science
Class 2	Basics of system science (1): Feedback system	Learn the basics of system science.
Class 3	Basics of system science (2): Dynamic equilibrium	Understand the dynamic equilibrium.
Class 4	Basics of systems science (3): Daisyworld	Learn the Daisyworld.
Class 5	Earth's energy budget	Understand the Earth's energy flow and budget.
Class 6	Climate stability	Understand the energy balance model.
Class 7	Biogeochemical cycles (1): Carbon cycling	Learn the reservoir sizes and fluxes of carbon on Earth's surface environments
Class 8	Biogeochemical cycles (2): Walker feedback	Understand the climate stability based on the global carbon cycle
Class 9	Biogeochemical cycles (3): Climate stability based on the carbon cycling	Understand the secular evolution of the atmospheric CO2 level
Class 10	Biogeochemical cycles: Climatic variations	Learn the drivers of climate.
Class 11	Biogeochemical cycles: Oxygen cycle	Learn the reservoirs and fluxes of oxygen on Earth's surface environments
Class 12	Biogeochemical cycles: Stability of atmospheric O2 levels	Understand the stability of atmospheric O2 levels
Class 13	Biogeochemical cycles and Earth's history	Learn the relationship between biogeochemical cycles and Earth's history
Class 14	Exo-Earth System Science	Learn the basic of Exo-Earth System Science
Class 15	Lecture summary	Lecture summary

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.

Textbook(s)

Not specified. Lecture materials will be distributed in the class.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Not specified. Reference books will be introduced as appropriate.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Grades will be based on quizzes after each class (30%) and a final exam (70%).

Related courses

EPS.A334 ： Biogeoscience
EPS.A203 ： Introduction to History of the Earth

Prerequisites

There are no specific prerequisites for taking the course, but a basic knowledge of geochemistry and/or geology is helpful.