2024 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Earth Materials
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Shintaro Azuma / Akira Ishikawa
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue / 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.A331
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
First half: To learn the elements of mineralogy (crystal structure, chemical bond, pressure-induced phase transition, X-ray analysis, analysis of crystal structure)
Second half: To learn the elements of petrology (phase equilibrium in multicomponent and multiphase systems, melting phenomena, magmatism and variety of igneous rocks)
Course description and aims
To learn about following contents regarding rocks and minerals making up Earth and Earth-type planets: 1. Introduction to mineralogy, 2. Basics of X-ray analysis, 3. Thermodynamic equilibrium in multicomponent systems, 4. Simple phase diagrams of solid solutions, 5. Pressure-induced phase transition and mantle rocks, 6. Phase relations for melting reaction, 7. Melting of mantle rocks and variety of magmas, 8. Fractional crystallization of magmas and crust formation, 9. Evolution of Earth's inside.
Keywords
Mineral, Rock, Crystal structure, Phase transition, Melting
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Before coming to class, students should read the course schedule and prepare for the topics with handouts and references.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Material science point of view | To investigate main constituent materials of the Earth. |
| Class 2 | Rock-forming mineralogy 1-Introduction | To investigate the definition of mineral, crystal, amorphous, and paracrystal. |
| Class 3 | Rock-forming mineralogy 2-The elements of crystal structure | To investigate components determining crystal structure. |
| Class 4 | Rock-forming mineralogy 3- Chemical bonds in solid | To investigate the nature of chemical bondings. |
| Class 5 | Rock-forming mineralogy 4- Pressure-induced phase transition and crystal structure | Understanding the phase transition of minerals. |
| Class 6 | Rock-forming mineralogy 5- Drill | Review the contents of previous classes. |
| Class 7 | Rock-forming mineralogy 6- Basics for X-ray analysis | Understanding the methods of chemical analyses and crystal structure analyses by using X-ray. |
| Class 8 | Rock-forming mineralogy 7- Summary of the first half and drill | To analyze data of powder X-ray diffraction measurement. |
| Class 9 | Rock as multicomponent and multiphase systems | Understanding the fundamentals of the phase diagram |
| Class 10 | Basalt and peridotite (phase diagram of binary eutectic system) | Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram of the binary eutectic system. |
| Class 11 | Variety of igneous rocks and petrogenesis (phase equilibrium in solid solution) | Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram of solid solutions. |
| Class 12 | Phase diagram in ternary eutectic system | Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram in ternary eutectic systems. |
| Class 13 | Role of H2O for rock melting (origin of granite) | Understanding melting phase relations in water containing systems. |
| Class 14 | Role of magma for Earth's history | Understanding the role of magma during Earth's history. |
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)
Handouts will be provided during class
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Reference books (in Japanese): 「地球惑星科学入門」（岩波講座第１巻）「地球惑星物質科学」（岩波講座第5巻）「地殻の形成」（岩波講座第8巻） 「地殻の形成」（岩波講座第8巻）「地球内部ダイナミクス」（岩波講座第１0巻） 物理化学（化学入門コース第2巻）関一彦（岩波書店） 「固体化学入門」A.R. West（講談社）
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will prepare two reports regarding the contents of the class. Results of group work will be also evaluated.
Related courses
- EPS.A205 ： Introduction to Earth Sciences
- EPS.A203 ： Introduction to History of the Earth
- EPS.L202 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (petrology)
- EPS.L205 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (field geology)
- EPS.L220 ： Field Excursion
Prerequisites
No prerequisite
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
東: azuma.shintaro[at]eps.sci.titech.ac.jp, 03-5734-2616
石川: akr[at]eps.sci.titech.ac.jp