2026 (Current Year) 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)
- Akira Ishikawa / Shintaro Azuma
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue (Ishikawadai Bldg. 2 318) / 3-4 Fri (Ishikawadai Bldg. 2 318)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.A331
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 5, 2026
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
First half: To learn the elements of petrology (phase equilibrium in multicomponent and multiphase systems, melting phenomena, magmatism and variety of igneous rocks)
Second half: To learn the elements of mineralogy (crystal structure, chemical bond, pressure-induced phase transition, X-ray analysis, analysis of crystal structure)
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 |
Understanding the main constituent materials of the Earth |
| Class 2 | Rock as multicomponent and multiphase systems |
Understanding the fundamentals of the phase diagram |
| Class 3 | Basalt and peridotite (phase diagram of binary eutectic system) |
Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram of the binary eutectic system |
| Class 4 | Variety of igneous rocks and petrogenesis (phase equilibrium in solid solution) |
Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram of solid solutions |
| Class 5 | Phase diagram in ternary eutectic system |
Understanding how to read and use the phase diagram in ternary eutectic systems |
| Class 6 | Role of H2O for melting of rocks (origin of granite) |
Understanding melting phase relations in water containing systems |
| Class 7 | Role of magma for Earth's history |
Understanding the role of magma during Earth's history |
| Class 8 | Rock-forming mineralogy 1-Introduction |
To investigate the definition of mineral, crystal, amorphous, and paracrystal |
| Class 9 | Rock-forming mineralogy 2-The elements of crystal structure |
To investigate components determining crystal structure |
| Class 10 | Rock-forming mineralogy 3- Chemical bonds in solid |
To investigate the nature of chemical bondings |
| Class 11 | Rock-forming mineralogy 4- Pressure-induced phase transition and crystal structure |
Understanding the phase transition of minerals |
| Class 12 | Rock-forming mineralogy 5- Drill |
Review the contents of previous classes |
| Class 13 | Rock-forming mineralogy 6- Basics for X-ray analysis |
Understanding the methods of chemical analyses and crystal structure analyses by using X-ray |
| Class 14 | Rock-forming mineralogy 7- Summary of the first half and drill |
To analyze data of powder X-ray diffraction measurement |
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 be evaluated based on simple tests conducted during class and presentations during group work.
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[at]eps.sci.isct.ac.jp
石川: akr[at]eps.sci.isct.ac.jp