GEOL 411 - Isotopes in the Earth Sciences

The age of the Earth, genesis and growth of continents, global climate change, and the formation of the solar system are all understood primarily through isotope and trace element geochemistry. This course explores how geochemical tracers are used to understand processes in the Earth and solar system that are not possible to observe directly. Methods to be investigated include geochronology, radiogenic isotopes in magmatic systems, stable isotopes as applied to understanding fluids in low- and high-temperature environments, stable isotopes and the paleoclimate record, and the radiogenic and stable isotope cosmochemistry of meteorites and lunar samples. Current research in these fields is a focus.

Credits: 1.00
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites:

GEOL 201

(may be taken concurrently)
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: None
Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Liberal Arts Practices: Quantitative and Algorithmic Reasoning and The Process of Writing
Core Component: None

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