Planetary Physics and Chemistry
Lecturer:
Dr. Gregor Golabek, NO H9.3,
gregor.golabek at erdw dot ethz dot ch
The goal of this course is to enable students to understand current
knowledge and uncertainties regarding the formation, structure,
dynamics and evolution of planets and moons in our solar system, as
well as ongoing discoveries
regarding planets around other stars.
Students will practice making quantitative calculations relevant to
various aspects of these topics through weekly homeworks.
Schedule for fall semester 2014:
Lectures slides and scripts will be regularly updated and can be downloaded below:
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Tuesdays "13-15" (meaning 13:15-15:00) in NO F 39
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Date
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Topics
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Homework exercises (~weekly)
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16 Sep
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Introductory tour
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23 Sep
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Orbital dynamics and Tides
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30 Sep
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Solar heating and Energy transport
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Slides Script
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07 Oct
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Planetary atmospheres (given by Antoine Rozel)
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14 Oct
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Planetary surfaces
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Slides Script
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21 Oct
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Planetary interiors
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28 Oct
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Asteroids and Meteorites
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Slides Script
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04 Nov
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Comets
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Slides Script
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11 Nov
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Planetary rings
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18 Nov
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Magnetic fields and Magnetospheres
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Slides Script
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20 Nov
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Evening excursion to Urania observatory
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25 Nov
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Sun and Stars
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Slides Script
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02 Dec
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Planet formation
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09 Dec
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Exoplanets and Exobiology
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16 Dec
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Examination (1-3 pm)
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Grading scheme
- Weekly homework exercises 50%
- Final written examination 50%
Recommended books (not required)
Fundamental Planetary Science,
by Jack J. Lissauer & Imke de Pater (paperback), Cambridge University Press, 2013.
(books.ch Fr62.20, amazon.co.uk £28.14, amazon.de €37.95, amazon.fr €47.74, amazon.com $54.00).
- Pros: Inexpensive, comprehensive and quantitative (i.e., has equations).
Planetary Sciences, 2nd edition,
by Imke de Pater & Jack J. Lissauer (hardback), Cambridge University Press, 2010.
(books.ch Fr91.40, amazon.co.uk £39.41, amazon.de €55.95, amazon.fr €66.67, amazon.com $44.99).
- Pros: Very comprehensive and quantitative (i.e., has equations).
- Cons: Contains far more information than we can cover in this course
Moons & Planets, by William K. Hartmann, Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2004. (amazon.co.uk £73.00, amazon.de €227.10, amazon.fr €240.10, amazon.com $243.38)
- Pros: Thorough, appropriate level for course, some equations.
- Cons: Expensive
The New Solar System
(4th Edition), by J. Kelly Beatty, Carolyn Collins Petersen &
Andrew Chaikin (paperback), Cambridge University Press, 1999. (out of
print; some available from amazon resellers).
- Pros: Good coverage of solar system objects by leading experts.
- Cons: Mostly descriptive – not enough quantitative physics.