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GL5062: COMPARATIVE PLANETOLOGY AND THE ATMOSPHERE OF EARTH (2022-2023)

Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19


Course Overview

In this course, we will cover how studies of the other planets of the solar system have helped us understand Earth's atmosphere. We will review the fundamental physical and chemical processes in planetary atmospheres, and we will provide an up-to-date overview of modelling, observation methods and missions to study planetary atmospheres.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Prof Javier Martin-Torres

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Every measured aspect of a planetary atmosphere can be compared with the corresponding characteristics of the atmosphere of every other planet, including Earth. Discovering how planetary atmospheres are similar and how they are different allows scientists to test their understanding of the processes that shape these environments. Sometimes new observations confirm the predictions of existing models, providing confidence in the current interpretations. Often a surprising result will emerge, which stimulates thought that leads to new insights. In other cases, comparisons have expanded our appreciation of the Earth by placing specific attributes of our planet into a broader context. The familiar characteristics of the Earth's environment result from the actions of the same set of physical processes that have operated to varying degrees on other planets and at other times in history, producing the entire solar system and possibly other solar systems.

The study of planetary atmospheres is at the core of planetary exploration, intending to probe the nature and evolution of the planets and their atmospheres; and we will review past, current and future missions providing information about the atmospheres of the planets. We will study how our solar system planets formed and evolved to their current states. This understanding of our solar system may also enable us to predict exoplanets' properties around other stars.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Paper on comparative planetology

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

Assessment component B

Four- page critical review of a peer/reviewed paper provided by teacher. Online submission and online or face-to-face feeedback.

Assessment - week 5 of 1st sub-session

Feedback - week 7 of 1st sub-session

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Paper on comparisons between Earth and other planetary atmospheres

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Assessment component C

Four-page critical review of a peer/reviewed paper provided by teacher.

Online submission and online or face-to-face feeedback

Assessment - End of course, so after feedback on first two exercises, whichever is earlier.

Feedback - End of course

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Presentation about a planet of the solar system and comparison with Earth

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 20
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

Assessment component A

Review of physical and chemical processes of planetary atmospheres.

Submitted online before presentation . Individual feedback online. Presentation online or in class

Assessment - week 3 of 1st sub-session

Feedback - week 4 of 1st sub-session

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of failed elements of assessment.

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Original assessment weighting.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandUnderstand the fundamental physical and chemical processes in planetary atmospheres
ProceduralApplyDownloading data from space agencies' databases
ProceduralCreateEnhance visual presentation skills
ConceptualAnalyseIntegrating diverse scientific information
ReflectionEvaluateEnhance critical thinking and reasoning skills
ReflectionEvaluateChallenge published geological investigations and interpretations against own observations and deductions
ConceptualAnalyseAnalyse data from space missions
ProceduralCreateDeveloping integrated histories of the nature and evolution of the planets and their atmospheres

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