Planetary Geology

Code:

GEOL2007

Acronym:

GEOL2007

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Geology

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:B	12	Official Study Plan	3	-	6	48	162
L:CC	4	study plan from 2021/22	2	-	6	48	162
			3
L:F	10	Official Study Plan	2	-	6	48	162
			3
L:G	33	study plan from 2017/18	2	-	6	48	162
L:M	22	Official Study Plan	2	-	6	48	162
			3
L:Q	9	study plan from 2016/17	3	-	6	48	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

 

Acquaintance of the fundamental principles of Geology and the methodology that allow an adequate interpretation of the physical and compositional features of the planetary bodies in the Solar System, based on the analogy with the geological processes that promote the dynamics of the Earth.  The ability to establish a relation between the geological nature and the evolution of the different  planets making possible the understanding of the importance of the geological processes in the origin of the diversity of the Solar System.  Establishment of a relative chronology of the geological events that structure the Planets.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

Improvement of the capacity to discuss the subjects based on the new acquired  theoretical knowledge,  supported by  the practical/theoretical exercises, in order to recognize the importance of the analogy between the geological processes on Earth and the processes that have shaped the planets in the Solar System.

Working method

Presencial

Program

 

1.Fundamentals of Geology. The Earth. The geological cycle. Inner and outer geodynamical processes.  Global tectonics.  Primary geochemical differentiation. Geochronology. Representation of the Earth shape.

 

2. Planetary Geology: Definition. Approaching methods.

 

3. Basic concepts about the Solar System genesis and of its planets.

 

4. Impactism. Genesis and morphology of impact craters.  Distribution of impact craters both on Earth and on other planetary bodies. Importance of impactism in the establishment of  planet surface relative dating

 

5. Geological characterisation of planetary bodies of the Solar System . Terrestrial planets and Jovian planets. Satellites of the Jovian planets. Dwarf planets.

 

6. Other bodies of the Solar System. Asteroids. Meteorites. Comets.

 

Mandatory literature

Ronald Greely; Planetary geomorphology, Cambridge University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-521-86711-5
Harry, Y., McSween, Jr., Jeffrey E. Moersch, Devon M. Burr, William M. Dunne, Joshua P. Emery, Linda C. Kah & Molly C. McCanta ; Planetary Geoscience, Cambridge University Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781107145382

Complementary Bibliography

Faure, G & Mensing, T. M. ; Introduction to Planetary Science. The Geological Perspective. , 2007

Teaching methods and learning activities

The teaching methodology involves two components: a theoretical part supported by lectures in powerpoint and video  presentations,  promoting the student collaboration in the discussion of every theme, as well as a theoretical/practical component that consists of the observation and interpretation of geological features of planetary surface images, practical exercises in order to estimate the relative age of planetary surfaces,   reading of articles issued in scientific publications and access to specialized updated web sites.

keywords

Natural sciences > Environmental science > Earth science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	106,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Based on the pedagogical rules.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final classification is the sum of the final exam (70%) and  the practical exercise (30%). The final classification lies in the range between 0 and 20.