Prerequisite: None
Course status: Core
Credit Rating: 8 credits
Total hours spent: 80 hours [30 hours lectures, 15 hours Tutorials, 15 hours Assignments, and 20 hours independent study]
Course Objective(s)
o To provide knowledge on the formation of the Universe, Planets and the evolution of solid Earth
o To give students knowledge and skills on the procedures and methods used to perform geological dating
o To impart to students the knowledge and skills on how to describe the evolution of atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere throughout the entire geological history.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
o Describe the evolution of the Universe, solid Earth, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere throughout the entire geological history.
o Explain procedures and methods of dating geological events in the reconstruction of Earth’s History.
o Describe the variation of crustal forming processes and Supercontinent cycles.
Course Structure
Evolution of the Universe, Galaxies, Systems; Decay of isotopes and formation of new elements; Ancient tectonics vs modern tectonics; Cratonization and global shields; Organic evolution.
Course Content
Formation of the Universe and its planets: Big Bang theory, Nebular hypothesis, formation of the crust, mantle and core; Evolution of the Earth and radiometric dating and geologic datable events; Ancient tectonics vs modern tectonics: Evolution of the upper crust and growth, the millipede concept, Cratonization and global shields, Supercontinent Nuna/Columbia and Rodina amalgamation and fragmentation cycles, Restoration of Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents, Gondwana and Pangea amalgamations and splitting, Paleozoic-Mesozoic tectonics and polar wandering, Mesozoic central Gondwana tectonics and Formation of global oceans; and Formation of the Earth’s gravity, Early atmosphere and composition. Atmosphere: Formation of the ozone layer, Degassing and volcanism, Life evolution: amino acid soups, RNA/DNA world, Cyanobacteria and their relics. The 5 major extinctions - causes and lessons. Snow ball peril and life explosion, Paleozoic-Mesozoic index fossils, Hominids evolution from Pleistocene to Stone Age, and the Anthropocene Era.
Assessment
Coursework 40%, Final Examination 60%.
Key Textbooks:
1. Davis, G. (2000). Dynamic earth: Plates, Plumes and mantle convection. Cambridge University Press.
2. Condie, K.C. (1997). Plate Tectonics and Crustal Evolution. Butterworth Heinemann 288p.
3. Stanley, S.M. (1986). Earth and Life Through Time, 689p W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
4. Dott, R.H. and Prothero, D.R.(1994). Evolution of the Earth, 5th Edition. McGraw – Hill inc, 569 pp.
5. Kearley P. Klepeis, K.A. and Vine F. J. (2009). Global Tectonics, Wiley-Blackwell.