Instructors:
Cin-Ty Lee (weeks 1-10,14)
This course will
introduce basic principles of trace-element and isotope geochemistry. The course will cover basic atomic and
nuclear structure, radiaoactive decay equations,
trace-element partitioning, stable isotope fractionations, and measurement
techniques. Both high and low
temperature geochemistry topics will be discussed. These include trace-elements, stable
isotopes, and radiogenic isotopes in solid earth differentiation processes, cosmochemistry, magmatic
processes, geochronology, paleoclimate, paleo-oceanography, and geomorphology. This course is designed for graduate students
and advanced undergraduates. Classes
will meet twice a week (1.5 hrs/lecture). Students are expected to complete a series of
problem sets and to present brief oral summaries/critiques of a series of
papers under a topic agreed upon with the instructor.
Grading scheme:
50 % Homework, quizzes, and class participation
weekly homework
weekly readings of papers
25 % Term Paper
25 % Oral presentation of term paper
Faure, Isotope:
Principles and applications, 3rd edition
Albarede, Geochemistry: an Introduction
Lee, Lecture notes
Other useful
texts
Albarede, F., 2002, “Introduction to geochemical modeling”,
Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521578043.
Albarede, F., 2003, “Geochemistry, an introduction”,
Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521891485.
Allegre, C. J., 1994, “From
stone to star, a view of modern geology”, Harvard University Press, ISBN
067483867X
Criss, R. E., 1999, “Principles of stable isotope
distribution”, Oxford University Press, 0195117751.
Dickin, A. P., 1997, “Radiogenic isotope geology”,
Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521598915.
Faure, G., 1997, “Principles and applications of
geochemistry”, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0023364505.
Friedlander, G., Kennedy, J. W., Miller, J. M., 1955, “Nuclear and
radiochemistry”, John Wiley and Sons.
Krane, K. S., 1987, “Introductory nuclear physics”, John
Wiley and Sons, ISBN 047180553X.
Hoefs, J., 1997, “Stable isotope geochemistry”,
Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3540611266.
Rollinson, H. R., 1993,
“Using geochemical data: evaluation, interpretation, presentation”, Longman
Group, ISBN 0582067014.
Week 1a. Lecture 1 AUG 28
Introduction to basic atomic and nuclear structure
Overview of terrestrial and planetary geochemistry, petrology, and evolution
Faure Ch. 1-2
Lee Lecture Notes (Chapter 1. Introduction to the Earth)
Lee Lecture Notes (Chapter 2. Making the Earth)
Week 1b. Lecture 1b AUG 30
How old is the Earth? How old are you?
Brief introduction to radioactive dating
Outline of assumptions in radioactive dating
Faure
Lee Lecture Notes (Chapter 2A. Nuclear structure & Chapter 3A. Radioactive Decay)
Week 2a. Lecture 2a SEP 4
Review of the periodic table
Cosmic abundances of elements and isotopes
Compositions of various reservoirs on Earth (core, mantle, crust, ocean, atmosphere)
Lee Lecture Notes
Week 2b, SEP 6 (LEE AWAY- MBARI-PACKARD)
Tour of mass spectrometry laboratory
Week 3a. Lecture 2b SEP 11
Nuclear structure in more detail
Nucleosynthesis and origin of solar system; making the building blocks
Lee Lecture Notes (Chapter 2A. Nuclear structure)
Week 3b. Lecture 3a SEP 13
Distribution and re-distribution of elements during chemical, petrological processes (Chapter 7)
Introduction to petrology and mineralogy (Chapter 2 and 3)
Introduction to the physical and chemical processes by which Earth differentiates
Equilibrium partition coefficients
Week 4a. SEP 18
Towards a physical understanding of trace element partitioning.
Week 4b. SEP 20
Simple box models of melting, mixing
Implications for interpretation of mid-ocean ridge melting
Interpretation of igneous rocks
Week 5a SEP 25 (LEE AWAY - HARVARD)
IN CLASS QUIZ
Week 5b SEP 27 (Shuster visit)
Radioactive dating in more detail
Examples from Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, C14,
U-Th-seriesU-Pb geochronology
Week 6a OCT 2
Brief overview of early solar system processes
Short-lived isotopes
Week 6b OCT 4
Chemical differentiation of the Earth
Week 7a OCT 9
Mantle geochemistry
Week 7b OCT 11
Isotopic tools in understanding tectonics and/or surface processes
K-Ar, Ar-Ar, Fission Track, U-Th-He
Week 8a OCT 16 (MIDTERM RECESS)
Week 8b OCT 18 (Wang visit)
Short-lived isotopes (U-Th series) for dating magma ascent rates
Week 9a OCT 23
Week
9b OCT 25 (LEE AWAY -
QUIZ
Week 10a OCT 30
Stable isotope in climate, paleo-oceanography
Week 10b NOV 1
Stable isotope biogeochemistry
Week 11a NOV 6
Global Carbon Cycle
Week
11b NOV 8 (LEE AWAY – U
QUIZ
Week 12a NOV 13
Week 12b NOV 15 (LEE AWAY-BERKELEY)
Guest lecture
Week 13a NOV 20
Dating sediments; U-Th series in corals, C14, etc.
Week 13b NOV 22
Sulfur isotopes
Week 14a NOV 27
Week 14b NOV 29