[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]
[Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences]
[12.004 Introduction to Planetary Science]

Sojourner

The Sojourner rover explores Ares Vallis, Mars.
(Image credit: Pathfinder Imaging Team)

12.004 Subject Information, Spring 2003

[Overview | Subject Requirements | Subject Outline at a Glance ]

Overview

12.004 encompasses study of the solar system with emphasis on physical processes. Conceptual analysis will be supported with observational information, with particular attention to data collected from recent and current planetary spacecraft. 12.004 is a department core subject typically taken by sophomores and juniors in EAPS, especially those concentrating in planetary science, and also by sophomores, juniors, and seniors from other departments, often as part of the EAPS minor program.

We have given a graduate number to this course, 12.601, to accomodate graduate students who are interested in a physical introduction to planetary science. Graduate students are graded separately, given extra problems, and have one extra class meeting per week to discuss short papers from the recent literature.

Lecturers

Class Meetings

  • Lectures: MWF 11:00-12:00 in 54-317.

Texts

  1. Prof. Maria Zuber's class notes downloadble from website.

  2. Planetary Sciences, Imke de Pater and Jack J. Lissauer, 2001.

  3. Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System, Lewis, 1998.

Subject Requirements

Prerequisites

8.02 and 18.03

Grading

Your subject grade will be based on class participation, homework, and a final oral report on a panetary science subject of your choosing.

Subject Policies

  1. As a good deal of the material that will be covered is too new to be be incorporated in text books (and sometimes even class notes), attendance in lectures is strongly encouraged. You are responsible for the material presented in class, as well as in assigned reading.
  2. Collaboration with others (not copying) on homework is OK after a serious individual attempt has been made to solve each problem. Collaborating doesn't affect your homework grade, but on your homework you must explicitly identify with whom and to what extent you collaborated.
  3. Use of previous terms' homework solutions will result in no credit.
  4. Any one late homework is acceptable; otherwise late homework gets no credit. (This is so you don't fall behind!)

Subject Outline at a Glance (subject to change)

  1. Overview

  2. Formation of the Solar System

    • condensation and cooling
    • accretion
    • differentiation
    • other planetary systems

  3. Meteorites

    • age of the solar system
    • classes, compositions
    • early heat sources

  4. Asteroids

    • physical properties
    • taxonomy
    • families

  5. Comets

    • structure and composition
    • orbits
    • reservoirs

  6. Kuiper Belt

    • discovery
    • populations
    • Pluto/Charon

  7. Impact Cratering

    • cratering mechanics
    • impact crater morphology
    • impactor populations
    • Tunguska
    • K-T extinction
    • Shoemaker-Levy-9
    • cratering timescales

  8. Dynamics

    • the two-body problem
    • Kepler's Laws
    • orbital energy
    • tides
    • resonances
    • chaotic orbits

  9. Planetary Atmospheres

    • radiative transfer
    • structure and composition
    • dynamics

  10. Planetary Interiors

    • gravity, moments
    • magnetics
    • mechanisms of heat transport
    • giant planets

  11. Surfaces

    • Moon and Mercury
    • Venus and Earth
    • Mars
    • Outer satellites

  12. Planetary Rings

    • characteristics
    • compositions
    • dynamics
12.004 home Last modified: 02 Feb 2003