Planetary Science
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- Nil Hours
Prerequisites
AST80005 Exploring the Solar SystemCorequisites
NilAims and objectives
Unit Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Distinguish that planetary science is an inter-disciplinary field involving astronomy, physics, chemistry and geology and describe inter-related concepts in a non-technical manner understandable to the general public
2. Explain planetary orbits and discuss the nature of gravity in shaping our Solar System
3. Discuss planetary atmospheres, surfaces and interiors and explain specifically what they can teach us about planet formation
4. Explain and discuss the origins and evolution of our Solar System
5. Use problem solving skills to explain and synthesise solutions to problems in planetary science
6. Design and create a research project on an astronomy topic, assessing and critiquing current knowledge, using credible sources of astronomical information, data and research articles
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment and content.
Teaching methods
*Scheduled face to face: N/A
*Scheduled synchronous online Learning events: N/A
Non-scheduled online learning events and activities including independent study: 150 hours approx.
Assessment
| Types | Individual or Group task | Weighting | Assesses attainment of these ULOs |
| Computer Managed Tests | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,5 |
| Newsgroups | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Project | Individual | 50% | 6 |
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student:
(i) Must achieve an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) in full, will receive a maximum of 14 marks out of 30 total (unless they have discussed their absence from the newsgroups with their instructor beforehand) as the total mark for the newsgroup assessment item.
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (iii) will receive a penalty of 10 pts from their final Project grade.
Content
• An introduction to the interdisciplinary field of planetary science
• Orbital dynamics: 2, 3 and N-body problems; perturbations and resonances; tides; dissipative forces
• Solar heating and radiative equilibrium
• Planetary atmospheres: thermal structure, composition, meteorology, photochemistry, escape
• Planetary surfaces: morphology, mineralogy, cratering
• Planetary interiors: modelling internal structure, terrestrials and giants
• Magnetospheres: dipole magnetic fields, plasma, planetary magnetospheres
• Debris: meteorites, asteroids, comets and planetary rings
• Planet formation and the origin of the Solar System
Study resources
- References.