A. Course Organization and Structure:
Classes: Classes will be divided into lecture and
discussion sections. The first part of each class will be a lecture on the
specific topic and this will be followed by discussion of a set of
questions related to each class theme, questions that will be identified
prior to class. There will be readings from the literature for each class
and class participants will lead the discussions. Each class will result
in a set of notes concerning the questions raised and the attempted
resolution of these questions through discussion. The class discussion
leaders will be responsible for preparing these notes the day following the
discussion, and distributing them to the class.
Tests and exams: There will be one mid-term (Wednesday,
April 2nd) and the regularly scheduled Final Exam is Friday May 16th, 2 PM.
Homeworks and exercises: We will have several homeworks and
exercises (see schedule below).
1. Lunar image interpretation: Week of February
10th. Due February 14th.
2. Examination of lunar thin sections: Week of
March 10th. Due March 14th.
3. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference: Lunar
session writeup: Due March 28th:
4. Geological history and interpretation of a
lunar quadrangle: Due April 25th.
Research paper: We will have a GRL-type paper on a
specific 'semi-original' scientific problem, using one or more of the lunar
data sets. Topics for this are due no later than March 10th and the paper
is due May 19th.
Course grade: Each of the folowing will be worth 20% of
the grade:
1. Class participation and writeup.
2. Total homeworks and exercises.
B. Class Schedule: The outline and schedule for the course are listed below:
Class 1. January 27th: Introduction: History of Lunar Exploration and the
Planetary Perspective:
Class 2. February 3rd: Geology of the Moon: Impact cratering processes and
crater chronology: 1:
Class 3. February 10th: Geology of the Moon: Impact cratering processes and
crater chronology: 2:
February 17th: Presidents Day: No class:
Class 4: February 24th: Geology of the Moon: Lunar volcanic features and magmatic
evolution: 1:
Class 5: March 3rd: Geology of the Moon: Lunar volcanic features and
magmatic evolution: 2: and Lunar tectonic features and thermal evolution:
Class 6: March 10th: The Nature and History of the Moon from the Lunar
Sample Record:
March 17th: LPSC: Lunar Sessions:
March 24th: Undergraduate Spring Vacation: No class:
Class 7: March 31: The Nature and History of the Moon from the Remote
Sensing Record:
Class 8: April 7th: Geophysics of the Moon:
Class 9: April 14th: The Origin of the Moon:
Class 10: April 21st: The Geological and Thermal Evoution of the Moon: 1:
Class 11: April 28th: The Geological and Thermal Evoution of the Moon: 2:
Current models:
Class 12: May 5th: Synthesis: Lunar evolution as a planetary paradigm:
What are the lessons? and, Major Outstanding Questions in the Formation and
Evolution of the Moon: The Top Ten: