PTYS 411
Geology and Geophsics of the Solar System


Prof. Shane Byrne — 626-0407 — 524 Kuiper Building

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— Welcome to the course website for PTYS 411 —

The goals of this course are to give the student a thorough understanding of geologic processes operating on planetary bodies and how they have shaped the geologic history of solar system bodies. We will explore how a variety of geologic processes, such as impact cratering, volcanism, tectonics, fluvial and atmospheric, shape planetary landscapes. Interspaced with these lectures we will review the geologic history of solar system bodies and processes unique to these individual bodies.

General Info

  • Course syllabus and topics covered are discussed here.
  • Lectures for spring 2014 start on Jan 16th in Rm 312 of the Kuiper building, and continue Tuesday and Thursday 11am-12:15pm.
  • Office hours Thursday 1-4pm, room 524

Recommended Text

  • Planetary Surface Processes by H.J. Melosh 2011.

Other Generally Recommended Texts

  • The new solar system 4th edition, edited by Beatty, Peterson and Chailin
  • Planetary Sciences, 2nd edition by de Pater and Lissauer
  • Encyclopedia of the Solar System 2nd edition, edited by McFadden, Weissman and Johnson
  • Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System 2nd edition, by Lewis



shane@lpl.arizona.edu


The background image is of Phoebe, a moon of Saturn. It was acquired by the Cassini spacecraft in June of 2004. See here for the original image and more info.