Instructor: Edwin Schauble
3642 Geology
310-206-9292
Lecture: Geology 4677, MWTh 9:00a-10:00a
Web Page: http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~schauble/Isotope_geochemistry/
Office Hours: Daily, 2-3pm or by appointment.
Textbook: Faure G and Mensing T
(2005, 3nd ed.) Isotopes: Principles and Applications. Wiley.
Required.
(A copy is on reserve in the Geology Library)
Nuclides and Isotopes. Lockheed-Martin. Optional.
Class
Summary:
This course is about using variations in the abundances of isotopes to understand natural processes. Roughly half of the class will examine radioactivity and other nuclear reactions (radioactive/radiogenic isotope geochemistry), and the other half will focus on chemical separation of isotopes (stable isotope geochemistry). This course is intended to be accessible for upperclassmen and graduate students in the Physical Sciences and Biology. Coursework will consist of lectures, homework, midterm, final exam, a term paper and/or a final project.
Grading:
|
Homework |
40% |
|
Midterm Exam |
15% |
|
Final Exam |
25% |
|
Final Project/Paper |
20% |
Syllabus
(Rough - subject to revision):
Week 1: Introduction to isotope geochemistry. The origins of isotopes. Reading: Faure Chap. 1-2; PaulingÕs rules.
Week 2: Geochemical materials. Reading: Faure Chap. 3-4.
Week 3: Radioactive decay. Isochron systems (Rb/Sr, Nd/Sm). Reading: Faure Chap. 5, 8, 9.
Week 4: High
precision geochronology (U-Th/Pb and K/Ar).
Reading: Faure Chap. 6, 7, 10.
Week 5: Cosmogenic & H-bomb isotopes (14C). Reading: Faure Chap. 20, 21, 23, 25.
Week 6: Introduction to chemical and biological separation of isotopes. Reading: Chacko Chapter (handout).
.
Week 7: Oxygen and hydrogen isotope fractionation. Reading: Faure Chap. 26.
Week 8: Carbon isotope fractionation. Reading: Faure Chap. 27.
Week 9: Nitrogen, sulfur, and Ònon-traditionalÓ stable isotope systems. Reading: Faure Chap. 28-30; Anbar Chapter (handout).
Week 10: Special topics & student presentations.
Week 11: Final.Term papers/project due.