University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 11

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable: 10.00 am Mon and Tue (lectures). 10.00 - 1.00 pm Wed or Fri (practicals)

Rocky planets, like Earth, comprise of a metallic core with a rocky mantle and crust topped with a gaseous atmosphere. The focus of this course is the genesis of the rocky mantle and crust ? termed the silicate Earth ? and it?s relationship to small-scale to planetary-wide processes. The silicate Earth primarily comprises igneous and metamorphic rocks. This module explores the nature of the magmatic and metamorphic processes that characterise the Earth from the immediate subsurface to the base of the mantle. We focus on the petrology and geochemistry of the minerals and rocks created, and the evolution of composition as a function of time and depth. Students completing this module will understand how magmatic systems operate from melting source, through ascent to the plumbing systems in the immediate subsurface. The response of the crust to dynamic changes in pressure and temperature will also be explained along with the methods used to determine these. The course will develop key skills in identifying rocks, interpreting geochemical data, and using geochemical and thermodynamic methods to unravel rock histories. Students will also be shown how these data can be used to understand any and all rocky bodies in the cosmos, from Earth to exoplanets.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must take ES3009

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 18 lectures, 15 hours of laboratory work, 18 hours of field-related study over the semester

Scheduled learning hours: 50

Guided independent study hours: 100

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 2-hour Written Examination = 50%, 3-hour Practical Examination = 50%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 50%
Practical examinations : 50%
Coursework: 0%

Re-assessment: 2-hour Written Examination = 100%, No Re-assessment if Coursework mark is less than 4

Personnel

Module teaching staff: Prof A Finch, Prof R White and Dr S Mikhail