Earth System Science

By M. S. Sisodia | J.N.V. University, Jodhpur Rajasthan

Learners enrolled: 802

Earth System science: The course includes the Earth, the Universe and the Solar System, The Earth and Its relation to the Universe, its origin, shape, size, age etc. How the Earth acquired the present shape and why it is different from other planets in the solar system. What causes Earthquakes and Volcanoes on the Earth. How the Mountains, continents and plateaus evolve. The concept of Plate tectonics. The course also includes the weather system and how it is caused. Land-Air-Ocean interaction and its effects. Introduction to the Atmosphere, the Hydrosphere and the Biosphere, Soils and their formation and chemistry of the Earth. It also includes tectonic history of India, the geological history of India and the stratigraphic scale.

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Core
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Earth Sciences
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	09 Jan 2023
End Date :	30 Apr 2023
Enrollment Ends :	15 Mar 2023
Exam Date :

Page Visits

Course layout

Weekly Plan
Weeks		*tentative Weekly Lecture Topics	Assignments (No. & Type)*
1	:	1. Introduction to various branches of Earth Sciences	1 Objective and Subjective
		2. General characteristics and origin of the Universe, Solar System and its planets. The terrestrial and Jovian planets – 1	Objective and Subjective
	:	3. General characteristics and origin of the Universe, Solar System and its planets. The terrestrial and jovian planets – 2	Objective and Subjective
2	:	4. Meteorites and Asteroids	Objective and Subjective
		5. Earth in the solar system - size, shape, mass, density, rotational and revolution parameters.	Objective and Subjective
	:	6. Earth in the solar system - origin, age of the earth.	Objective and Subjective
3		7. Earth’s magnetic field. Formation of core, mantle, crust, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere	Objective and Subjective
		8. Convection in Earth's core and production of its magnetic field. Mechanical layering of the Earth (Interior of the Earth).	Objective and Subjective
	:	9. Concept of plate tectonics, sea-floor spreading and continental drift	Objective and Subjective
4	:	10. Geodynamic elements of Earth- Mid Oceanic Ridges, trenches, transform faults and island arcs	Objective and Subjective
		11. Origin of oceans, continents, mountains and rift valleys	Objective and Subjective
	:	12. Earthquake and earthquake belts – 1	Objective and Subjective
5		13. Earthquakes and earthquake belts – 2	Objective and Subjective
	:	14. Volcanoes- types, products and their distribution.	Objective and Subjective
		15. Oceanic current system and effect of Coriolis force	Objective and Subjective
6	:	16. Concepts of eustasy and Land-air-sea interaction	Objective and Subjective
		17. Wave erosion and beach processes	Objective and Subjective
	:	18. Atmospheric circulation	Objective and Subjective
7		19. Weather and climatic changes	Objective and Subjective
	:	20. Earth's heat budget.	Objective and Subjective
		21. Soils- processes of formation, soil profile and soil types – 1	Objective and Subjective
8	:	22. Soils- processes of formation, soil profile and soil types – 2	Objective and Subjective
		23. Understanding the past from the stratigraphic records. Nature of stratigraphic records. History of development and concepts of uniformitarianism, catastrophism and neptunism. Laws of superposition and faunal succession.	Objective and Subjective
	:	24. Standard stratigraphic time scale and introduction to the concept of time in geological studies.	Objective and Subjective
9		25. Introduction to geochronological methods and their application in geological studies	Objective and Subjective
	:	26. Introduction to geomorphology of the Indian subcontinent	Objective and Subjective
		27. Introduction to geology of the Indian subcontinent – tectonic history	Objective and Subjective
10	:	28. Introduction to geology of the Indian subcontinent – Precambrian Geology	Objective and Subjective
		29. Introduction to geology of the Indian subcontinent – Phanerozoic geology	Objective and Subjective
	:	30. Cosmic abundance of elements	Objective and Subjective
11		31. Distribution of elements in solar system and in Earth	Objective and Subjective
	:	32. Chemical differentiation and composition of the Earth	Objective and Subjective
		33. General concepts about geochemical cycles and mass balance, isotopic fractionation	Objective and Subjective
12	:	34. Mass conservation of elements and energy changes in the geochemical cycle	Objective and Subjective
		35. Biosphere	Objective and Subjective
	:	36. Geochemical behavior of major elements	Objective and Subjective

Books and references

1. Duff, P. M. D., & Duff, D. (Eds.). (1993). Holmes' principles of physical geology. Taylor &

Francis.

2. Emiliani, C. (1992). Planet earth: cosmology, geology, and the evolution of life and environment.

Cambridge University Press.

3. Gross, M. G. (1977). Oceanography: A view of the earth.

4. Valdiya K S (2010). The Making of India, Geodynamic Evolution. Macmilan Publishers India Ltd.

5. Mason Brian (1986). Principles of Geochemistry. 3^rd Edition. John Wiley and Sons. New York.

Instructor bio

M. S. Sisodia

J.N.V. University, Jodhpur Rajasthan

Prof. M S Sisodia, former Dean, Faculty of Science, and Head Department of Geology J N V University, Jodhpur retired as professor of Geology. He has 40 years of teaching and research experience. He has published more than 120 research papers in international and national journals on Meteorites, Impact craters, K/T boundary, Barmer Basin and its hydrocarbon prospects, Phosphorites etc. He is a widely travelled person. He visited many countries like USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, China etc. on invitation to give talks and present his research findings. He also has experience of making 15 education documentaries/films (with EMMRC, JNV University, Jodhpur) that are being telecast on education channels of Doordarshan. He is Fellow of GSI and DAAD alumnus.