G 456U / G556 Astrogeology

e-mail: ruzickaa@pdx.edu

Water, water, everywhere!  "Pendant crater" on Mars (left) recording evidence for massive flooding (current from upper right to lower left); two interior models for Europa (right), which contains a crust of water ice that may overlie a subsurface ocean. Images courtesy of NASA.
 

Course information

• Links to current and recent space missions (leads to a page on the instructor's website; posted 2/18/09).

• Syllabus (posted 3/28/09)

• Our classroom for MW has been changed to CLY203. Friday's classroom is still CH1. (posted 3/30/09)

• I will be handing out CDs that contain data for the two Mars labs during our Lab 2 period (4/17).  (posted 4/16/09)

• Late policy.  I received two labs in my mailbox that were turned in after the last lab period.  You still have one week to complete all the labs, but in the future I will consider any labs turned in after the day and class period they are due to be late.  To help stimulate on-time turn ins, I will take off 10% for each calendar day any work is late.  This is my usual policy for all classes.  In the case of the labs for this class, this means 10% off if the labs are turned in after lab period but before I leave for the day, and 10% off for each day thereafter. So if a lab appears in my mailbox Monday sometime between Monday's class and after I left for the day Friday, this would count as 30% off.  Late penalties are large compared to the amount I offer for extra credit, so it is in your interest to turn in all materials by the time they are due.  (posted 4/20/09) 

• Office hours.  The hours listed in some printed copies of the syllabus are wrong; it is actually Wednesday 11:30-12:30 (as correctly stated in the web version of the syllabus-- don't ask).  Anyway, I'll be available in my office in CH17K at that time.  Please make arrangements with me if you would like to meet outside of this time.  (posted 4/24/09).

• Sample questions.  (posted 4/27/09)

• Click here for Powerpoint on Mid- and small-sized moons (15.4 Mb).  We are unfortunately running one lecture behind, and consequently I am posting this Powerpoint as I will not have time to go over it in class.  I will however expect you to know this material.  I think the Powerpoint is fairly explanatory, but if you have any questions, feel free to send me an email.  (posted 5/29/09)

• Room for Final.  We have been scheduled to take our Final Exam in CH1, 10:15-12:05, on Wednesday June10.  Note that the final will held in CH1 and not in CLY203.  (posted 6/4/09)

• Have a great summer!   Grades have been submitted.  (posted 6/10/09)

Laboratory Exercises

• Lab 1 Collisions.  Lab period 4/10, due 4/17.  (posted 3/28/09)

• Lab 2: Lunar stratigraphy.  Lab period 4/17, due 4/24.  (posted 3/28/09)

• Lab 3: Mars 1.  Lab period 4/24, due 5/1.  You will need your lab CD to complete this lab, which contains data and a simple version of ArcView GIS software.  As this software is unfamiliar to most of you, you should review and print out instructions for how to use it (click here) before attempting this lab. (posted 4/16/09)

• Lab 4: Mars 2.  Lab period 5/1, due 5/8.  You will need your lab CD to complete this lab, which contains data and a simple version of ArcView GIS software.  As this software is unfamiliar to most of you, you should review and print out instructions for how to use it (click here) before attempting this lab. (posted 4/16/09)

• Lab 5: Io.  Lab period 5/8, due 5/15.  Before attempting this lab, you should print out the instructions for how to use Photoshop software (click here).  (posted 4/29/09)

• Lab 6: Ice geology.  Lab period 5/15, due 5/22.  Before attempting this lab, you should print out the instructions for how to use Photoshop software (click here).  (posted 4/29/09)

Problem sets (G556 students only)

• Problem set 1.  Due 4/27/09.  (posted 3/28/09)

• Problem set 2.  Due 6/5/09.  (posted 4/27/09)

Score distributions and answer keys
 

• Exam 1.   (posted 4/29/09, revised 4/30/09 after mis-key discovered for Q4)

• Exam 2.   (posted 6/1/09)

• Final Scores.  (posted 6/10/09)

Images from field trips to SE Oregon
 

• Class of 2001 (summer).

• Class of 2002 (summer).

• Class of 2003 (summer).

• Multiple flows of basaltic andesite on Steens Mountain; a hammer marks the contact between two flows. Vesicle content changes with respect to flow margins, being higher at the tops of flows and in narrow, chilled flow bottoms.  Andesitic flows may be present on Mars.

• Lava stalactites in basalt at edge of skylight in roof of lava tube, Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area.  Note the obvious vesicles.  Basalt flows are common on Earth, the Moon, Mars, Venus, probably Mercury, and on some asteroids.  Probable skylights have been identified on Mars. 

• Kiger gorge on Steens Mountain, showing U-shaped topographic profile indicative of glaciation.  The headwalls of this canyon extend up to the alpine climate zone, but glaciers last resided on Steens Mountain over 10,000 years ago.  U-shaped valleys are found on Mars.

• Crawling in a lava tube at Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area, Kelly shows her stuff.  The lava tube is a small analogue of sinuous rilles on the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Venus, which probably once contained lava flowing either in tubes whose roofs collapsed or in open channels.

• Astrogeology students explore Big Obsidian Flow in Newberry National Monument.  Big Obsidian Flow is composed of rhyolitic glass that was extruded as a pasty flow.   Similar material may have been erupted on Venus. 

• Sitting on the brink (see arrow of Adolpho for scale) of the steep eastern scarp of Steens Mountain is a good place for contemplating the huge fault scarps that are present on various solar system bodies.  Most of these scarps were produced by normal faulting.

• DeWitt takes in stride the rain at the top of Newberry volcano, perhaps appreciating the uniqueness of planet Earth in this regard.  A hydrocarbon rain appears to occur on Saturn's moon Titan.

• Reddish-colored soil near the summit of Steens Mountain formed as the heat from lava flows baked underlying soil to create iron oxide minerals. Similar minerals and coloration are present on Mars.

• Astrogeology students clamber over recently-formed pahoehoe lava flows at Diamond Craters. This landscape in southeast Oregon resembles the scene at some of the Venera landing sites on Venus.

• Rock columns below the feet of Stacie and Jeremy in the walls of Little Blitzen gorge on Steens Mountain formed as a lava flow cracked during cooling.  Such columnar jointing is common on Earth, has been discovered on Mars, and is probably present on other planetary bodies.

Last Updated: 10 June 2009

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