| Home | Subject Search | Help | Symbols Help | Pre-Reg Help | Final Exam Schedule | My Selections | |||||||||||||||||||
Course 12: Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences |
 | | | 12.00-12.439 plus UROP, IND, TIP, THU | | | 12.44-12.599 plus THG | | | 12.600-12.999 | | |  |
Graduate Subjects12.44 Practical Experience
 ( ) 
Prereq: None Units arranged 
For Course 12 students participating in off-campus professional experiences related to their research. Before registering for this subject, students must have an offer from a company or organization, must identify an EAPS advisor, and must receive prior approval from their advisor. Upon completion of the experience, student must submit a letter from the company or organization describing the what the student accomplished, along with a substantive final report from the student approved by the EAPS advisor. Consult departmental academic office. Staff No textbook information available 12.444 MatLab, Statistics, Regression, Signal Processing
( )
(Subject meets with 12.012) Prereq: 18.06 Units: 3-0-9  Lecture: TR11-12.30 (55-107)
Introduces the basic tools needed for data analysis and interpretation in the Geosciences, as well as other sciences. Composed of four modules, targeted at introducing students to the basic concepts and applications in each module. MatLab: Principles and practice in its uses, script and function modules, basic approaches to solving problems. Statistics: Correlation, means, dispersion, precision, accuracy, distributions, central limit theorem, skewness, probability, Chi-Square, Gaussian and other common distributions used in hypothesis testing. Regression: Random and grid search methods, basic least squares and algorithms applicable to regression, inversion and parameter estimation. Signal Processing: Analog and digital signals, Z-transform, Fourier series, fast Fourier transforms, spectral analysis leakage and bias, digital filtering. Students taking the graduate version complete different assignments. T. Herring; S. Ravela No textbook information available 12.446 Teaching Experience in EAPS
(,  )
Prereq: None Units arranged [P/D/F] TBA.
Development of teaching skills through practical experience in laboratory, field, recitation, or classroom teaching under faculty member oversight. Credit for this subject may not be used for any degree granted by Course 12. Total enrollment limited by availability of suitable teaching assignments. Ann Greaney-Williams No textbook information available 12.THG Graduate Thesis
(,  , , )
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units arranged TBA.
Program of research leading to the writing of an SM, PhD, or ScD thesis; to be arranged by the student and an appropriate MIT faculty member. A. Greaney-Williams Textbooks arranged individually Geology and Geochemistry12.450 Seminar in Geology and Geochemistry
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4 [P/D/F]
Seminar on topics of current interest in geology and geochemistry. Required background preparation for students taking pre-doctoral general examinations in these subjects. Staff 12.451 Seminar in Regional Tectonics
(, ) Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-6 [P/D/F]
Applies techniques of tectonic synthesis to study the roles of particular orogenic belts in global plate tectonics. Treats different applications in different terms, so that the subject may be taken repeatedly to learn the range of orogenic responses to temporal and spatial variations of activity at plate boundaries. Staff 12.456 Seminar in Rock Mechanics
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4 [P/D/F]
Discussion of current research or advanced topics in continental tectonics, rock mechanics, or experimental structural geology. Staff 12.458 Molecular Biogeochemistry
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-6 [P/D/F]
Covers all aspects of molecular biosignatures, such as their pathways of lipid biosynthesis, the distribution patterns of lipid biosynthetic pathways with regard to phylogeny and physiology, isotopic contents, occurrence in modern organisms and environments, diagenetic pathways, analytical techniques and the occurrence of molecular fossils through the geological record. Students analyze in depth the recent literature on chemical fossils. Lectures provide background on the subject matter. Basic knowledge of organic chemistry required. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Staff 12.463 Geomorphology
 ()
(Subject meets with 12.163) Prereq: (Calculus I (GIR), Physics I (GIR), and 12.001) or permission of instructor Units: 3-3-6
Quantitative examination of processes that shape Earth's surface. Introduction to fluvial, hillslope, and glacial mechanics. Essentials of weathering, soil formation, runoff, erosion, slope stability, sediment transport, and river morphology. Landscape evolution in response to climatic and tectonic forcing. Application of terrestrial theory to planetary surfaces. Additional instruction in geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing analysis, field measurement techniques, and numerical modeling of surface processes. Students taking the graduate version complete different assignments. T. Perron 12.465A Sedimentary Environments
 (); first half of term
(Subject meets with 12.110A) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-1-3
Covers the basic concepts of sedimentation from the properties of individual grains to large-scale basin analysis. Lectures cover sediment textures and composition, fluid flow and sediment transport, and formation of sedimentary structures. Depositional models, for both modern and ancient environments are a major component and are studied in detail with an eye toward interpretation of depositional processes and reconstructing paleoenvironments from the rock record. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. K. Bergmann 12.465B Sedimentology in the Field
() ; second half of term
(Subject meets with 12.110B) Prereq: 12.456 or permission of instructor Units: 2-2-5
Examines the fundamentals of sedimentary deposits and geological reasoning through first hand fieldwork. Students practice methods of modern geological field study off-campus during a required trip over spring break making field observations, measuring stratigraphic sections and making a sedimentological map. Relevant topics introduced are map and figure making in ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator and sedimentary petrology. Culminates in an oral and written report built around data gathered in the field. Field sites and intervals of geologic time studied rotate annually and include Precambrian, Phanerozoic and Modern depositional environments. May be taken multiple times for credit. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. K. Bergmann 12.467 Seminar in Geomorphology
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-1
Discussion of current research or advanced topics in landscape evolution, surface hydrology, mechanics of sediment transport, basin analysis, or experimental geomorphology. Advanced instruction in process geomorphology. T. Perron 12.470 Essentials of Geology
()Not offered regularly; consult department (Subject meets with 12.170) Prereq: (Calculus II (GIR) and Physics II (GIR)) or permission of instructor Units: 4-0-8
Geology of planetary interiors and surfaces, including plate tectonics, as a unifying theory of terrestrial geology, surface processes, and the Earth's interior. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary processes associated with tectonic settings and the typical rock suites created. Mineral and rock identification. Causes of compositional differences on many scales: mineral grains, rocks, regions of the Earth, different planets. Conditions required for melting and melting processes. Rock structure and field techniques. Earth history. Treatment of these topics includes discussions of the geochemical, petrologic, geochronological, experimental, or field techniques used to investigate them; the limitations of current geological techniques and geological controversies; and great geological expeditions, experiments, and studies from the past, their premises, and their results. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. EAPS Staff 12.471 Essentials of Geobiology
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: None Units: 3-4-5
Introduces basic concepts of microbial structure, growth, energetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. Presents examples of microbial interactions with environments throughout Earth's history as well as current topics in astrobiology. Includes lectures, discussions of literature, and a field trip. Lab focuses on student-designed projects that involve cultivation, modeling, or sample analyses. Intended for students whose background is not in biology, but who want to learn more about the contribution of microbes to geochemistry and planetary evolution. T. Bosak 12.473 Paleomagnetism and Planetary Magnetism
()
Prereq: (12.002 and 18.03) or permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Introduces the study of natural remanent magnetization and the generation of planetary magnetic fields. Topics include paleomagnetism, rock magnetism, geomagnetism, magnetostratigraphy, paleomagnetic measurement techniques, polar wander and continental drift, biomagnetism, dynamo theory, and the history and evolution of magnetic fields on the Earth and planets. B. P. Weiss 12.474 Origin and Evolution of the Earth's Crust
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-6
Broad overview of the origin and evolution of Earth's crust and mantle with emphasis on the study of the Precambrian rock record. Topics include: processes of crustal growth, stabilization, and reactivation; evaluation of secular change; and use of radiogenic isotopes in geochronology and as tracers of crust forming processes. Staff 12.475 Plate Tectonics and Climate
()Not offered regularly; consult department (Subject meets with 12.100) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-6
Explores plate tectonics and the fundamental relationship between tectonic systems and global climate. Provides an in-depth study of plate tectonics, encompassing sea floor spreading, continental rifting, mountain and basin formation, and subduction. Examines the profound effects of tectonic activity on global climate, emphasizing the critical links between solid earth processes and long-term climate change and offering a holistic view of our planet's intricate systems. Regional case studies present examples of the complex interconnections along Earth's long history. An optional weekend field trip brings concepts encountered in class into a tangible, real-world context. Expectations differ for students taking graduate version. O. Jagoutz, L. H. Royden, K. Bergmann 12.476 Radiogenic Isotope Geology
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-3-6
Applications of the variations in the relative abundance of radiogenic isotopes to problems of petrology, geochemistry, and tectonics. Topics: geochronology; isotopic evolution of Earth's crust and mantle; petrogenesis; and analytical techniques. Staff 12.477 Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life
()
(Subject meets with 12.177) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Provides an understanding of major areas of research into the problem of the origin of life on the early Earth from an astrobiological perspective. Topics include the timing, setting and conditions for the origin of life on the Hadean Earth; roles of planetary and extra-planetary processes; defining life; prebiotic chemistry; origins of nucleic acids and peptides; evolution of cellularity, replication, metabolism, and translation; establishment of the genetic code; biogenesis vs. ecogenesis; the nature of the last common ancestor of life; conceptualizing the "tree of life;" and the early evolution of the ancestors of bacteria, archaeal, and eukaryal lineages. Students taking graduate version complete an extra project. G. Fournier 12.478 The Phylogenomic Planetary Record
()
(Subject meets with 12.178) Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: TR11-12.30 (54-1623)
Introduces the tools of sequence-based phylogenetic analysis and molecular evolution in the context of studying events in Earth's deep past that have been preserved by genomes. Topics include basic concepts of cladistics, phylogeny and sequence evolution, construction of phylogenetic trees of genes and microbial lineages, molecular clocks, dating, and ancestral sequence reconstruction. Special attention to the evolutionary history of microbial metabolisms and their relationship to global biogeochemical cycles across Earth's history. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. G. Fournier No textbook information available 12.480 Thermodynamics for Geoscientists
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 3.046 or 5.60 Units: 3-0-9
Principles of thermodynamics are used to infer the physical conditions of formation and modification of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Includes phase equilibria of homogeneous and heterogeneous systems and thermodynamic modelling of non-ideal crystalline solutions. Surveys the processes that lead to the formation of metamorphic and igneous rocks in the major tectonic environments in the Earth's crust and mantle. T. L. Grove 12.481 Advanced Field Geology I
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 12.113 Units: 2-2-2 [P/D/F]
Introduction to the problems to be investigated in 12.482, as well as the regional setting and local geology of the field area. Various special techniques may be introduced and preparatory investigations may be conducted that are specific to the area to be studied in 12.482. Staff 12.482 Advanced Field Geology II
()
Prereq: 12.481 Units arranged
In January, a geological and geomorphological study of a selected field area is conducted during a two-week excursion. Exercises include geological and geomorphological mapping on topographic and photographic base maps of a wide variety of bedrock and surficial rocks. Where feasible, geochemical and geophysical field measurements are correlated with geology. Meets with 12.115 when offered concurrently. O. E. Jagoutz 12.487A Field Geobiology I
(); first half of termNot offered regularly; consult department (Subject meets with 12.117A) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-1-3
Examines basic biological processes that operate in sediments. Lectures cover biological, physical and chemical processes that influence the formation and stabilization of sediments, including biomineralization, weathering, erosion, the formation of sedimentary structures and interactions with sediments, flow, and the cycles of nutrients. Lab covers analytical methods used to examine microbial processes, bioinformatic methods used to analyze microbial communities, and techniques used to analyze sediment grain sizes and chemistry. Readings and discussions provide preparation for the 12.487B field trip to a modern sedimentary environment. Enables students to interpret processes in modern sedimentary environments, reconstruct similar processes in the rock record, collect appropriate samples in the field, and analyze microbiological data. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. T. Bosak 12.487B Field Geobiology II
(); second half of termNot offered regularly; consult department (Subject meets with 12.117B) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-2-5
Teaches fundamentals of field observations and reasoning in geobiology/sedimentology during a required trip to a modern sedimentary environment over spring break, followed by laboratory analyses of collected samples. Students make observations, develop hypotheses, collect samples required to test their hypotheses and interact with lecturers and students investigating the sedimentology of the site. Upon return to MIT, students work on field samples to characterize the sediments, use the preliminary data to develop an understanding of the field site, and write research reports. Students taking graduate version write proposals that present a research question based on the field observations and subsequent analyses. Meets with 12.110B and 12.465B when those subjects examine modern sedimentary environments. T. Bosak 12.493[J] Microbial Genetics and Evolution
()
(Same subject as 1.87[J], 7.493[J], 20.446[J]) Prereq: 7.03, 7.05, or permission of instructor Units: 4-0-8 Lecture: TR12.30-2.30 (66-160) Recitation: F11 (2-142)
Covers aspects of microbial genetic and genomic analyses, central dogma, horizontal gene transfer, and evolution. A. Grossman, O. Cordero No required or recommended textbooks 12.494 Geochemistry of Natural Waters
()
(Subject meets with 12.104) Prereq: Calculus II (GIR) Units: 3-2-7
Equips students with the fundamental skills to identify major controls on the chemistry of waters on the Earth. Students examine key concepts, theories and practical tools (e.g., pH, Eh, alkalinity, surface charge, speciation, and carbonate equilibrium) and apply them as tools to understand and make predictions for the biogeochemical cycles of the Earth systems. Graduate students complete additional assignments. S. Ono Geophysics12.501 Essentials of Global Geophysics
()
(Subject meets with 12.201) Prereq: Physics II (GIR) and 18.03 Units: 4-0-8
Overview of basic topics in solid-earth geophysics, such as the Earth's rotation, gravity and magnetic field, seismology, and thermal structure. Formulation of physical principles presented in three one-hour lectures per week. Current applications discussed in an additional one-hour tutorial each week. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. R. van der Hilst 12.502 Flow, Deformation, and Fracture in Earth and Other Terrestrial Bodies
()
(Subject meets with 12.202) Prereq: Calculus II (GIR) and Physics I (GIR) Units: 3-2-7
Covers fundamentals of deformation and fracture of solids and the flow of viscous fluids. Explores spatial scales from molecular to planetary, and time scales from fractions of a second to millions of years, to understand how and why natural materials on Earth and other terrestrial bodies respond to applied forces. Fundamental concepts include the principles of continuum mechanics, tensor representation of physical properties, forces, tractions, stresses, strain theory, elasticity, contact problems, fracture and friction, and viscous flow and rheological models (plasticity, viscosity, viscoelasticity, elasto-plasticity). Students gather, analyze and interpret data using existing theoretical models. Includes a significant laboratory component that provides practical experience with experimental measurements and tests students' acquired theoretical knowledge. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. B. Minchew, M. Pec 12.503 Mechanics of Earth
()
(Subject meets with 12.203) Prereq: Calculus II (GIR) and Physics I (GIR) Units: 3-2-7
Covers topics in the deformation and fracture of solids and the flow of viscous fluids. Explores spatial scales from molecular to planetary, and time scales from fractions of a second to millions of years, to understand how and why natural materials on Earth and other terrestrial bodies respond to applied forces. Introduces anelasticity, granular mechanics, poroelasticity, rate-and-state friction, transport properties of Earth materials (Darcy's law, Fick's law), brittle-ductile transitions, creep of polycrystalline materials, stored energy and dissipation, and convection. Prepares students to gather, analyze and interpret data using existing theoretical models. Through a significant laboratory component, students obtain practical experience with experimental measurements and test their acquired theoretical knowledge. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. B. Minchew, M. Pec 12.507 Essentials of Field Geophysics
()
(Subject meets with 12.214) Prereq: Physics II (GIR), 6.100A, and 18.03 Units: 3-3-6
Introduces students to the practical field application of various geophysical methods to studying Earth's to all aspects of near-surface and prepares students to undertake fieldwork that uses these methods. Methods covered include but are not limited to measuring seismic waves, gravity, precise positions (commonly referred to as GPS but formally known as GNSS), and topography using drones. Lab time involves local fieldwork to gain experience with the methods being taught. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. B. Minchew, W. Frank 12.510 Introduction to Seismology
()
(Subject meets with 12.210) Prereq: 18.075 or 18.085 Units: 3-1-8
A basic study in seismology and the utilization of seismic waves for the study of Earth's interior. Introduces techniques necessary for understanding of elastic wave propagation in stratified media and for calculation of synthetic seismograms (WKBJ and mode summation). Ray theory; interpretation of travel times. (e.g., tomography); surface wave dispersion in layered media; Earth's free oscillations; and seismicity, (earthquake locations, magnitude, moment, and source properties). Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. W. Frank 12.511 Field Geophysics
(); partial term
(Subject meets with 12.211) Prereq: 12.507 or permission of instructor Units: 1-4-1 [P/D/F]
Covers practical methods of modern geophysics, including the global positioning system (GPS), gravity, and magnetics. Field work is conducted in western US and includes intensive 10-day field exercise. Focuses on measurement techniques and their interpretation. Introduces the science of gravity, magnetics, and the GPS. Measures crustal structure, fault motions, tectonic deformations, and the local gravity and magnetic fields. Students perform high-precision measurements and participate in data analysis. Emphasizes principles of geophysical data collection and the relevance of these data for tectonic faulting, crustal structure, and the dynamics of the earthquake cycle. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. B. Minchew, W. Frank 12.512 Field Geophysics Analysis
()
Prereq: 12.511 Units: 2-0-4
Focuses on in-depth data analysis and development of skills needed to report results both in writing and orally. Students use data collected in 12.511 to develop written and oral reports of the results, with each student focusing on a different area. For example, students can develop the geophysical modeling or synthesis of the results into other studies in the area. The final written and oral reports are combined into a comprehensive report and presentation of the field camp and its results. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Frank, W., Minchew, B. 12.515 Data and Models
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 18.075 or 18.085 Units: 3-0-9
Surveys a number of methods of inverting data to obtain model parameter estimates. Topics include review of matrix theory and statistics, random and grid-search methods, linear and non-linear least squares, maximum-likelihood estimation, ridge regression, stochastic inversion, sequential estimation, singular value decomposition, solution of large systems, genetic and simulated annealing inversion, regularization, parameter error estimates, and solution uniqueness and resolution. Computer laboratory and algorithm development. Staff 12.521 Computational Geophysical Modeling
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 TBA.
Introduces theory, design, and practical methods of computational modeling in geodynamics and geophysical fluid dynamics. Covers the most effective and widely used numerical modeling approaches (e.g., boundary element, finite difference, finite element) and emphasizes problem-solving skills through illustrative examples of heat and mass transfer in the mantle and the ocean. Students acquire experience with various numerical methods through regularly assigned computational exercises and a term-long modeling project of each student's choice. T. Gebbie No textbook information available 12.522 Geological Fluid Mechanics
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 8.03 and (18.075 or 18.085) Units: 3-0-9
Treats heat transfer and fluid mechanics in the Earth, low Reynolds number flows, convection instability, double diffusion, Non-Newtonian flows, flow in porous media, and the interaction of flows with accreting and deforming boundaries. Applications include: the flow under plates, postglacial rebound, diapirism, magma dynamics, and the mantle convection problem. Staff 12.525 Mechanisms of Faulting and Earthquakes
()
(Subject meets with 12.225) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: TR11-12.30 (54-824)
Explores the fundamental mechanics of faulting and earthquakes from four related perspectives: seismology, geodesy, geodynamics, and rheology. Topics to be covered include (1) the physical processes that control the rheology of faults, including friction and fracture, (2) how these rheological processes are manifest in faulting and earthquakes in the earth from a geodynamics perspective, and (3) how the mechanics of faulting and earthquakes are constrained by seismological and geodetic observations. Features both continental and oceanic examples of faulting and earthquakes. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. C. Cattania No textbook information available 12.540 Principles of Global Positioning System
()
Prereq: Calculus II (GIR), Physics I (GIR), and 18.06 Units: 3-0-9
The principles and applications of the Global Positioning System (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU) and Beidou (China), known as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), along with other space geodetic systems, including very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI), satellite laser ranging (SLR), and Interferometric Synthetics Aperture Radar (InSAR). Topics covered include CDMA and FDMA encoding used by these systems to allow measurements of pseudo-range and carrier phase which allow millimeter accuracy positioning, models and analysis methods required for millimeter accuracy positioning. Other topics include: satellite orbit modeling, atmospheric refraction modeling, estimation techniques (including Kalman filtering), statistical and spectral analysis of data. Application areas include tectonic studies of Earth deformation, meteorology, space weather, and millimeter accuracy tracking of moving objects. T. A. Herring 12.552 Advanced Seismology: Theory and Applications of Seismic Imaging
()Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 12.510 Units: 3-0-9
Introduces fundamental principles of seismic imaging used in both exploration and solid earth applications. Topics include ray theoretical approaches, scattering theory, and seismic waveform modeling. Through lectures, projects and student-led discussions of journal articles, the class covers the whole process of seismic imaging, from data preprocessing to model generation and geological interpretation of the results. Staff 12.560-12.561 Advanced Seminar in Exploration Geophysics
(, , ) Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4 [P/D/F]
Advanced seminar focusing on areas of current interest in exploration geophysics and seismology. 12.560 is letter-graded. Staff 12.570 Topical Issues in Global Geophysics
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units arranged
Series of formal lectures and seminars with the specific content varying by term to reflect current issues in research. Meets jointly with relevant Harvard course. Staff 12.571 Seminar in Geophysics
(, )
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units arranged [P/D/F]
Problems of current interest in geophysics; subject matter varying from term to term. Fall: W. Frank Spring: W. Frank 12.586 Modeling Environmental Complexity
()
(Subject meets with 12.086) Prereq: 18.03 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Introduction to mathematical and physical models of environmental processes. Emphasis on the development of macroscopic continuum or statistical descriptions of complex microscopic dynamics. Problems of interest include: random walks and statistical geometry of landscapes; percolation theory and transport in disordered media; fractals, scaling, and universality; ecological dynamics and the structure of ecosystems, food webs, and other natural networks; kinetics of biogeochemical cycles. Appropriate for advanced undergraduates. Beginning graduate students are encouraged to register for 12.586. Students taking the graduate version complete different assignments. D. H. Rothman |
| | | 12.00-12.439 plus UROP, IND, TIP, THU | | | 12.44-12.599 plus THG | | | 12.600-12.999 | | | |
| |||||||
