Topics in Earth Science: The Accretion of Extraterrestrial Matter Throughout Earth's History

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course will provide a discussion of the nature and variability of extraterrestrial (ET) matter accreted throughout Earth's history that is preserved in the geological record. This record is a rich archive of ET matter whose study not only provides unique insight into the origin and evolution of different Solar System objects but also enables a better understanding of delivery mechanisms. The course will highlight periods of dramatically increased accretion rates and important impact events. This includes events such as the recent Chelyabinsk and Tunguska air blasts, the "global killer" Chicxulub impact 66 Ma ago, the Ordovician meteorite showers, all the way to cataclysmic events that occurred on early Earth. The course will also provide an introduction to related key techniques such as classification with material from the meteorite collection, the identification of impact craters, and the use of tracers of ET material in the geological record.