GEOCHRONOLOGY, TIMESCALES, AND RATES OF GEOLOGIC PROCESSES

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: G L E/GEOSCI 370 or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of radioisotopic (Ar- Ar, U-Pb, U-Th, U-He), cosmogenic (He, Ne, Cl, Be, Al, C), and radiogenic (OSL, Fission Track) dating methods. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Integrate radioisotopic dating with geomagnetic field behavior, astronomical clocks, and paleoclimatic records, applicable for current and future calibration of the geologic time scale. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Use dates to estimate rates of geological processes, including flood basalts, impacts, mass extinctions, deformation, and orogeny. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Evaluate the use of geochronology in the wider geoscience literature. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Evaluate a geochronological approach to a specific geological problem. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of radioisotopic (Ar- Ar, U-Pb, U-Th, U-He), cosmogenic (He, Ne, Cl, Be, Al, C), and radiogenic (OSL, Fission Track) dating methods. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Integrate radioisotopic dating with geomagnetic field behavior, astronomical clocks, and paleoclimatic records, applicable for current and future calibration of the geologic time scale. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Use dates to estimate rates of geological processes, including flood basalts, impacts, mass extinctions, deformation, and orogeny. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Evaluate the use of geochronology in the wider geoscience literature. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Evaluate a geochronological approach to a specific geological problem. Audience: Graduate