ASTRO 6577 - Planetary Surface Processes

(crosslisted) EAS 5770

Spring. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Associated optional field trip for 1 credit, see ASTRO 6580.

A. Hayes, M. Pritchard.

Survey of remote sensing techniques used to observe the surfaces of solar system bodies and the geomorphic processes involved in their formation and evolution. Surface morphology and landforms of terrestrial planets, satellites, asteroids, and comets. Fundamentals of impact cratering, volcanism, tectonism, and erosion, with significant emphasis on terrestrial field sites as analogs. Basic introduction to physical, geochemical, and “space” weathering of planetary surfaces. Basic introduction to field methods and remote sensing techniques/data sets (terrestrial, spacecraft).