Course Details

Course: ECS-201 (Earth System I)

Credit: 02

Nature of course: 2 contact hours/week

Evaluation: Quiz ~ 30%

Mid-Sem ~ 35%
End-Sem ~ 35%
(Total Two Quizzes)
 Geology- The Science of Earth
(Origin, History, Processes and dynamics of how it changes)

Existence of life and water

Active geological activities

Relative Scaling: Sand (Earth) rotating ~9 m away around an Orange (Sun)

Selected Earth Reservoirs:

Life Volcanoes

Mountain Ocean

What, How, When, Why? Geology, Chemistry, Physics, Biology

 Spheres of the Earth: Inter-linked reservoirs
1. Atmosphere: Thin layer of gases that cover Earths surface.

2. Hydrosphere: Contains Earths water (~97% is in Oceans).

(if all the earth surface irregularity is smoothed out to form a perfect
sphere, the global ocean would cover Earth to a depth of 2.25 km)

3. Geosphere: Consists of the solid earth.

4. Biosphere: Composed of living entities on Earth.
Exogenic cycles:

Operate at the Earths

surface

Endogenic cycles:

Operate in the Earths

interior
Global inter-connectedness of air, water, rocks and life

From space, we can view the Earth as a planet, seeing the

interconnectedness of the oceans, atmosphere, continents,
ice sheets, and life itself.
we study planet Earth as a dynamic system of diverse
components interacting in complex ways- a challenge on a
par with any in science.

We observe and track global changes, and we study regional

changes in their global context.
We observe the role that human civilization increasingly
plays as a force of change. We trace effect to cause, connect
variability and forcing with response, and vastly improve
national capabilities to predict climate, weather, and natural
hazards.

NASA science Plan (2007-2016)

 Key topics in Earth system science:

Formation of Earth

Interior of Earth and its composition

Dynamic Earth and forces within

Thermal state of Earth

Evolution of Earth: Life and Atmospheric Oxygen

Mass Extinction and Biodiversity

Rivers: reshaping Earth surface and nutrient supply

Oceans: Origin and biogeochemical cycles

 Pressing Questions:

Safe disposal of radioactive waste and toxic chemicals

Planning buildings, highways, dams, canals, etc.

Natural hazards (landslides, earthquakes, floods)

Natural resources (water, solid, minerals, fossil fuels)

Past climate and its future prediction

 Formation of Earth

Astronomical Observation Analysis of Meteorites

 Meteorites
Solid bodies of extra-terrestrial material that penetrate of
atmosphere and reach the Earths surface

Most meteorites are fragments of asteroids

Falls: Recovered following observed falls

Finds: which cannot definitely be associated with observed falls

Lonar Lake
 Meteorites: STONY, IRON & STONY-IRON

IDENTIFY A METEORITE:

Heavy (Presence of Fe and Ni)

Magnetic property
Irregular Shape
Fusing coating: A thin layer of dark glass
Chemical composition: High Ni and Ir
Isotopic composition: To track source