Ge 131 -- Spring 2011
Planetary Structure and Evolution

Instructor: Dave Stevenson (the one and only)
x6534
djs@gps.caltech.edu

TA: Konstantin Batygin
x6447
kbatygin@gps.caltech.edu

Class Schedule: MWF 10-11am
Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-4pm
late folk will be prosecuted

lol


Handouts

May. 25: Chapter 23 Convection in the Presence of Rotation and Magnetic Field
May. 25: Chapter 22 Kinematic Dynamo Theory; Mean Field Theory
May. 25: Chapter 21 Planetary Magnetic Fields
May. 23: Chapter 20 Core Formation and Evolution
May. 23: Chapter 19 Processes of Differentiation for Terrestrial Planets
May. 20: Chapter 18 Thermal Histories of Giant Planets
May. 17: Chapter 17 Tidal Dissipation and Evolution
May. 17: Chapter 16 Thermal Histories of Icy Bodies
May. 15: Chapter 15 Scaling Laws and Thermal Histories (Terrestrial Planets)
May. 11: Chapter 14 Convection Theory; Adiabats and Boundary Layers
May. 9: Chapter 13 Heat Flow, Conductive States, Adiabats, and Convective Instability
May. 6: Chapter 12 Gravity and Topography
Apr. 27: Chapter 11 The Gravity Field and Gravitational Response to Rotation
Apr. 25: Chapter 10 Observational Constraints on Planetary Interiors
Apr. 22: Chapter 9 Generic Planetary Models
Apr. 20: Chapter 8 Transport Properties
Apr. 16: Chapter 7 Thermal Properties of Materials
Apr. 13: Chapter 6 Phase Transitions and Phase Equilibria
Apr. 11: Chapter 5 Rocks and Ices: Beyond the Nearly Uniform Electron Gas
Apr. 6: Chapter 4 A Case Study: Hydrogen
Apr. 4: Chapter 3 Fundamentals of Planetary Materials
Apr. 1: Chapter 2 Provenance and Cosmochemistry (this is not a drill)
Mar. 30: Chapter 1 Why Study the Insides of Planets?
Mar. 28: About this book

Class Term Projects


Homework - (last chance to turn it in is June 3rd)

Due. May 26: Homework 7
Due May 13: Homework 6
Due May 3: Homework 5
Due Apr. 27: Homework 4
Due Apr. 20: Homework 3
Due Apr. 13: Homework 2
Due Apr. 9: Homework 1


Useful links

Planetary Fact Sheets - Physical properties/orbital parameters for planets and satellites.
Solar System Dynamics - Physical properties and orbital parameters for planets and satellites.
New Theory of the Earth - Don Anderson's *new* book online.
The Seventh Season - The TA's band