Time Schedule:
Edwin D Waddington
ESS 595
Seattle Campus
Current research methodology and results based on recent literature and on faculty and student research. Designed to develop student perspective on observational and theoretical methods and on relation of specific research to broader developments in geophysics and interdisciplinary aspects of geophysics through faculty-guided presentations and discussion by students.
Class description
SPRING 2006 ICE ON MARS In this weekly seminar we will read a series of articles about occurrences of ice on Mars, theories about the ice, its origins and its behavior, and how we observe it. With a constellation of satellites overhead, a fleet of rovers on the ground, and re-inforcements on the way, interest in the Martian surface and subsurface has never been higher. In particular, interest in water ice on Mars is high for several reasons: - Past climate changes may be recorded in layered icy deposits such as the north polar cap. - Ice and water may be essential to sustain human exploration. - If life developed on Mars, it probably followed the water (and ice).
Planetary scientists have made tremendous progress over the years in understanding Mars, which is clearly a very different planet from Earth. "Martian scientists" have shown that its surface evolution has been dominated by different processes than those that dominate on Earth. However, with so much high-resolution and high-quality data coming in, it is becoming clear that many terestrial processes can also be seen to operate on Mars, and terrestrial surface-process scientists are now making significant contributions to understanding of Mars. This includes "Earthling scientists" in the remote-sensing, geomorphology, and glaciology research groups within Earth and Space Sciences at UW.
Choice of reading materials will evolve according to your interests; however, some topics could cover - - how do we observe water and ice on Mars? - water and ice in the Martian regolith - seeps, springs, and auf-eis - the polar water-ice caps, and attempts to model their flow - troughs on the polar caps - what are they? - do the ice caps flow (significantly), or are they sculpted by wind, sun, and accumulation patterns? - evidence of former glaciers - tropical glaciers - others ...
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
We will meet once each week for about 1.5 hours. Each week, all participants will read some selected articles, and two participants will be responsible for leading discussion of the chosen materials.
There will be an organizing meeting in the QRC conference room JHN 377 at 4:00 PM on Monday March 27 to select an appropriate meeting time. If Mondays at 4:00 works for participants we will continue with that time slot.
Recommended preparation
Interest in water ice on Mars.
Class assignments and grading
Weekly reading of relevant scientific articles.
C/NC based on participation.
