The main stable and radiogenic isotope systematics. Analytical methods. Isotopes and geochronology. Radiogenic isotopes as geological tracers: time series analysis. Radiogenic isotopes and their applications to the Earth and Solar system.
Dickin (1995): Radiogenic Isotope Geology. Cambridge; Gunter Faure (1986). Principles of Isotope Geology. John Wiley & Sons. Lectures’ handouts
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: The aim of the course is to provide a general framework on the main isotopic systematics along with their applications to Earth Sciences.
Competence acquired Students acquire the needed skills to understand and work with Isotope Geology.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):Students acquire the ability to understand natural processes related to the Earth System throughout isotopic systematics.
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: about 100
Lecture hours: 50. The course might feature practical exercise in the lab.
Type of Assessment
Oral examination with discussion of a scientific paper in English related to one or more topics dealt with during the course.
Course program
Physics of the nucleous: laws of radioactive decay. Common isotopic systematics used in Earth sciences and geochronology (e.g. K-Ar, He, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Th-Pb). Outlines on the theory of errors. The thermal and plasma-ionisation mass spectrometers. The Earth system: Extinct nuclides and planetary differentiation; U-Th systematics in different geodynamic environments (MORB, OIB convergent margins; isotopic and geochemical models of the Earth's mantle; formation and growth of continental crust. Magmatic Residence times in active volcanic systems and constraints on degassing processes; Environmental geochemistry: Sr isotope stratigraphy, Pb isotopes and environmental pollution; 234U and coral datings.