COURSE UNIT TITLE

: PRINCIPLES OF ISOTOPE GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
GEE 6008 PRINCIPLES OF ISOTOPE GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY ELECTIVE 3 0 0 7

Offered By

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OSMAN ERSIN KORALAY

Offered to

Economic Geology
Economic Geology

Course Objective

Geochronology has evolved into a highly diversified discipline in the Earth Sciences capable of contributing significantly to the solution of a wide variety of problems. Although the measurements on which isotope geology is based will probably, continue to be made by a small but expanding number of experts, the interpretation of the data should be shared increasingly with geologists who are familiar with the complexities of geological problems. Most of the standard journals of geology now publish papers reporting the results of isotopic studies and ages. All geologists should be sufficiently familiar with the principles of isotope geology to be able to make critical evaluations of the data and conclusions these papers contain, or to make their own interpretations. It is especially appropriate to teach isotope geology at the advanced level because it touches on all aspects of the Earth Sciences and thus provides an overview of the entire subject.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   to understand basic principles of isotopes
2   to know selection, storage, prepare a sample for geochronological processes
3   to know methods of geochronology
4   to use methods of geochronology in a geological problem
5   to discuss of case studies from the well known areas

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 The roots of geochronology and isotope geology
2 The internal structure of atoms radioactive decay
3 Decay mechanisms of radioactive atoms
4 Mass spectrometry
5 Time scales and ages
6 Selection, collection, packing, storage, transport, and description of samples
7 Radiometric dating methods, Rubidium/Strontium (87Rb/86Sr) method
8 Potassium/Argon (40K/40Ar) method, Argon/Argon (39Ar/40Ar) method
9 Samarium/Neodymium (147Sm/143Nd) method
10 Uranium/Thorium/Lead methods
11 Lutetium/Hafnium (176Lu/176Hf) method
12 Rhenium/Osmium (187Re/187Os) method
13 Age determination methods using radiation damage
14 Presentations by students

Recomended or Required Reading

Textbook(s): :
Faure, G., Mensing, T.M., 2005, Isotopes and Principles and Applications, Third Edition, Wiley, 896s.
Delaloye, M., Pişkin, Ö., 2002, Kayaçların Radyometrik Yaş Tayininin Ana Yöntemleri, DEÜ, Mühendislik Fakültesi Yayınları, No: 299, 41s.
Supplementary Book(s):
Geyh, M.A., 1990, Absolute Age Determinations, Physical and Chemical Dating Methods and Their Application. Springer-Verlag, 503s.
Rasskazov, S.V., Brandt, S.B., Brandt, I.S., 2010, Radiogenic Isotopes in Geologic Processes, Springer-Verlag, 305s.
Dickin, A.P., 1995, Radiogenic Isotope Geology, Cambridge, 480s.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

The course lectures, class presentation and discussion format. All class members are expected to attend to both the lecture and seminar hours and take part in the discussion sessions. Besides the course lecture, group presentations are to be prepared by the groups assigned for that week and presented to open a discussion session.
Lectures: Interactive lectures
Assignment: Homework prepared by the student
Presentation: Presentation prepared by student

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 PRS PRESENTATION
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE PRS * 0.50 + ASG * 0.50


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

To be announced.

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

To be announced.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Phone: 0.232.3017331
email: ersin.koralay@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Wednesday 13:00 - 15:00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 2 28
Preparing presentations 1 55 55
Final Assignment 1 50 50
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 175

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14
LO.15155355
LO.23125
LO.3552134
LO.4543545
LO.5351355555