Mathematical Methods in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences

This course introduces a variety of mathematical approaches commonly used in Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences. The course is structured to progress in difficulty throughout the semester, starting with dimensional analysis, order-of-magnitude estimates, and basic analytical methods, then advancing to numerical solutions of differential equations. Throughout the course, students will gain programming experience with MATLAB. Examples of problems that can be considered include population growth, radioactive decay, landscape evolution, carbon cycle, thermal and chemical diffusion, wave phenomena, groundwater flow, glacier dynamics, magma transport, thermal convection, and secular cooling of Earth and planets. The specific methods and problems may vary from year to year, tailored to students' interests and needs. A key element of the course is developing the ability to effectively communicate quantitative concepts. This includes presenting the material in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing, as well as creating compelling visualizations of quantitative information.
Course Attributes:

Mathematical Methods in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences

EARTH, ENVIRONMENTAL & PLANETARY SCIENCE 555

Section 01