Lecture Notes

LEC # TOPICS
1 Overview of Course; Time Scales; The Big Bang; Origin and Compositions of the Solar System, Earth and Moon; Creation and Distribution of the Chemical Elements (PDF)
2 Earth Segregation; Formation and Composition of Early Atmosphere; Characteristics of the 'Habitable Zone' (PDF)
3 Geologic Evidence for Antiquity of Life (PDF)
4 Theories about the Origin of Life (PDF)
5 Anaerobic Metabolism, Energy Yields, Deep Biosphere (PDF)
6 Oxygenic Photosynthesis; The Rise of Atmospheric O2 (PDF - 1.3 MB)
7 Life's Three Domains; Evolution of Algae; Fossil and Biogeochemical Evidence for Their Presence and Evolution through Geological Time (PDF)
8 Biogeochemical Carbon Cycle (PDF - 1.5 MB)
9 Proterozoic Ocean Chemistry (PDF)

(Guest Lecturer: Dr. Yanan Shen, Harvard University)
10

The Cambrian Explosion and the Evolution and Radiation of Metazoans
 
(Guest Lecturer: Professor Andrew Knoll, Harvard University)

11 Long-Term Climate Cycles #1: Faint Young Sun Paradox; CO2-Climate Connection; Proterozoic Glaciations (PDF)
12 Long-Term Climate Cycles #2: Permian Glaciations, The rise of Vascular Plants; Mesozoic Warmth, Cenozoic Cooling; Evolution of Vascular Plants and Ruminants
13 Mass Extinctions #1; PC-C Boundary, P-T Boundary
14 Mass Extinctions and Re-radiation #2; K-T Boundary, LPTM. Volcanism, Carbon Cycle Perturbation or Impact?
15 Biogeochemical Tracers #1: Fractionated Isotopes (PDF)
16 Biogeochemical Tracers #2: Lipid Biomarkers (PDF)
17 Biogeochemical Tracers #3: Sedimentary Records of Life and Environment
18 The Fate of Buried Organic Carbon; Petroleum and Natural Gas Occurrence and Distribution (PDF)
19 Biogeomorphology: Plants and The Landscape

(Guest Lecturer: David Mohrig)
20 Long-term Climate Cycles
21 Methane Hydrates; Formation, Distribution, Potential Role in C-Cylce and Subsurface Ecosystems Dependent upon Them (PDF)
22 Pleistocene Glaciations, Holocene Climate; Abrupt Climate Change; Anthropogenic Forcing of Climate