GEO-AST3410 – Planetary Sciences
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course will provide an introduction to the formation, constitution and evolution of planetary systems and planetary bodies. The course also covers an introduction to the characteristics of planets and planetary bodies (structure, surface, atmospheres) and processes acting on, in and between them.
Learning outcome
After taking this course, you will be able to
- describe the structure and evolution of our solar system and planetary systems around other stars
- describe the distribution and properties of planets, minor planets, comets and meteorites
- understand components of celestial mechanics, which describe the motion of bodies within the gravitational field of the host star
- understand processes acting on and in planetary atmospheres, considering implications of distance to the sun/star and composition
- understand the differences and similarities of surface evolutions on the various solid surface bodies and implications for the interior process as well as climate evolution
- understand the fundamentals of the shapes and interior structure of the planetary body in relation to meteorite composition, heat budget and gravitation, including the conditions when a magnetic field can be generated
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2)
And in addition one of these:
- Mathematics R2
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
Mathematics R2 was a requirement up until and including the study year 2021/2022, as part of a trial arrangement. From and including the study year 2022/2023, Mathematics R2 is no longer a requirement.
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).
Recommended previous knowledge
- GEO1100 – Evolution of the Earth / AST2000 – Introduction to Astrophysics / AST1100 – Introduction to astrophysics (continued)
- 4th-semester?courses within Geofysikk og klima (bachelor)?or "general/programming-based astronomy"
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEO-AST4410 – Planetary Sciences.
Teaching
- 3 hours lectures per week
- 2 hours mandatory seminars/practicals per week??
The seminars/practicals are mandatory and must be approved before you can sit the final written examination.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the course responsible.
We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
- Approval of the mandatory seminars/practicals is prerequisite to being allowed in the final written examination.
- The final written examination counts 100% towards the final grade.
The mandatory seminar/practicals are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for the following course:
Examination support material
Language of examination
Courses taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English.
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.