AST 401: Planets and Planetary Systems

1. Contents

#	Chapter	Week
1	Solar system
2	Exoplanets
3	Surfaces of planets
4	Interiors of Planets
5	Atmospheres of planets
6	Dynamics in planetary systems
7	Origin of planetary systems
8	Life in planets

Model planetary interiors using measurements of mass, moment of inertia, $J_2$, and $\Lambda$.
Examine planetary data on the interiors of the solar system planets.
Plot Earth's density profile using seismic information and the Williams-Adams algorithm.
Derive an equation for a planet’s temperature from its radius, density, and heat capacity.
Use dimensional analysis to determine the region of the lithosphere from which heat escapes.
Explain why Earth remains hot and tectonically active using results from learning goals 4 and 5.

Analyzing public data from space telescopes to detect exoplanets.

Assessment method	Assessment tools	Marks	Subtotal	Total
Continuous assessment	Attendance	10%	40%	100%
	Punctuality	10%
	Quizzes	10%
	Assignments	10%
Summative assessment	Midterm viva	20%	60%
	Final viva	20%
	Keystone project	20%

Stephen Eales, Planets and Planetary Systems, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
Lissauer and de Pater, Fundamental Planetary Science, Cambridge UP, 2019.
Frontiers of Astrobiology, edited by C. Impey et al., Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Donald Goldsmith, Exoplanets: Hidden Worlds and the Quest for Extraterrestrial Life, Harvard University Press, 2018.