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Provides a basic introduction into Earth Sciences, emphasizing different rock-types and the geological rock-cycle, as well as introduction into geophysics, plate tectonics and planetology.

Processes on Earth surface: Climate, water cycle, weathering and erosion, transport, sedimentation. Rock deformation. Geochronology, stratigraphy and Earth history.

Excursions are an ideal framework for combining theoretical concepts of the environmental study program with the real world. An intensive discussion of environmental science and political questions takes place during an excursion day. The students learn about the specifics and challenges of a region and deepen their knowledge in exchange with experts.

Identification and characterization of important sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic rocks and discussion of their genesis in a well-constrained geological time frame.

The surface Earth is often thought of as a set of interacting systems, often with feedbacks between them. These interacting systems control the tectonics, geomorphology, climate, and biology of the surface Earth. To fully understand the nature of the Earth System, including the controls on its past evolution, its present state, and its future, an integrated perspective is required.

This course presents the basic theory, methods and applications of low temperature thermochronometry, which is a fundamental tool used to study shallow crustal and earth-surface processes like burial and exhumation in orogenic belts and sedimentary basins.

Students will be trained for 10 days in the field analysis of sedimentary rocks. They will learn how to measure sections, they will combine facies analysis with analysis of sedimentary structures in the field. The area of study selected for this course changes from year to year.

Transfer and redistribution of material on Earth’s surface is controlled by myriad processes. To investigate these, this course will address the production, transport, and deposition of sediments and will probe their interactions with biogeochemical cycles. We will integrate catchment-scale sediment dynamics with associated (organic) carbon cycling at all stages of the “source to sink” continuum.

Course covers the theory and applications of tectonic geomorphology. Topics include the use of fluvial terraces and other geomorphic markers to map uplift, methods of dating surfaces and landscapes, topographic evolution over active structures and landscape evolution of active mountain ranges. Methods include field mapping, DEM analysis, and computer modeling.

Structure, evolution, and dynamics of tectonic systems across divergent, convergent, strike-slip, and intraplate settings. Emphasizes integration of geological and geophysical observations to understand lithosphere-scale deformation, plate-boundary architecture, and links among tectonics, topography, and surface processes, with comparative examples from other planetary bodies.