Courses:

Course Info

• Course Number / Code:
• 12.091 (January (IAP) 2008) 
• Course Title:
• Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some 
• Course Level:
• Undergraduate 
• Offered by :
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  Massachusetts, United States  
• Department:
• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences 
• Course Instructor(s):
• ILA PILLALAMARRI (Dr. P. ILA) 
• Course Introduction:
•  
• 
  
  12.091 Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some Impact Craters of the Earth
  
  
  
  

  January (IAP) 2008

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Course Highlights

  
  
  

  
  
  12.091 Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some Impact Craters of the Earth
  
  
  
  

  January (IAP) 2008

  
  
  

  

  Meteorite energy variation with size. (Image by Dr. Ila Pillalamarri.)

  
  
  

  Course Description

  
  
  

  There are now about 170 identified impact craters on the Earth, and this number is growing, ever since the well known discovery of Meteor Crater in 1920s. Currently, multi-interdisciplinary research studies of impact structures are getting conducted in fields like mineralogy, petrology, environmental geology, and marine biology. The course objectives are to introduce basic principles of impact cratering, understand the application of analytical tools, and become familiar with geological, geochemical and environmental studies.

  This course is offered during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month.