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Syllabus ( EMS 625 )

   Basic information
Course title: Quaternary Dating Methods
Course code: EMS 625
Lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Korhan Erturaç
ECTS credits: 7,5
GTU credits: 3 (3+0+0)
Year, Semester: 2024, Fall and Spring
Level of course: Third Cycle (Doctoral)
Type of course: Institute elective
Language of instruction: English
Mode of delivery: Face to face , Lab work
Pre- and co-requisites: none
Professional practice: No
Purpose of the course: The Quaternary Period, spanning the last 2.6 million years of Earth's history, constitutes the subject of multidisciplinary studies that play a key role in understanding and addressing current and future issues in the Earth system. At the core of all these studies is the determination of the formation time of Earth records, which is the subject of geochronology methods rapidly increasing in number and applications today. In this course, absolute dating methods, theoretical foundations, and applications will be detailed.
   Learning outcomes Up

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Understanding the concept of geological time in terms of processes, events, and outcomes.

    Contribution to Program Outcomes

    1. Mastering Basic Earth / Marine Science Concepts by Specialization
    2. To know the application domain of Earth-Marine Science
    3. To understand the interdisciplinary structure of Earth-Marine Science and to associate it with other disciplines
    4. Having up-to-date knowledge of Earth or Marine Science

    Method of assessment

    1. Written exam
  2. Gaining knowledge about the approaches and hypotheses of absolute dating methods

    Contribution to Program Outcomes

    1. To know the application domain of Earth-Marine Science
    2. To understand the interdisciplinary structure of Earth-Marine Science and to associate it with other disciplines
    3. To be able to design and conduct experimental studies in the field of Earth Science and/or Marine Science that he/she specializes in and to be able to interpret the relevant physical, chemical, biological occurring in nature
    4. To be aware of and follow the rapid technological and scientific change in the field of Earth and Marine science
    5. To have a good command of Turkish and English terms related to Earth and Marine Sciences and to be able to express ideas effectively in both languages orally and in writing

    Method of assessment

    1. Written exam
  3. Determining the appropriate dating method for different geological records.

    Contribution to Program Outcomes

    1. To know the application domain of Earth-Marine Science
    2. To be able to plan and implement fieldwork within the scope of Earth Science and/or Marine Science
    3. To be aware of and follow the rapid technological and scientific change in the field of Earth and Marine science
    4. To have a good command of Turkish and English terms related to Earth and Marine Sciences and to be able to express ideas effectively in both languages orally and in writing

    Method of assessment

    1. Written exam
  4. Evaluating the dating results by relevant software.

    Contribution to Program Outcomes

    1. To be able to interpret the produced data in terms of complex processes occurring in nature by processing with different software
    2. To be able to fulfill their responsibilities fully and on time in group work and scientific projects
    3. Adopting an open approach to continuous learning and following up-to-date and reliable sources of information
    4. To follow natural disasters around the world and to develop recommendations on minimizing the damage caused by natural disasters at the national level

    Method of assessment

    1. Laboratory exercise/exam
  5. Gaining the ability to evaluate numerical data including the rates of geological processes and the timing of occurring events.

    Contribution to Program Outcomes

    1. To know the application domain of Earth-Marine Science
    2. To be able to design and conduct experimental studies in the field of Earth Science and/or Marine Science that he/she specializes in and to be able to interpret the relevant physical, chemical, biological occurring in nature
    3. To be able to interpret the produced data in terms of complex processes occurring in nature by processing with different software
    4. To be able to fulfill their responsibilities fully and on time in group work and scientific projects
    5. To be aware of and follow the rapid technological and scientific change in the field of Earth and Marine science
    6. To follow natural disasters around the world and to develop recommendations on minimizing the damage caused by natural disasters at the national level

    Method of assessment

    1. Homework assignment
    2. Laboratory exercise/exam
    3. Term paper
   Contents Up
Week 1: Dating concepts and approaches in Earth Sciences
Week 2: Stratigraphy principles and relative dating
Week 3: Absolute dating and methods (isotopic, radiogenic, chemical/biological) with target geological records and events
Week 4: Radiocarbon Dating: Approach, principles, measurement methods
Week 5: Calibration in radiocarbon dating
Week 6: Radiogenic Isotope Dating 1: Ar-isotope dating measurement methods, Ar-Ar; K-Ar
Week 7: Radiogenic Isotope Dating 2: Uranium series dating
Week 8: Midterm Exam and Radiogenic Isotope Dating 3: Short-lived isotope dating methods (210Pb; 137Cs)
Week 9: Sidereal methods: Dendrochronology and Varve chronology
Week 10: Radiogenic Dating 1: Luminescence dating, approach, principles, and protocols
Week 11: Age calculation in luminescence dating
Week 12: Radiogenic Dating 2: Cosmogenic radionuclide method (CRN), approach, principles, and applications
Week 13: Sample Dating Applications in Earth Sciences 1: Dating past earthquakes from paleoseismic trenches
Week 14: Sample Dating Applications in Earth Sciences 2: Dating and correlation of fluvial and coastal sediments
Week 15*: -
Week 16*: Final Exam
Textbooks and materials: Walker, M. (2005). Quaternary dating methods. John Wiley and Sons.
Noller, J. S., Sowers, J. M., & Lettis, W. R. (2000). Quaternary geochronology: methods and applications. AGU Reference Shelf; 4
Recommended readings: Rhodes, E. J. (2011). Optically stimulated luminescence dating of sediments over the past 200,000 years. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 39, 461-488.
Hajdas, I., Ascough, P., Garnett, M.H. et al. Radiocarbon dating. Nat Rev Methods Primers 1, 62 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-021-00058-7
Ivy-Ochs, S., & Kober, F. (2008). Surface exposure dating with cosmogenic nuclides. E&G Quaternary Science Journal, 57(1/2), 179-209. Bierman, P. R., Bender, A. M., Christ, A. J., Corbett, L. B., Halsted, C. T., Portenga, E. W., & Schmidt, A. H. (2021). Dating by cosmogenic nuclides. In Encyclopedia of Geology (pp. 101-115). Academic Press Oxford.
van Calsteren, P., & Thomas, L. (2006). Uranium-series dating applications in natural environmental science. Earth-Science Reviews, 75(1-4), 155-175.
Banerji, U. S., Goswami, V., & Joshi, K. B. (2022). Quaternary dating and instrumental development: an overview. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: X, 7, 100091.
Zolitschka, B., Francus, P., Ojala, A. E., & Schimmelmann, A. (2015). Varves in lake sediments–a review. Quaternary Science Reviews, 117, 1-41.
  * Between 15th and 16th weeks is there a free week for students to prepare for final exam.
Assessment Up
Method of assessment Week number Weight (%)
Mid-terms: 8 20
Other in-term studies: 0
Project: 13-14 30
Homework: 13-14 20
Quiz: 0
Final exam: 16 30
  Total weight:
(%)
   Workload Up
Activity Duration (Hours per week) Total number of weeks Total hours in term
Courses (Face-to-face teaching): 3 15
Own studies outside class: 3 15
Practice, Recitation: 3 4
Homework: 6 3
Term project: 9 3
Term project presentation: 1 1
Quiz: 0 0
Own study for mid-term exam: 4 4
Mid-term: 1 1
Personal studies for final exam: 4 4
Final exam: 1 1
    Total workload:
    Total ECTS credits:
*
  * ECTS credit is calculated by dividing total workload by 25.
(1 ECTS = 25 work hours)
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