Astronomy 2021a: Life in the Universe · 2020-03-31 · Required Course Material! Textbooks (both available as a bundle in the Western Bookstore, at together less than $20) Astrobiology

The Physics and Astronomy Department at Western University welcomes you to

Astronomy 2021a: Life in the Universe

First up, there is no intention to train you as an Astrobiologist. So, why then do I recommend this course to you?

! In this lecture series, the interdisciplinary character of the quest for life in the Universe is emphasized by the title Ichose for the workbook you will use: Intelligent Life and the Universe, highlighting that Philosophy and Psychologystand shoulder by shoulder with Natural Sciences, such as Geology, Biology, Planetary Science, Astronomy, Physicsand Chemistry, in this endeavour. The interdisciplinary approach to cultural and technological progress has becomethe contemporary paradigm in the industrialized societies of the twenty–first century; using this course as an exampleto analyze this paradigm will benefit those who will encounter it in their working careers (which, pretty much, will beeveryone with a University degree seeking employment).

! We explicitly exclude students from the Faculty of Science from taking this course as it critically assesses the domainand the methods of the natural sciences for the sake of enlightening students in other disciplines to understand bothbenefits and limitations of the traditional (natural) scientific approach in tackling the broader questions mankind faces.Most University graduates work nowadays in interactive environments where effective interfacing with those ofdifferent educational and intellectual backgrounds is important for the overall success of an enterprise. WhileUniversities are still slow in embracing interdisciplinary approaches to their programs and research structures, at the levelof individual courses integrated thinking can be encouraged, assessed and practiced. We are the sum of our experiencesand ideas (as I will outline when we discuss ideas that stem from Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason), gainingexperiences and developing ideas beyond the boundaries of traditional disciplines is therefore a course objective.

! Developing these tools in the mind of students requires a solid grounding in one or a few disciplines. You can eclipse traditional thinking only once you know what traditional thinking happens to be (or simply said, you can think outsidethe box only when you know the apparatus, contents and limitations of the box that confines you). Therefore, this courseis offered (almost) exclusively to upper year students. However, the corset of contemporary University education allowsyou only room for a single full (natural) sciences course; to therefore accommodate individual interests broadly, we donot identify any pre–requisites for this course, in particular not a first year science and/or astronomy course. In turn,taking this course does not undercut the number of first–year courses you may choose as you see fit in your program.

! The scheduled time of the course collides intentionally with popular entertainment, such as Monday Night Football(Fall and early Winter) and Hockey Night in Canada. A consequence of life at a culturally and intellectually elevatedlevel, to which you aspire during your University years, is the result that you will recognize popular entertainment asshallow and unfulfilling. To reveal this to you in a way your core–courses cannot do it, one of the objectives of thiscourse is to allow you to encounter knowledge and wisdom as an advanced form of entertainment by partaking intheir sublime beauty (even though this is an oxymoron if we follow Friedrich Schiller’s Aesthetic Education of Man —so I should better say divine beauty with the adjective used in the same way Tristan was described as divinely handsomein Gottfried von Strassburg’s Tristan and Isolde).

Course Outline — General Comments

A course outline gives you an overview of the course, in particular (1) its content, and (2) its evaluation schemes andthe rules (since Plato, we like to separate everything in life in matter and form). It is required at Western University toprovide to you a fully accountable product with maximum fairness and equal treatment of all students participating inthe course. In this, we adhere to Immanuel Kant’s second categorical imperative (of ethics), which states: Never do forone what you are not willing to do for all!

Western requires all Course Outlines to be filed with the Dean’s office by the first day of class. They obviously don’tread this material, but if a student disputes the application of any rule in a course, the Dean’s office will check what thesyllabus states.

When we implement a novel course component or refine an exisiting one, the developmental stage is followed byformulating new rules or altering existing rules to reflect proper use of the new component. Such rules will be added tothe Course Outline for the current term in pink, the same colour in which this sentence is highlighted. We will makeevery effort to avoid a negative impact on any student’s marks caused by such (pink) rules included after the first dayof class. We further fully disclose the added text to the Dean if a challenge is based on a provision added in pink. Basedon past experience, we are confident that we will meet everyones expectations of fairness in such cases.

Course Team Access

For a large course to be conducted successfully, a large number of staff on campus get involved. Most of these work inthe background, such as secretarial staff, technical staff, Institutional Technology Services staff, and Teaching Assistants.We have organized this team such that you will be in contact with us via the following meeting points, each designedfor a particular context and accessible through a particular communication channel.

Western University also requires us to keep a record of all official course correspondence for one year after thecompletion of the course. Official course correspondence in your A2021 course is defined as correspondence receivedthrough all but one of these meeting points (we do not record the Office Hours), which are embedded within your OWLwebsite. Messages sent through any other channel, particularly messages sent via email or phone messages are notretained, may not be answered, and are not considered official communications regarding this course. Even if you receivea response, please be advised that such responses might be inaccurate and do not supersede statements made in the coursesyllabus or through the three official meeting points.

If communications with students result in amendments to the course syllabus, these are provided in Announcements onyour A2021 OWL.

< LecturerDr. M. Zinke–Allmang, Physics and Astronomy Rm. 120, phone 661 2111 Ext. 89166.Meeting Point I: OWL Astronomy 2021 º Messages º Compose Message: To Zinke–Allmang, Martin (mzinke)Note: Messages sent this way are not visible to other students. When to post a question through this meeting point? When the content of your message requires privacy and requiresattention outside the rules and regulations outlined in the course syllabus. Most typically, you would use this meetingpoint after you saw a Dean’s Office counsellor with valid documentation concerning illness or similar adverse develop-ments that we have to accommodate for beyond what the pertinent section in the Syllabus outlines. If the question does not require privacy you will be redirected to the correct meeting point; if the question is addressedin the Syllabus, you will be redirected to those folders. Course related questions received via my regular UWO emailwill not be answered but you will be asked to post in Sakai since we need a permanent record for such communications.Meeting Point II: Office Hours hosted by your lecturer in the lecture hall following every Monday lectureNote: Communications are visible/audible to other students concurrently present. When to attend this meeting point? When you have more extensive questions about the course content, or anything elseof interest. We do not record these office hour sessions, so you are free to speak your mind. Midterms are posted afterthe Make–up date with answer keys as rehearsal material. If you want to view your scantron sheet independently, thistakes place during office hours; in order to be able to provide you with your scantron sheet you have to request the sheetvia a prior message to the instructor’s OWL messages inbox (see Meeting Point I).

Required Course Material

! Textbooks (both available as a bundle in the Western Bookstore, at together less than $20)Astrobiology — A Very Short Introduction, Vol. 370, David C. Catling, Oxford University Press

(Abbreviation AS used throughout Syllabus when I refer to this book, shown below at left)Planets — A Very Short Introduction, Vol. 254, David A. Rothery, Oxford University Press

(Abbreviation PL used throughout Syllabus when I refer to this book, shown below at right)

! Access to OWLYou need to have access to a desktop computer or laptop with internet connection. If you do not own a computer, youcan use the facilities in the GenLabs. Contact ITS at Ext. 83800 (or at (519) 661–3800 off campus) for their location andhours of peration, or for any problems when connecting to OWL at:

https://owl.uwo.ca/portalAfter entering your user id and password, you click on the course tab for your Astronomy course:

ASTRONOMY 2021A 001 FW19

A2021A Schedule 2019/2020

Date Textbook Pages Lecture Title

September 9[L 1]

AS 1 – 6AS 120 – 124

Introduction: Rules, Regulations, Dates and Course ObjectiveWhere do we stand in the search of Extraterrestrial Intelligence?[Note: This lecture is not on Midterm or Final Exam!]

September 16[L 2]

AS 14 – 21PL 3 – 6

Our place in the Universe

September 23[L 3]

AS 22 – 27PL 7 – 27

Solar System and its Formation

September 30[L 4]

AS 44 – 58 Physical Conditions on Earth, with Comparisons across the Solar System

October 7[L 5]

PL 30 – 70PL 82 – 100

Two Worlds of Particular Interest: Mars and Europa (a Galilean Moon)

October 7 – 21 (Noon) Quiz 1: Material of Lectures L2 – L5

October 14 Thanksgiving Holiday

October 21, 18:30 – 21:30 Midterm: Material of Lectures L2 – L5

October 28[L 6]

AS 6 – 13AS 28 – 43 AS 58 – 62

Life and its History on Earth

November 4 – 10 Reading Week

November 11[L 7]

AS 63 – 81 Human Life and Intelligence

November 18[L 8]

AS 82 – 109PL 27 – 29

A problematic concept: Habitability Zone

November 25[L 9]

AS 110 – 119AS 125 – 129PL 116 – 125

An unreachable frontier: Extrasolar Planets

November 25 – December 7(Noon)

Quiz 2: Material of Lectures L6 – L9

December 2[L 10]

— What does it all mean? The Meaning of Life[Note: This lecture is not on Final Exam!]

tba(Exam Period)

Final Exam: NON–CUMULATIVE! Material of Lectures L6 – L9

Course Learning Outcomes

Course outcomes is a new syllabus component mandated starting Academic Year 2017/2018. The didactic thoughtbehind these is the idea that the student should not passively digest the material of a course, but feel empowered to usethe course material upon completion of the course in a constructive way during further course work or a professionalcareer. When writing course outcomes, we need to distinguish three types of courses based on what content use thestudent is enabled to perform:

(1) Memorizing–based courses should allow you to recall facts or anarrative/theory; you have encountered this type of course inHighschool, where it is unavoidable as the full intellectual capacity ofthe human brain is not commonly reached before maturity. Suchcourses prepare you to reliably repeat simple, repetitive tasks typicalof minimum–wage level jobs, for which, therefore, no post–secondaryqualifications are needed. Part of issuing learning outcomes is thehope to ostensibly identify and completely eradicate such courses atthe post–secondary level, where they no longer serve a purpose; atWestern we call these bird courses; as part of the lecture cycle I willdiscuss that indeed memorizing–based learning does more harm thangood at the University level (you can read more about it under theFlynn–effect).

(2) Practical skills–based courses should allow you to perform morecomplex tasks; these courses are most typically offered at Colleges(like Fanshawe College in London) and in professional programs(e.g., Nursing). They prepare the student for a specific professionalrole and are limited in scope to the contemporary skills–set requiredin that profession; for this reason they do not prepare the student fora work–life spanning career. This lack is usually compensated withContinuous–Study Courses (often provided online to be takenpart–time while remaining on the job; e.g., pharmaceutical companiesinform health care professionals about recent developments in drugrelated research at seminars).

(3) Comprehension–based courses should enable you to flexibly adaptstate–of–the–art and newly emerging methods and theories of adiscipline to approach and successfully tackle problems typical of a wide range of careers in a complex and continuouslychanging workplace environment; these are the foundational courses a modern University program should be composedof. This is captured with a recent advertisement of Huron College (see at right). Of course, you should not need to returnto University (with its staggering tuition cost) for everyone of the typically 10 jobs that will add up to your career!

Breath–based courses at Western, like A2021a, which you have selected this term, have not been identified stringentlywithin this pyramid: they are definitively not intended to be bird courses, nor do you learn a profession–sepecific skill,and neither do you study a topic foundationtal to your intended career (assumed outside of the natural sciences). Thesecourses were well defined in the paradigm of a passive student life, as captured by the term breath–based. But how dothey fit into the paradigm of a student acquiring active skills for a life–long career? The short answer: ask your instructoras course outcomes are too new for a consistent picture yet to emerge. So, here my take (which matters at least in so faras I am also the one who prepared the course lectures and chose the chapters your find in your workbook). I outline onthe Welcome page of this syllabus a more detailed take on the justification and anticipated benefits of breath–courses,in your case one /or two half Natural Sciences courses. The fact that we provide two course outcome schemes then allowsme to use the first one (at the end of this syllabus entry) to lay out in broad terms what translates the points made on theWelcome page into skills you will practice and hopefully master, and use the second one (next separate item in thesyllabus) to specify in great detail how the scope of the lectures and the workbook maps onto the skills you will bringto the Final Exam.

Broad Learning Outcomes A2021

At the end of the course you will be able to

! assess within the framework of the natural sciences the uniqueness of Earth and life on Earth;

! demonstrate a conceptual understanding (comprehension) of those physical, chemical, geological and biologicalprocesses that determine the probability to find Earth–like life anywhere in the Solar system;

! demonstrate a conceptual understanding (comprehension) of the physical, chemical, geological and biologicalparameters of Exoplanets, and the measurement of these parameters; and,

! know the definitions of terms and explain the basic models/theories associated with the formation of planetary systems,planetary lithospheres, hydrospheres and atmospheres, as well as life, its evolution, intelligence and the developmentof intelligent species.

Learning Outcomes Astronomy 2021 1

Astronomy 2021A

Granular Learning Outcomes

Note that some of these learning outcomes encompass quite a bit of background material that is implicitly assumed to be understood! By the stated point in the course, you should be able to 1. The History of Scientific Thought (for Midterm)

a. relate chronologically the contributions of the main Greek and Roman philosophers to science in general and astronomy in particular;

b. identify contributions of early philosophers to the question of life outside of Earth; c. identify the key features of the accepted model for our solar system from antiquity

through the Renaissance; d. describe and explain the models by Aristotle and Ptolemy; e. describe stellar parallax and its role in the development of the Copernican model; f. describe and explain the apparent motion of Solar System planets in the sky; g. distinguish the interpretation of apparent retrograde motion of planets in the Ptolemaic

and the Copernican model; h. identify the contributions of Brahe, Copernicus, Kepler, Galilei and Newton to the

understanding of the motion of planets; i. describe the scientific method and Occam’s Razor; j. explain the role of falsifiability and change in scientific thinking; k. explain the use of the terms theory, law in science; l. distinguish between science and pseudoscience; m. describe the role of all players in the Copernican revolution: Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler,

Galileo, and Newton; n. reproduce, understand and explain Kepler’s laws and their implications for the solar

system; o. reproduce, understand and explain Newton’s three laws of mechanics, and Newton’s

law of gravity; p. contrast Newton’s law of gravity with Einstein’s interpretation of gravity in his general

theory of relativity 2. The Universal Context of Life (for Midterm)

a. define and use the terms star, planet, solar system, galaxy, and nebula; b. define lengths scales and distance in various astronomical units (e.g., light year), and

relate it to the size of astronomical objects; c. describe the relative sizes of Solar System objects; define astronomical unit; d. give approximate ages of astronomical objects; e. describe the order of events in the Universe, the Solar System’s and Earth’s history; f. explain the role of the Big Bang and the concept of expansion of the Universe;


g. define the term nuclear fusion and apply it to the generation of energy in stars; h. identify the origin of the chemical elements on Earth and their relative abundance; i. describe the atom and its constituent components, define and use atomic terminology; j. define and use the concept of phase changes of matter; k. define and use the term energy: kinetic energy, potential energy, radiative energy,

thermal energy and mass-energy; l. reproduce, understand and explain the conservation of energy; m. define and use the terms wavelength, velocity, and frequency and explain the

relationship between these quantities; n. name the components of the electromagnetic spectrum in wavelength order; o. correctly use terminology including atom, molecule, electron, proton, and photon; p. describe the difference between absorption, emission, and continuum spectra; q. describe how the spectrum of an object relates to its temperature; r. describe basic factors about the Solar System: constituents and their orbits, mass; its

location in the Milky Way; s. explain and use the term angular momentum, explain and use the concept of

conservation of angular momentum; t. explain the nebular theory and how it relates to Solar System properties; u. explain and use the terms contraction, condensation, accretion and clearing and their

chronological relation in the nebular theory; 3. The Habitability of Planet Earth (for Midterm)

a. name the terrestrial planets and their moons, qualitatively describe their masses and orbital semi-major axes (relative to that of the Earth);

b. explain the steps in terrestrial planet formation; c. describe the major geological features of Earth: volcanism, plate tectonics, its magnetic

field; d. describe the role of internal heating in producing planetary surface features; e. define igneous rock, metamorphic rock and sedimentary rock, and describe under what

conditions their formation and mutual transformation occur; f. define and use the term fossil; g. describe how rocks are analyzed and how their age is determined; h. define and use the term isotopes; i. reproduce, understand and explain the basic nuclear decay processes; j. define and use the concept of half-life and its application in radiometric dating; k. chronologically describe the geological history of Earth’s surface and its relation to fossil

finds on Earth; l. list the main constituents and approximate densities of the terrestrial planets’

atmospheres; m. define the terms outgassing and great bombardment in their role during the Hadean

stage of Earth; n. define meteorites and impact craters, use cratering on the Moon to determine its age; o. describe the inner structure of Earth, and the role of differentiation; p. describe the internal sources of heat in Earth;


q. describe the mechanism of plate tectonics, and how it relates to subduction, fault lines and the differences between seafloor and continental crust;

r. explain the origin of the Earth’s magnetic field and its role in solar wind stripping; s. explain the greenhouse effect and its role in the habitability of Earth, describe the

factors that regulate Earth’s climate in particular the carbon-dioxide cycle; t. identify processes that cause long-term changes in Earth’s climate, such as Ice Ages

and the so-called Snowball Earth; u. describe how and when Earth’s Moon was formed, and its stabilizing effects on Earth’s

axis tilt; 4. Evolution, Genetics and Experience/Behaviour (for Midterm)

a. explain the origins of dichotomous thinking; b. explain why thinking about the biology of behaviour in terms of traditional physiological-

psychological and nature-nurture dichotomies is flawed; c. describe the origins of evolutionary theory; d. explain the evolutionary significance of social dominance and courtship display; e. summarize the pathway of evolution from single-cell organisms to humans; f. describe the main misconceptions about evolution; g. describe how research on the evolution of the human brain has changed over time; h. discuss the field of evolutionary psychology and the study of mate bonding; i. describe what Mendel’s work tells us about the mechanisms of inheritance; j. understand the structure and function of chromosomes; k. outline the mechanism of gene expression; l. discuss how modern advances have changed our understanding of genetic processes; m. define epigenetics, and understand how it is transforming our understanding of

genetics; n. discuss what insights into the genetics of behaviour was gained from early research on

selective breeding; o. explain how research on phenylketonuria has informed our understanding of the

genetics of behaviour; p. describe how research on the ontogenetic development of birdsong has provided insight

into the development of human language; q. explain why it is important to distinguish between the development of individuals and the

development of individual differences; r. explain heritability estimates and how they are commonly misinterpreted; s. describe the main ways that twin studies can be used to study the interaction of genes

and experience. 5. Sensation: The visual system (for Midterm)

a. Explain how the pupil and the lens can effect the image that falls on the retina; b. Explain why some vertebrates have one eye on each side of their head whereas others

have their eyes mounted side by side on the front;


c. explain binocular disparity; d. describe the structure of the retina, and name the cell types that make up the retina; e. describe the duplexity theory of vision, and explain the differences between the photopic

and scotopic systems; f. explain the difference between the photopic and scotopic spectral sensitivity curves; g. explain the Purkinje effect; h. describe the three types of involuntary fixational eye movements; i. explain what happens when all eye movements are blocked; j. describe the process of visual transduction; k. describe the components and layout of the retina-geniculate-striate system; l. define retinotopic; m. describe the M and P channels of the visual system; n. explain the neural basis of contrast enhancement; o. define the term receptive field, and describe the changing views of these fields; p. describe how Hubel and Wiesel mapped the receptive fields of visual system neurons; q. describe the characteristics of the receptive fields at various levels of the visual system; r. describe the organization of the primary visual cortex; s. describe the component and opponent-process theories of colour vision; t. describe the concept of colour constancy, and explain Land’s retinex theory; u. describe the three classes of visual cortex, and identify their location in the brain; v. describe the areas of secondary visual cortex and the association cortex involved in

vision; w. explain the dorsal and ventral streams and the various functions attributed to these; x. describe what happens when the primary visual cortex is damaged, describe

prosopagnosia and akinetopsia;

6. Searching for Life in our Solar System (for Final)

a. name the environmental requirements of life and habitability of a planet or moon; b. identify the locations where the building blocks of life occur; c. describe where we can expect to find sufficient energy for life to evolve; d. list the properties of water that make it essential for life (as distinguished from other

small molecules); e. explain why life is not possible on the Moon and Mercury; f. list the environmental parameters that act adverse on the existence of life on Mars and

Venus; g. identify the internal composition of the Jovian planets; h. identify the composition of the atmosphere of Jupiter and its temperature and pressure

profiles; i. define Dwarf planets like Pluto;

7. Colonization of Space (for Final)

a. identify the features on Mars that were perceived early on as canals;


b. list the physical and astronomical parameters of Mars; c. explain why Mars has no surface water at present; d. name and characterize the major missions completed to study Mars; e. characterize the Martian seasons and winds, relate these to its astronomical and

physical parameters; f. list the seasonal composition of the Martian polar caps; g. identify the major geological features of the Martian surface, and its differing surface

regions; h. discuss volcanism and tectonics on Mars, in comparison to Earth; i. list evidence of past presence of liquid water on the Martian surface, identify each as to

its detection method; j. describe the experiments aboard the Viking missions, and their results analyzing

Martian soil samples; k. describe the climate history of Mars, and relate it to its lack of a magnetic field; l. identify the main eras of Martian History; m. discuss the variability with time of the axis tilt of Mars and the role of its orbital

eccentricity on the Martian seasons; n. discuss the pros and cons for a manned mission to Mars; o. describe Martian meteorites found on earth, and explain how they came to earth; p. describe the steps in Jovian planet and moon formation and how it differs from

terrestrial planet formation; q. name the major Jovian moons (> 1022 kg) and their distinguishing characteristics; r. explain the concept of synchronous rotation of Jovian moons; s. explain the concept of tidal friction, and its role on the moons of Jupiter; t. explain the evidence for a possible ocean on Europa; u. discuss the possibility of subsurface life on Europa and other moons of Jupiter; v. characterize the surface conditions on Titan, and discuss the possibility of life on this

moon of Saturn; w. discuss what the Huygens probe and the Cassini mission achieved in the Saturn/Titan

system; x. explain the role of chemical energy for life, in particular the role of a chemical non-

equilibrium; y. describe redox reactions, and their role for energy-generating processes on Earth and

other worlds (like the moons in the outer Solar System); 8. A problematic concept: Habitability Zones (for Final)

a. define the term Habitability Zone; b. explain which important surface parameters are included and which ones are omitted in

the definition of habitability zones; c. explain why the existence of a Habitability Zone is neither sufficient nor necessary to

find life on a planet or moon; d. discuss what would happen to Earth if it were moved inwards towards Venus, or

outwards towards Mars;


e. identify the reasons why Venus has presently no surface water and why it has a very thick carbon-dioxide atmosphere;

f. discuss observational evidence for volcanism and tectonics on Venus; g. explain what a runaway greenhouse effect is, and what effects it has on water on the

surface of a planet, distinguish it from a moist greenhouse effect; h. describe the role of the distance from a star for the habitability of a planet, list the

atmospheric parameters required for a planet in the habitability zone to possibly carry life;

i. explain the boundaries of the habitability zone of our Sun, and how these change with time;

j. define what the term global warming means, provide a list of the evidence that global warming happens on Earth;

9. The unreachable frontier: Extrasolar planets (for Final)

a. Reproduce, understand and explain the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram; b. list the seven major spectral types of stars; c. relate the spectral type of a star directly to its surface temperature, and indirectly to its

mass; d. relate the luminosity of a star to its mass; e. list the main features of a stellar life cycle for our Sun and for a larger star, including the

chronological stages; f. define what brown dwarfs are; g. explain the difference between fusion and fission, identify the fusion processes that

occur in stars; h. identify the origin of elements heavier than helium and their abundance with respect to

the life cycle of a star; i. discuss which stars may have planetary systems, and which stars may have planetary

systems long enough in existence to bear life; j. describe how we detect planets around distant stars; k. distinguish and list the key features of the four extrasolar planet detection methods used

to date to find most exoplanets; l. describe the Doppler effect for light and its limitations as a method for exoplanet

detection; m. describe the concept of centre of mass, and its role in the astrometric method to detect

exoplanets; n. define brightness of a star and describe how a planet orbiting the star can affect its

brightness; o. distinguish the terms transit and eclipse, and describe the use of transit and eclipse

observations to characterize exoplanets; p. list the physical and astronomical parameters of exoplanets that we can measure to

date; q. identify differences and similarities of the planets of the Solar System with those found

orbiting other stars; r. describe what a hot Jupiter and a super-Earth are;


s. define what an orphan planet is; t. identify the methods of detection of composition and temperatures of the atmospheres

of exoplanets;

Evaluation Summary

Part I Lectures L2 – L5 September 9 – October 21

Lecture Questions(scheduled on:9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7)

1 point each correct answer6 points needed for full score

max 3 each(= max 12 total)

7%

Quiz I(scheduled for:10/7 – 10/21 Noon)

1 point per correct answer3 attempts15 points needed for full score

max 60 7%

Midterm 3 hours / 70 Questions(open textbooks)

max 70 36%

Part II Lectures L6 – L9 October 28 – December 7

Lecture Questions(scheduled on:10/28, 11/11, 11/18,11/25)

1 point each correct answer6 points needed for full score

max 3 each(= max 12 total)

7%

Quiz II(scheduled for:11/25 – 12/7 Noon)

1 point per correct answer3 attempts15 points needed for full score

max 60 7%

Final 3 hours / 70 Questions(open textbooks)

max 70 36%

This course is assessed in two equal parts. In particular, Quiz II and the Final Exam are non–cumulative.Midterm Scheduled for October 21, 2019, 18:30 – 21:30, in our regular lecture hall. Midterm Makeup tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 2019, 17:00 – 20:00, Physics and Astro-nomy Building 117 (PAB 117). Makeup privileges not automatic (see section 33 Examination_Midterm)Final (during Exam period in December) scheduled by Registrar; Final Makeup (a Saturday early to MidJanuary) tba. Makeup privileges not automatic (see section 34 Examination_Final)The Department of Physics and Astronomy operates with an internal policy that stipulates that (for courseswith more than 20 students) no course mean should lie outside the range of 65% to 75%. Based on this policy,the Department Chair may require the instructor to adjust marks prior to submission to the Registrar.

Participation — Lecture Questions

A University course is built around learning objectives to which we expose you by two means, in a comprehensive formas reading material (textbook) and in a structured format with lectures. To encourage you to participate in both coursecomponents, we provide two formats for participation: Lecture Questions and on–line Quizzes.

! Up to 12 participation points for each of the two parts of the course can be collected by answering Lecture Questionsas shown and discussed in class; for lectures highlighted in 30_EvaluationGeneral (in particular, L2 – L5 and L6 – L9,respectively) there will be 3 Lecture Questions each.

Details:! General Comment: Check all your scores in the Gradebook of OWL at least on a weekly basisIf there is a discrepancy, you must notify us within one (1) week of the completion of posting of Lecture Question pointsas we do not backtrack farther than that. That is, all marks and points posted in the Gradebook are considered finalone week after posting. Lecture Question results are usually scanned and posted Tuesday after the respective lecture.

! Lecture Questions per Part of the courseA total of 12 questions in 4 Lecture Questions quizzes, done on scantron sheet in class.You receive one point for each correct answer.

Note: you need 6 points, or 50%, to be awarded full marks for the participation component for each Part.If your score is less than 6 points, we calculate your mark for this course component as follows:

Course component mark [%] = (Your score/6) * 7 [%]

We will not consider any adjustments for whatever reason. Since this is a cumulative course component for eachPart, you would have to miss two Monday–lecture dates (i.e., 50% of the course part) before your componentmark is affected. Once you miss such a significant fraction of the course, we recommend that you rather withdrawand retake the course next time offered (unless you take the course as a Discovery Credit, in which case thiscourse component won’t have a critical impact on your pass/fail).

Important disclaimer: Counsellors in the various Deans’ offices do not approve accommodations. Theyonly validate documentation you submit with respect to missed course components and confirm thisstep in your student file online after your appointment in the Dean’s office. It is your obligation to meetthe course coordinator to discuss arrangements if, as a result, an accommodation is warranted. Usually,courses provide in their syllabus detailed conditions under which accommodations will be considered;it may save you time to read the pertinent sections in the syllabus prior to a discussion with the coursecoordinator.

Participation — on–line Quizzes

A University course is built around learning objectives to which we expose you by two means, in a comprehensive formas reading material (textbook) and in a structured format with lectures. To encourage you to participate in both coursecomponents, we provide two formats for participation: Lecture Questions and on–line Quizzes.

! Up to 60 participation points can be collected in each of the two Quizzes in this course, one each with each Part ofthe course. These Quizzes are further designed as Rehearsal Quizzes in preparation of the upcoming Midterm/FinalExam. For Quiz Schedule, see Syllabus file 23_LectureCycle.

! General Comment: Check all your scores in the Gradebook of OWL at least on a weekly basisIf there is a discrepancy, you must notify us within one (1) week of the completion of a Unit Quiz as we do not backtrackfarther than that. That is, all marks and points posted in the Gradebook are considered final one week after posting.

! Quiz details:A total of 60 questions in each Quiz, 3 attempts each for the four lectures that constitute the material for the Quiz. Quizzes are found in folder Tests and Quizzes. Each Quiz will be accessible from Noon (12:00) on the date it opens until Noon (12:00) the date it closes.Note: Noon is midday, not midnight!You receive one point for each correct answer. Chapter quizzes each close after 60 minutes (1 hour) once started.

Note: you need 15 points, or 25%, in each quiz to be awarded full marks for this participation component.If your score is less than 15 points, we calculate your mark for this course component as follows:

Course component mark [%] = (Your score/15) * 7 [%]

We will not consider any adjustments for whatever reason. Each quiz is available for more than a week and canbe completed from a laptop/computer anywhere on the planet. Once you miss such a significant fraction of thecourse, we recommend that you rather withdraw and retake the course next time offered.

Quizzes can be completed at any computer connected to the internet, including at home. Note that you may have toupdate software, such as your version of JAVA. Try first, if it doesn’t work, please contact the ITS Helpdesk at Ext.83800 (off–campus at 519 661 3800).


Examinations — Midterm

Details on Midterm ExaminationThe midterm consists of two components —! Scantron sheet Provided separately. You need to bring an HB pencil (or two for spare, and/or an eraser and pencil sharpener).Note that the information on the scantron sheet can be filled in once you are seated at your exam desk. Wehighly recommend to do it right away, as we have no means to identify your exam if you do not provide thisinformation.! Booklet of Examination Multiple Choice QuestionsThis component contains the rules applicable to the exam (and pertinent penalties) and the questions inmultiple choice format. The first page requires you to provide your name and student number. At the end ofthe exam, you have to make sure that you hand in to an examination proctor your scantron sheet and the exambooklet.

Aids: this is an open textbooks exam

The Midterm is scheduled for 3 hours during class time. We will run an online clock in the classroom for yourconvenience. For the date, see files 23_LectureCycle or 30 Evaluation_General.

If you miss the Midterm, you need to submit documentation to your Dean’s office verifying one of theaccepted reasons to miss an examination at Western University (see below). Only with this documentationon file will you be allowed to write the makeup exam.

We schedule a makeup exam for the Midterm, usually during the weekend following the Midterm. Once theMidterm and its makeup exam are written, we publish the test and its answer key on OWL. If you think thatyour scantron sheet has been misread, please let the instructor know via a message on OWL and the scantronsheet will be made available during the next scheduled office hours (that is usually following the next Mon-day lecture in the lecture hall).

Note that the divison of the course in two equal parts meets the Senate requirement to provide you sufficientfeedeback prior to the course drop deadline.

How does this course component contribute to your course mark?We will calculate your Part mark for each part of the course in four ways —(1) Both your Lecture Question and Quiz participation marks will be added to your Midterm marks, with theMidterm contributing 36%;(2) Your Lecture Question participation mark will be omitted in the calculation of the your Part mark, with theMidterm contributing (36% + 7%) = 43%(3) Your Quiz participation mark will be omitted in the calculation of your Part mark, with the Midtermcontributing (36% + 7%) = 43%(4) Both Lecture Question and Quiz participation marks will be omitted in the calculation of your Part mark,leaving only the Midterm to contribute (36% + 7% + 7%) = 50%The highest of these calculations will contribute to your Course mark.

Examples: Student A completes successfully the lecture question and quiz components, and achieves a score of75% on the midterm. Then the Part mark will be: 7% + 7% + (3/4)*36% = 41.0/50Student B completes successfully the quiz component, and achieves a score of 75% on the midterm; however,he/she forgoes the lecture component. Then the Part mark will be: 7% +(3/4)*43% = 39.3/50Student C completes successfully the lecture questions component, and achieves a score of 75% on the midterm;however he/she forgoes the quiz component. Then the Part mark will be: 7% +(3/4)*43% = 39.3/50Student D does neither complete the lecture questions component nor the quiz component and achieves a scoreof 75% on the midterm. Then the Part mark will be: (3/4)*50% = 37.5/50


Check all your scores on OWL regularly. We anticipate posting the Midterm and subsequent Part I resultswithin one week (= 7 calendar days) from the date the Midterm has been written.If there is a discrepancy, you must notify us within one (1) week of the posting of these items in your OWLGradebook. Note that all marks and points posted in the Gradebook are considered final one week afterposting.

Reasons the Dean’s office may accept for missing the final examination" Serious personal illness (with medical documentation specifically referring to the date of the examination,see section 40_Small Print);" Bereavement of an immediate family member (documentation must be filed with the Dean’s office);" Religious Holiday (must be a holiday officially recognized by Western and must be filed in advance of theexamination with the Dean’s office. See the Dean’s office for filing deadlines, which are usually well aheadof examinations).

In each case, supporting documentation is required and must be filed with the Office of the Dean of yourFaculty. If you either know in advance that you will miss an exam or you have missed an exam, do notcontact your lecturer or the Departmental office: we cannot grant you permission to write a makeup examunless you have obtained the proper form from your Dean’s office.

Do all questions count on the Midterm?Once the scantron sheets have been scanned and the data for the entire class have been entered in Excel, weassess for each question the fraction of answers correct. If this value is above 25%, the question stands andcounts. If this value is less than 25%, the question will not count; however, if you answered it correctly, youwill retain your score. The rational is as follows: while we make every effort to select the most suitablequestions, individual reasons beyond the instructor’s control may cause a significant fraction of students tomisinterpret a question, or lack the assumed background material to answer it. Applying this method ofmarking also allows to buffer against an exam that turns out harder than intended (which would otherwisecause the course average to drop). Best practice rules of the Teaching Support Centre recommend this ruleto be applied for all questions with a success rate of less than 25%.

Not withstanding the aforementioned, IF THIS PROCEDURE YIELDS A CLASS PART AVERAGE BE-LOW THE AVERAGE IN PREVIOUS COURSES (Median of 75%), then: we determine the highest scoreof any of the students who wrote the midterm and treat this number as the maximum number all students wereresponsible for.

Examinations — Final Exam

Details on Final ExaminationThe exam consists of two components —! Scantron sheet Provided separately on your examination desk. You need to bring an HB pencil (or two for spare, and/or aneraser and pencil sharpener). Note that the information on the scantron sheet can be filled in once you areseated at your exam desk. We highly recommend to do it right away, as we have no means to identify yourexam if you do not provide this information.! Booklet of Examination Multiple Choice QuestionsThis component contains the rules applicable to the exam (and pertinent penalties) and the questions inmultiple choice format. The first page requires you to provide your name and student number. A the end ofthe exam, you have to make sure that you hand in to an examination proctor your scantron sheet and the exambooklet.

Aids: this is an open textbooks exam

The Final will be scheduled for 3 hours during the end–of–term Exam period by the Registrar.

How does this course component contribute to your course mark?We will calculate your Part mark for each part of the course in four ways —(1) Both your Lecture Question and Quiz participation marks will be added to your Final Exam marks, with theFinal exam contributing 36%;(2) Your Lecture Question participation mark will be omitted in the calculation of the your Part mark, with theFinal Exam contributing (36% + 7%) = 43%(3) Your Quiz participation mark will be omitted in the calculation of your Part mark, with the Final Examcontributing (36% + 7%) = 43%(4) Both Lecture Question and Quiz participation marks will be omitted in the calculation of your Part mark,leaving only the Final Exam to contribute (36% + 7% + 7%) = 50%The highest of these calculations will contribute to your Course mark.

Examples: Student A completes successfully the lecture question and quiz components, and achieves a score of75% on the Final Exam. Then the Part mark will be: 7% + 7% + (3/4)*36% = 41.0/50Student B completes successfully the quiz component, and achieves a score of 75% on the Final Exam; however,he/she forgoes the lecture component. Then the Part mark will be: 7% +(3/4)*43% = 39.3/50Student C completes successfully the lecture questions component, and achieves a score of 75% on the FinalExam; however he/she forgoes the quiz component. Then the Part mark will be: 7% +(3/4)*43% = 39.3/50Student D does neither complete the lecture questions component nor the quiz component and achieves a scoreof 75% on the Final Exam. Then the Part mark will be: (3/4)*50% = 37.5/50

Reasons the Dean’s office may accept for missing the final examination" Serious personal illness (with medical documentation specifically referring to the date of the examination,see 40_Small Print);" Bereavement of an immediate family member (documentation must be filed with the Dean’s office);" Religious Holiday (must be a holiday officially recognized by Western and must be filed in advance of theexamination with the Dean’s office. See the Dean’s office for filing deadlines, which are usually well aheadof the examination period);" Exam scheduling conflicts. The University has set strict guidelines for these; please approach the Dean’soffice as soon as possible after your examination schedule has been finalized.

In each case, supporting documentation is required and must be filed with the Office of the Dean of yourFaculty. Documentation regarding religious holidays and/or exam scheduling conflicts are valid only ifsubmitted by the respective deadlines well before the Registrar’s end–of–term Exam period.

If you either know in advance that you will miss an exam or you have missed an exam, do not contact yourlecturer or the Departmental office: we cannot grant you permission to write a makeup exam unless you haveobtained the proper form from your Dean’s office. Once you are in possession of this form, you must bringit to the Physics and Astronomy main office. We confirm the time and location of the makeup exam on thisform before signing it. It is then returned internally to the Dean’s office; when submitting the form to theDepartment you will receive a copy to keep with your records. You can write the makeup exam only if youbring your copy of this form to the scheduled makeup exam.

Do all questions count on the Final Exam?Once the scantron sheets have been scanned and the data for the entire class have been entered in Excel, weassess for each question the fraction of answers correct. If this value is above 25%, the question stands andcounts. If this value is less than 25%, the question will not count; however, if you answered it correctly, youwill retain your score. The rational is as follows: while we make every effort to select the most suitablequestions, individual reasons beyond the instructor’s control may cause a significant fraction of students tomisinterpret a question, or lack the assumed background material to answer it. Applying this method ofmarking also allows to buffer against an exam that turns out harder than intended (which would otherwisecause the course average to drop). Best practice rules of the Teaching Support Centre recommend this ruleto be applied for all questions with a success rate of less than 25%.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned, IF THIS PROCEDURE YIELDS A CLASS PART AVERAGE BE-LOW THE AVERAGE IN PREVIOUS COURSES (Median of 75%), then: we determine the highest scoreof any of the students who wrote the midterm and treat this number as the maximum number all students wereresponsible for.

What happens after the exam?You have two avenues to challenge your mark on the final exam or in this course: Within one week of postingand publishing the marks (in the OWL Gradebook) ...! you request a viewing of the exam and your scantron to formulate a challenge to one or more questions andprovide your rationale. The lecturer collects these and reports back to you with a decision — or, ...! you provide a request for a mark revision on compassionate grounds. These must severely have affectedyour course performance, usually in more than one course, and must be supported by documentation that hasbeen submitted prior to the Dean’s office. Again, the lecturer reports back to you with a decision.

If you are not satisfied with the decision, you are allowed to carry your appeal to the next stage, i.e., theChairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. We will provide to the Chair your initial request foran appeal, and all material he/she considers useful to come to a decision. Prior to proceeding with such anappeal, you may consult with the Chair or the Dean’s office regarding rules that govern such appeals, as thesechange from time to time, often without notice provided to your instructor. While you are entitled to seeingyour scantron sheet for one year after the exam has been written, timely action is needed if you feel that themark does not properly reflect your performance in the course.

The Small Print

GeneralThis file constitutes part of the Syllabus and contains two types of information:! Information that we have to include in the Syllabus due to Senate regulations, or pertinent requests by theDean’s office or the Registrar.! Information on bureaucratic details such as how we handle complaints, mark postings, plagiarism (cheat-ing), student’s responsibilities, medical notes, and related formalities.

Course DescriptionAstronomy 2021A/B: The Search for Life in the UniverseCalendar Description: This course is designed for non–science students* as an introduction to current scien-tific thinking on possibility of extraterrestrial life and intelligence. Ideas, observations and experiments fromthe frontiers of many areas of science converge in this unique interdisciplinary field. Emphasis will be ontopics of current interest, including searches for life in our solar system, detection of extrasolar planets andthe origins of life on Earth.(* this term is not meant as an insult to you, that is, we recognize that the endeavours of discovery and dis-semination of knowledge in your field of expertise also meet the requirements of a science. The term Non–science student is defined at Western University as describing a student whose program is not administeredby the Faculty of Science.)Antirequisite(s): Physics 1028A/1029B, 1301A/1302B, 1401A/1402B, 1501A/1502B.Prerequisite(s): none3 lecture hours, 0.5 courseUnless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrollin it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may notbe appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course forfailing to have the necessary prerequisites.

Complaints and SuggestionsIf you have a genuine concern about something, please talk with us. We rely on your feedback. Please contactinitially the person most directly concerned; this will usually be one of the team members. If that does notwork, or there is something more general bothering you, talk it over with the Chairman of the Departmentof Physics and Astronomy.

Where do I find my marks?All current marks are posted and updated in a timely and regular fashion on the course OWL website. It isyour responsibility to check the listings for accuracy on a regular basis. Errors must be reported to yourlecturer within one (1) week of initial posting.The course mark will be posted on this site and on the official Registrar’s site. It is your responsibility tocheck the accuracy of the official Registrar’s posting.Under no circumstances will the Department of Physics and Astronomy release marks over the telephone,nor will we issue individual replies per email with final marks. If you have a valid reason to obtain thisinformation ahead of the official posting on the Registrar’s web site, please contact us in advance.

Student's responsibilitiesPlease contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any otherarrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student AccessibilityServices (SAS) at 661–2147 if you have any questions regarding accommodations.

Link to the policy on Accommodation for Students with Disabilitieswww.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_disabilities.pdfYou are responsible to contribute your share to an orderly conduct of the lectures and the out–of–classactivities relating to this course. This includes in particular a responsibility to maintain the technical tools youare using in this course:! Your course OWL website You must access this site on a regular basis to find Lecture quizzes, announcements, updated grades, com-munications between students and course team about content and administrative issues, and lecture material.Neglect of maintaining an overview of the material on this site does not constitute a reason for exemption ofany or all course related assignments. For OWL–related help, contact the ITS Help Desk at Ext. 83800, or,off campus, phone 519–661–3800.In particular, never leave a computer alone on which you are logged into your OWL account. You will befully responsible for any mischief others may commit on your site; for example, if someone submits a quizyou have not completed, there is no possibility for remedial action!! Data SecurityNote: all data we acquire in this course are uploaded to the Gradebook. At the end of the term, these data aredownloaded into an Excel file that is maintained as the master file for this course. We retain these files forone (1) year. After that time, we may no longer be in a position to provide details on your marks to the Dean’soffice. This is relevant to all those who have a dispute about course marks, or request the Dean to review theirmarks in a summary fashion when being asked to withdraw from the University. Thus, make sure that theFinal Mark, as posted on the registrar’s site is correct.We guarantee our students that none of their marks are released to any other party than the Dean’s office ofthe student. All course marks are calculated and uploaded by the lecturer; access to your grades is limited tothe lecturer and those who are assigned as Teaching Assistants in this course. These individuals have beeninstructed to maintain confidentiality with respect to the marks they see; they are bound to confidentialitythrough their employment contract with the University.! Your allowed equipment in examinations These include, but are not limited to, non–erasable pens, HB pencils, pencil sharpeners, and erasers.We recommend clothing both assuming excessive heat or excessive cold in the examination room, as we haveno control over the climate dialings in the room.! Laptops We encourage the use of laptops during lectures. Your laptop will also allow you to access OWL and the vari-ous components on this web page, including Lecture slides, etc. It is your responsibility to ensure that anyequipment you use to complete tasks in this class are functioning properly. If you encounter problems witha computer, consult with the ITS HelpDesk at Ext. 83800 or, from off–campus, at 519–661–3800.

PlagiarismPlagiarism is the University’s word for cheating, and there are severe penalties involved. Please refer for thedefinition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site:http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdfThus, there are further Academic Offenses not mentioned explicitly in this Course Outline which apply.Note that these rules apply to any form of participation in a mark–sensitive component in this course. Wepoint out in particular a few maybe less obvious cases – however, even if the particular form of cheating isnot listed below, but is identified in the University Calendar, penalties still apply:" You are not permitted to login to the course OWL website with any userID / password other than your own.In particular, by submitting an answer set to a quiz online, you confirm that its content is your own work. " For filling in scantron sheets: all answer sheets are subject to common data analysis which identifiesabnormalities of statistical significance in the selection of right and wrong answers by pairs of students. Thecourse instructor is required to report all statistically significant results to the Dean’s office as these suggestthat cheating may have occurred. All such incidents will be subject to further investigation, particularly if

reoccurring reports accumulate in a students file. All proven cases of cheating will be subject to severe acade-mic penalties.We want to further emphasize that the definition of “proven case” is not just that someone got caught withthe fingers in the cookie jar. The pattern tracking eluded to above may lead to severe consequences withoutthe guilty parties having been spotted during any particular exam. Thus, we advise the following:(1) If you are seated near someone with whom you studied, and you think you may choose many of the sameanswers as that person, please raise request to be seated elsewhere.(2) Make sure that you do not provide visual access to your scantron sheet. These sheets can be “read”(pattern recognition) over several metres distance; the best way is to cover the sheet at all times.Not withstanding the aforementioned, we state that students in this course cannot commit cheating withany and all activities they engage in on social media, such as Facebook. Often, course Facebook sitesare operated by students currently in the course — if you administer such a site we request as a matterof fairness to your peers to make it accessible to all of them.

Medical NotesInconsistencies with medical notes provided in the past have caused the University Senate to establish rulesand regulations pertinent to cases when a student is unable to meet a course requirement due to illness. Likein all other serious circumstances, valid supporting documentation has to be provided to your Dean’s officeas soon as possible. This documentation will often contain personal information, such as type and extent ofthe illness, that the team members of the course should not and do not want to see. It is the Dean’s respon-sibility to assess your documentation and formulate a recommendation for accommodation to course instruc-tors. Once the Dean’s office and the course instructor have arrived at an appropriate accommodation, you willbe informed. If this accommodation includes arrangements alternative to the regular course outline, we willdiscuss this with the student. If the student is agreeable to these accommodations, they will be applied; if not,additional discussions between the Dean’s office, the course instructor and the student will take place to re-solve outstanding issues. This procedure applies also to a missed Final Examination, for which the Dean’soffice has a special form that will accompany the above procedure and requires several signatures.

A student requiring academic accommodation due to illness must use the Student Medical Certificatewhen visiting an off–campus medical facility or request a Record’s Release Form (located in the Dean’sOffice) for visits to Student Health Services. Link to policy on Accommodation for Illness:www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_illness.pdfStudents who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western:http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.Further to this, the University introduced in 2019/2020 a self–reporting scheme in lieu of medical notes.Restrictions apply, please check the Registrar’s websites for pertinent details.

Conflicts due to Religious HolidaysLink to the policy on Accommodation for Religious Holidayswww.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_religious.pdf

Other useful linksLink to the website for Registrarial Services:http://www.registrar.uwo.caLink to learning skills services at the Student Development Centre:http://www.sdc.uwo.caLink to services provided by the University Students’ Council:http://westernusc.ca/services/

Documents

Astronomy 2021a: Life in the Universe · 2020-03-31 · Required Course Material! Textbooks (both available as a bundle in the Western Bookstore, at together less than $20) Astrobiology