Prerequisites: graduate standing; BIOL 010/GEO 003; CHEM 001C or equivalent; or consent of instructor
Description: Explores the geologic fate of organic molecules in the sedimentary record, from fossil DNA to lipids. Addresses current analytical techniques used for detecting molecular fossils and for characterizing sedimentary organic matter. Covers topical applications of organic geochemical tools to archaeology, geobiology, paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, petroleum exploration, and cosmochemistry research.
Credit: May be taken Satisfactory (S) or No Credit (NC) with consent of instructor and graduate advisor.