Geochronology, Timescales, and Rates of Geologic Processes
Applies radioisotopic and cosmogenic dating methods to establish geologic timescales and constrain rates of processes like magmatism, uplift, erosion, and sedimentation.
Summary
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2019: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Fall 2021: 3.71 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades); Fall 2023: 3.93 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades).
What you’ll be able to do
Explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of radioisotopic (Ar- Ar, U-Pb, U-Th, U-He), cosmogenic (He, Ne, Cl, Be, Al, C), and radiogenic (OSL, Fission Track) dating methods.
Integrate radioisotopic dating with geomagnetic field behavior, astronomical clocks, and paleoclimatic records, applicable for current and future calibration of the geologic time scale.
Use dates to estimate rates of geological processes, including flood basalts, impacts, mass extinctions, deformation, and orogeny.
Evaluate the use of geochronology in the wider geoscience literature.
Evaluate a geochronological approach to a specific geological problem.
Source: UW Guide
Grade history
↗All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
Prerequisites
Course mapG L E/GEOSCI 370 or graduate/professional standing
- GLE/GEOSCI 370
- graduate/professional standing
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Prerequisite text tree
- Any of
- GLE/GEOSCI 370
- graduate/professional standing
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
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Student experience
the class
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2019: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Fall 2021: 3.71 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades); Fall 2023: 3.93 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
No workload feedback recorded.
Topics
- Radioisotopic and cosmogenic dating methods
- Geologic, astronomic, and paleomagnetic timescales
- Chronology of flood basalts, impacts, extinctions, and glaciations
- Rates of magmatism, mountain uplift, deformation, erosion, and sedimentation
Skills
- Explain strengths and weaknesses of radioisotopic, cosmogenic, and radiogenic dating methods including Ar-Ar, U-Pb, U-Th, U-He, He, Ne, Cl, Be, C, OSL, and Fission Track.
- Integrate radioisotopic dating with geomagnetic field behavior, astronomical clocks, and paleoclimatic records to calibrate the geologic time scale.
- Use dates to estimate rates of geological processes such as flood basalts, impacts, mass extinctions, deformation, orogeny, magmatism, mountain uplift, erosion, and sedimentation.
- Evaluate a geochronological approach to a specific geological problem.
Grades
Latest available · Fall 2023— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
Grades over time
Through Fall 2023
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Sources & history
Catalog & offerings
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Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
Model & dataset provenance
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