Autumn 2022 - ESS 314 - Geophysics

Instructors:

Harold Tobin, [email protected] Teaching Assistant: Barrett Johnson, [email protected]

Textbook

Fundamentals of Geophysics, 3rd edition by Lowrie and Fichtner.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Explain the basic theoretical foundations underlying geophysical phenomena including seismic wave generation and propagation, the Earth’s magnetic, gravity, and electrical fields, heat and heat flow, buoyancy and density of Earth materials, plate tectonics on the Earth.

2. Analyze selected Earth imaging problems and predict qualitative and quantitative effects of subsurface features on measurable physical properties including seismic and electromagnetic waves, the gravity and magnetic fields, and applied and natural electrical potentials and currents.

3. Use geophysical methods to determine Earth structure, and write clear technical reports that present data, present and discuss its analysis, including uncertainties, and draw conclusions about the results.

Assignments and grading:

Problem sets: Problem sets are due one week after assigned. Labs will be 2 hours on Friday, and will involve some practical, field, or computer work and some write-up. The labs will be due at 12:30 pm on the Friday following the lab. More info on the labs forthcoming at the first lab meeting. Tests/Quizzes: There will be four online short tests, all relatively short and with equal weight. There will not be a comprehensive midterm and final exam. Technical report: Some of the labs will involve writing a technical report. In each of these labs you will be interpreting a different type of data to learn incrementally more about a subsurface region of interest.

Lecture Schedule Overview

1. Introduction to Geophysical Methods
2. Seismic Waves and Shallow Earth Imaging
3. Earthquake Seismology and Whole Earth Imaging
4. Plate Tectonics
5. Gravity and Density of Earth
6. Magnetics Field and EM surveys
7. Heat and Heat Flow