Course Description
Analysis of Earth's gravity, magnetic, and seismic wave fields applied to the investigation of structure and dynamics of the Earth's interior. Course will cover theory, methods of analysis, and results of geophysical investigations. Emphasis on major new initiatives in satellite geodesy and digital seismic array studies.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students assigned a research paper and additional homework.
Athena Title
Solid Earth Geophysics
Prerequisite
GEOL 4020-4020L and MATH 2200 and MATH 2200L
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to explain the principles behind using P-wave first motions to interpret the style of faulting for an earthquake.
- Students will be able to synthesize the results of earthquake first motion patterns for the Earth's midocean ridge system.
- Students will be able to nterpret the stress patterns in terms of forces possibly contributing to plate motion.
- Students will be able to discuss the history of ideas regarding Earth's shape and size, including the important contribution of Eratosthenes ca 250 B.C.
- Students will be able to design and conduct simple field experiments to estimate the size of the Moon, the distance to the Moon, the distance to the Sun, and the size of the Sun.
- Students will be able to apply basic principles of Newtonian mechanics, including Newton's three laws of motion and the Law of Universal Gravitation, to describe characteristics of Earth's shape and gravitational field.
- Students will be able to design and carry out an experiment to measure the acceleration of gravity at Earth's surface.
- Students will be able to explain the challenge of using Newton's laws in non-inertial reference frames and the real nature of centrifugal and Coriolis effects.
- Students will be able to compute the magnitude and sign of centrifugal and Coriolis accelerations and their effects of measurements of gravity on the surface of the rotating Earth.
- Students will be able to explain the nature of the geoid.
- Students will be able to interpret geoid anomalies in terms of mass anomalies within the Earth.
- Students will be able to measure the mass of planets using Kepler's third law.
- Students will be able to explain the mechanics of true polar wander and the role of tectonic controls on Earth's rotation.
- Students will be able to explain the generation of tidal accelerations.
- Students will be able to compute free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies.
- Students will be able to interpret gravity anomalies in terms of geologic structure.
- Students will be able to explain various models for isostatic compensation.
- Students will be able to predict the configuration of roots beneath compensated topography; (19) explain the stresses associated with gravitational collapse of mountain topography and the similarity with stress systems at mid-ocean ridges.
- Students will be able to explain the stresses associated with gravitational collapse of mountain topography and the similarity with stress systems at mid-ocean ridges.
Topical Outline
- Contact the instructor for topical outline for this course.
