| CODE | GSC2101 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Fundamentals of Geophysics | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Geosciences | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will introduce the fundamental physical principles that govern our earth, from its mechanical behaviour in space to the thermal properties of its interior. It will serve as the foundation for understanding the applications of geophysics to the investigation and exploitation of the earth's resources and the understanding of geohazards. The topics to be covered are: 1. Shape of the Earth, moments of inertia, rotation characteristics of the Earth; 2. Earth's gravitational field; spherical harmonic representation; 3. Earth's magnetic field: dipole and non-dipole field, generation of the field dipole approximation and multipole expansion; secular variation; 4. Radiometric dating of rocks using different isotope methods; 5. Seismic wave propagation and application to the study of the Earth's interior. Study-unit Aims: The aims of the study-unit are to: 1. instil in students an appreciation of the scale and workings of the solar system ,the planets, and Earth in particular; 2. train students to apply their knowledge of physics to various physical situations related to the Earth; 3. appreciate the various properties, forces and processes that interact to make the Earth a dynamic planet; 4. expose students to the most recent theories, research and results being made in the Earth Sciences, and instil an inquisitive attitude towards geoscience. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. describe and explain the motions associated with the Earth as a planet; 2. explain the Earth's gravitational field in terms of both simple classical formulas as well as through a spherical harmonics model; 3. distinguish between the Earth's dipole and non-dipole magnetic field, and describe the dipole field in terms of harmonic expansions; 4. give an account of the secular variation patterns of the geomagnetic field and their origin; 5. explain the use of various isotope dating methods to find the age of rocks; 6. distinguish between the different seismic wave types, and describe how seismic waves are used to deduce the Earth's interior structure; 7. give a simple interpretation of earthquake seismograms. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. apply their knowledge of physics to solve problems related to the earth; 2. use fundamental research skills to enhance their understanding of a topic; 3. use and interpret seismograms to provide data about earthquakes and seismic waves. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Lowrie, William. (2011) Fundamentals of Geophysics . 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press. - Fowler, C. M. R. (2005) The Solid Earth: An Introduction to Global Geophysics. Cambridge University Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study & Tutorial | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Matthew R Agius |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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