Ge 102
Introduction to Geophysics

Course Description

Topics

Homework

Textbooks

Useful Links

Instructor

Ge 102: Introduction to Geophysics (Winter 2009)

Course Description

An introduction to the physics of the earth. The present internal structure and dynamics of the earth are considered in light of constraints from the gravitational and magnetic fields, seismology, and mineral physics. The fundamentals of wave propagation in earth materials are developed and applied to inferring earth structure. The earthquake source is described in terms of seismic and geodetic signals. The following are also considered: the contributions that heat-flow, gravity, paleomagnetic, and earthquake mechanism data have made to our understanding of plate tectonics, the driving mechanism of plate tectonics, and the energy sources of mantle convection and the geodynamo.

Units: 3-0-6 (second term)
Prerequisites: Ma 2, Ph 2, or Ge 108, or equivalents
Regular class time: Tues. and Thurs. 10:30am - 12:00pm, 162 S.Mudd
Grading policy: 10% in class participation, 30% paper reading summaries, 30% 'hands on' problem sets, and 30% final.

Paper reading summaries will be a comparison/discussion of 2 assigned papers on a given subject. See below for more details.

Standard 'from the book' problem sets will be assigned. Since answers are also available online, these problems will NOT be graded - so feel free to discuss them with your fellow students and at scheduled office hours. If there are specific issues in the problem sets that seem troubling, we will also cover them in class.

We will also assign a few 'hands on' problems that require plotting up data and doing some basic analysis of that data. We are available to give any and all help in getting you up to speed with Matlab. You are also free to use any other language/plotting tools you wish.

The final exam will be a 3 hour take home exam. It will consist of simple 'from the book' types of problems, general background questions, and some short discussion problems. The exam will be closed book, closed notes, closed calculator. Please do not look at previous exams from this class.

Seminars

Please attend relevant department seminars: Seismolab seminars, GPS Division seminars, Geoclub, Planetary Science seminars, and the Geophysics brownbag series. These are important to give you a glimpse at current research questions in geophysics.


Topics

When possible, do the (Stacey&Davis) reading before the corresponding lecture.

Week
 Lecture
 Day
 Topic(s)
 Reading
1
 1
 1/6
 Admin. Issues and Geophysical Overview
 Chs. 1.1, 1.14, 2, PDF
1
 NaN
 1/8
 Matlab Tutorial
2
 2
 1/13
 Rotation, Geodesy, Tides
 Chs. 6&7, 8.1-3
2
 3
 1/15
 Rotation, Geodesy, Tides
 Chs. 6&7, 8.1-3, PDF
3
 4
 1/20
 Geoid, Isostasy
 Ch. 9, GTRs
3
 5
 1/22
 Geoid, Isostasy
 Ch. 9
4
 6
 1/27
 In/elastic properties
 Ch. 10, PDF
4
 7
 1/29
 Rock Mechanics
 Ch. 11
5
 8
 2/3
 Post-glacial Rebound
 Ch. 9.5-6
5
 9
 2/5
 Plate Tectonics
 Ch. 12, PDF
6
 10
 2/10
 Post-glacial Rebound and discussion
 Chs. 9.5-6
7
 11
 2/12
 Heat, Convection
 Chs. 13.1-5, 19.1-7, 20, 21, 22.1-5, 23
8
 12
 2/17
 Heat, Convection
 Chs. 13.1-5, 19.1-7, 20, 21, 22.1-5, 23
9
 13
 2/19
 Heat, Convection
 Chs. 13.1-5, 19.1-7, 20, 21, 22.1-5, 23
10
 14
 2/24
 Heat, Convection
 Chs. 13.1-5, 19.1-7, 20, 21, 22.1-5, 23
11
 15
 2/26
 Earthquakes
 Chs. 14.1-4, 14.6-8 (15 optional)
12
 16
 3/3
 Seismology and Earth Structure
 Chs. 16.1-2, 16.4-6, 17.1-8
13
 17
 3/5
 Seismology and Earth Structure
 Chs. 16.1-2, 16.4-6, 17.1-8
14
 18
 3/10
 Seismology and Earth Structure
 Chs. 16.1-2, 16.4-6, 17.1-8

Homework

Homeworks will be assigned and due one week later. Late homeworks will be penalized 10% per day, unless there is a clear problem with the assignment or you have an unforseen emergency. Discussing homeworks with fellow students is fine, but what is turned in should represent your work, not a group effort.

Solutions to the S&D problems are available online, so those portions of assigned homework will not be graded. However, you will be responsible for the material they cover.

# Date Due (@ beginning of the class)
 Topic(s) Homework
1 1/13
 Origin of Solar System/Earth S&D 1.1, 1.2, 2.2
2 1/15
 Hypsometric Curves HW1, Earth data, Venus data, Matlab E file, Matlab V file
3 1/22
 Gravity and Topography HW2, Geoid (ascii), Gravity (ascii), Geoid/Grav (mat), Filtered geoid (ascii), Filtered geoid (mat), Filtered topo (ascii), Filtered topo (mat)
4 2/3
 Geodesy, Isostasy, Mechanics S&D 6.2, 9.2, 9.3, 11.1, 11.2, 11.6
5 2/5
 Readings on Glacial Rebound papers #1-3 below
6 2/12
 Plate Tectonics and Deformation HW3, data (.mat), data (.ascii)
7 2/24
 Heat Flow paper #4 below
8 2/26
 Heat Flux S&D 20.2, 20.3, 20.5
9 3/3
 Mohr's Circle/Faulting Criteria HW4
10 3/5
 Heat Flux S&D 21.2, 21.3
11 3/10
 Giant Earthquakes paper #5 below
12 3/17
 Body Waves, Earth Structure 16.1, 16.2, 17.1, 17.3, 17.7


Papers

As part of this class, we will read selected important papers. The papers will be handed out during the class or available as PDFs from the class website. A summary of the paper will be due a week later.

Paper reading summaries will be a comparison/discussion of 2 assigned papers on a given subject. In terms of requirements, these summaries are not to exceed 3 pages (typed, double spaced, 12 pt font, with 1.25 inch margins). Grading of summaries will be based on both the content and the clarity of the writing. Since these summaries are intended as practice in scientific writing style, please minimize use of the passive voice, meta-discourse (talking about what you are going to talk about), chattiness and colloquialisms. We expect between 4 and 5 summaries to be assigned over the course of the class.

# Date Due Topic Paper
1 2/5
 Glacial Rebound Walcott (1973)
2 2/5
 Glacial Rebound
 Simons (1997)
3 2/5
 Glacial Rebound Tamisiea (2007)
4 2/24
 Heat Flow
 O'Connell and Hager (1980)
5 3/10
 Giant Earthquakes
 Kanamori (2006)



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Last updated Feb. 6, 2009