Geophysics

Code:

FIS2010

Acronym:

FIS2010

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Physics

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Physics and Astronomy
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Physics

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:F	0	Official Study Plan	2	-	6	49	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course constitutes a general introduction to the main areas of Geophysics, namely seismology, gravity, geothermics, geomagnetism, geoelectricity and electromagnetic methods. These themes will be approached using the formalism of classical physics.

The main objective of this course is to provide students with mathematical and physical tools that enable the description and analysis of the physical processes that determine the structure and internal dynamics of the Earth.

Learning outcomes and competences

After completion of the course, the student should be able to:

- understand the basic physical principles of geophysical methods;

- process geophysical data;

- formulate, apply and analyse local or global geophysical models;

- solve geophysical problems by adopting critical thinking.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Mathematics: intermediate knowledge in algebra, trigonometry and differential and integral calculus.

Physics: intermediate knowledge in mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism.

Geology: general knowledge.

Program

1. Data acquisition and processing
    Acquisition and reduction of geophysical survey data
    Signal and noise
    Fourier analysis and digital filtering
    Data modelling
    Geological interpretation

 2. Gravity
    Gravitation law
    Gravitational acceleration and potential
    Gravity anomalies
    Gravimetry
    Modelling and interpretation of gravity surveys
    Isostasy
    Earth shape and geoid

 3. Geomagnetism
    Basic notions.
    Magnetic fields of external and internal origin.
    Secular variations.
    The origin of the dipolar magnetic field.
    Model of the geodynamo.
    The origin of the non-dipolar field.
    Magnetometry
    Modelling and interpretation of magnetic surveys.

4. Seismology
    Elasticity and seismic waves.
    Attenuation of seismic waves.
    Reflection and refraction of seismic waves.
    Seismic wave travel time.
    Seismic ray and ray parameter.
    Earth's seismic features and the Earth's internal structure model.
    Seismic tomography.
    Reflection and refraction seismologies.
    Synthetic seismograms.
    Applications of refraction and reflection seismologies to soil study.
    Earthquakes and seismotectonics.

5. Geothermics
    Production of Earth’s internal heat by radioactive decay.
    Continental and oceanic geothermal flow and its measurement.
    Analysis of heat transfer within the Earth.
    Calculation of geothermal equilibrium.
    Variation of temperature in the subsoil due to periodic variations of surface temperature.
    Cooling of the oceanic lithosphere.
    Adiabatic temperature gradient.

6. Geoelectricity
    Basic notions.
    Electrical properties of rocks.
    Surveying technique for the measurement of soil electrical resistivity in different configurations.
    Modelling of experimental data.
    Characteristic curves.
    Vertical electric survey in multilayer soils.

7. Electromagnetic methods
    Basic notions.
    The GPR, HLEM and Slingram techniques.
    Applications in environmental and forensic areas.

Mandatory literature

William Lowrie; Fundamentals of geophysics. ISBN: 0-521-46728-4
Alan E. Mussett; Looking into the earth. ISBN: 0 521 78574 X
C. M. R. Fowler; The solid earth. ISBN: 0-521-38590-3
Peter M. Shearer; Introduction to seismology. ISBN: 0-521-66953-7
Robert J. Lillie; Whole earth geophysics. ISBN: 0-13-490517-2
W. M. Telford; Applied geophysics. ISBN: 0-521-20670-7
Wallace Hall Campbell; Earth magnetism. ISBN: 0-12-158164-0

Complementary Bibliography

Garland, G. D.; Introduction to Geophysics , Toronto: W. B. Saunders Comp., 1979
David Collinson; Methods in rock magnetism and paleomagnetism, Chapman and Hall, 1983
De Bremaecher, J. C.; Geophysics: The Earth’ s Interior, New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1985

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures to teach syllabus contents and practical classes for problem solving. The practical classes will be taught according to the methodology of cooperative learning using whiteboards.

Learning contents, including solutions of proposed problems and problems from previous exams, are available in Moodle e-learning platform. A Moodle discussion forum is open to resolve doubts.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	93,00
Frequência das aulas	49,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

The rules established by FCUP’s Pedagogical Council apply to attending practical classes. The attendance to lecture classes is optional.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade = 0.6×(Exam mark) + 0.4*(Written work mark)

Classification improvement

The grade improvement is made only to the component of evaluation of exam, thus excluding the possibility of improvement to the component of evaluation of written work.

Observations

Jury members:

Teresa Monteiro Seixas
Manuel António Salgueiro da Silva