Catalog: First of two-part sequence on theory and application of practical geophysics. Lectures are supplemented by the collection of gravity, magnetic, and seismic data and production of field reports. Includes an introduction to MATLAB for analysis and interpretation of data. SIO 103 recommended. Prerequisites: Math. 20D and Phys. 2C, or consent of instructor. (W)

In practice, now a stand-alone class focussing on gravity, magnetic, and resistivity methods.

Instructor: Steven Constable, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

In this course we are going to focus on the application of geophysical methods to natural resources, also called applied geophysics. We will include engineering geophysics and what has become known as environmental geophysics. Indeed, the applications of the techniques you will learn in this class are extremely diverse, from traditional areas like petroleum and mineral exploration, to archaeology and finding grave sites, both modern and historical. The one thing that links all these methods is that they are 'shallow', that is they are primarily concerned with features that can be drilled to or dug up. For the petroleum industry, this can still be quite deep, from 5 to 10 km, but for the most part we will be dealing with exploration tools for the top 100 to 1000 meters.

Download a PDF of the course synopsis.

Consider signing up for SAGE - Summer of Applied Geophysics Experience.