Course overview
Geophysicists are employed in a wide range of industries, including petroleum and mineral exploration, groundwater, contaminants and salinity evaluation, state and government geological surveys, defence science and academic research. This course investigates potential field-based geophysical techniques and diffusive heat flow, covering topics in gravity, magnetics, and steady-state and transient geothermics. We start with the underlying mathematical basis and examine applications at global, exploration and environmental scales. The course also involves methods of geophysical data analysis, modelling, visualisation and interpretation through a series of computer laboratories. The course is aimed at students from a range of numerate scientific backgrounds including geoscience, physics, engineering, mathematics and computer sciences.
Course learning outcomes
- Discuss both quantitatively and conceptually how gravity, magnetic and thermal fields are modified bydifferences in rock composition and/or structure and determine how these effects are manifest in the responses of fields at Earth's surface
- Discuss the assumptions applied to geophysical equations and the conditions under which they apply to gravity,magnetic and thermal phenomena;
- Analyse complex mathematical relationships to determine characteristic temporal and spatial scales of gravity,magnetic and thermal anomalies and their evolution
- Develop mathematical and computer skills to interrogate data and model the geophysical fields
- Work together in groups to create, process and analyse experimental data