CERI 8211 Introduction to Global Geophysics

Table of Contents

Syllabus

Spring 2024 Syllabus

Course Description

This course provides an overview of the important physical characteristics of the solid earth; gravity and the figure of the earth, age of the earth and geochronology, magnetic field and paleomagnetism, plate tectonics, heat energy of the earth, and the internal structure of the earth.

Course Objectives

After taking this course, students will have acquired knowledge on

  • important physical characteristics of the planet Earth and how they were discovered and
  • the physical state of the Earth’s interior that can be inferred from the observed physical properties.

A term project will provide students with training in

  • scientific paper writing and
  • oral scientific communication.

Topics

  • Gravity and the figure of the Earth

    • Sec. 2.1, 2.2 of Lowrie (2007).
    • Normal Gravity and Geoid. Sec. 2.4 of Lowrie (2007).
    • Gravity anomaly. Sec. 2.5.1-2.5.4 and 2.6.4 of Lowrie (2007).
    • Gravity anomaly over major tectonic structures. 

  • Earth’s age and various age-dating techniques

    • Sec. 4.1.2 of Lowrie (2007).
    • Basics of radioactive isotope age dating, mass spectrometer.  
    • Mini lectures on age dating methods: U-Pb/Pb-Pb, K/Ar, fission-track  
    • Mini lectures on age dating methods: Rb/St, Sm/Nd.
    • Review of key points in age dating methods. The oldest rocks on the Earth. 

  • Quiz 1/3.

  • Magnetic properties of the Earth

    • Physics of magnetism. Sec. 5.2.1-5.2.6 of Lowrie. 
    • Rock magnetism. Sec. 5.3.1-5.3.4 and 5.3.6 of Lowrie.
    • Geomagnetism. Sec. 5.4.1-5.4.6 of Lowrie.

  • Plate tectonics

    • Sec. 3.2 of Fowler (2005).
    • Plate boundary kinematics on the flat and spherical Earth. Sec. 2.1-2.3 of Fowler (2005).

  • Quiz 2/3.

  • Thermal characteristics of the Earth

    • Thermodynamic principles and Heat conduction.
    • Internal heat sources and global heat flow: Geotherm and radioactive heat sources. Sec. 4.2.3 and 4.2.5 of Lowrie
    • Internal heat sources and global heat flow: Global heat flow
    • Internal heat sources and global heat flow: Convection.

  • Rheology

    • Basic rheology, brittle strength, strength envelope
    • Isostasy. Estimating mantle viscosity using glacial isostatic adjustment

  • Term project presentations

  • Quiz 3/3

Homework

TBA

Meet your instructor

Eunseo Choi
current

Last updated on Jan 7, 2024