EAES204 · Undergraduate
Geophysics
Gravity, heat, geoelectricity, and geomagnetism as tools for understanding the structure and evolution of the solid Earth.
Course overview
This introductory course examines the physical structure and evolution of the solid Earth through gravity, heat, geoelectricity, and geomagnetism. Plate tectonics provides the framework for relating these fields to the present Earth and its geological history. The emphasis is on understanding the Earth’s interior rather than exploration practice. Seismology is covered in a separate course.
Audience and preparation
The course is intended primarily for second-year students in Earth and Environmental Sciences who are new to geophysics. A background in Earth science and introductory calculus is required. Mathematical derivations are explained step by step during lectures.
Topic sequence
- Earth and plate tectonics - The physical Earth and the plate-tectonic framework.
- Gravity - Fundamentals of the Earth’s gravity field.
- Heat - The Earth’s thermal field and geothermal structure.
- Geoelectricity and geomagnetism - Fundamentals of electrical and magnetic fields in the Earth.
Materials and references
Lecture slides are the main course material, supported by the following textbooks:
- Fundamentals of Geophysics, 2nd and 3rd editions. Cambridge University Press.
- C. M. R. Fowler, The Solid Earth: An Introduction to Global Geophysics, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press.
Assessment
Assessment is based on open-book quizzes, with no midterm or final examination and no separate assignments.
- Quizzes typically take 20-30 minutes at the beginning of a class following a full-lecture day. Each quiz covers material introduced since the previous quiz.
- Questions may include true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short-answer, multiple-choice, and written responses.
- The three lowest quiz scores are excluded from the final grade. A missed quiz receives zero, with no additional penalty.
- Quiz scores and class statistics are provided through the course LMS. Questions about grading may be directed to the instructor or teaching assistant.
- Under the attendance policy, absences exceeding one third of class meetings result in no grade.
Consult the course LMS for the current offering’s quiz schedule, teaching arrangements, and any updates to grading or attendance requirements.