Undergraduate Course: Geophysical Measurement and Modelling (EASC10110)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is mainly about geophysical measurement and modelling, with selected practical examples. It includes the theory of geophysical fields and waves and both passive and active geophysical measurements. It also includes a lecture and practical on meteorological measurements.
The course includes Fourier analysis and filter theory, which form the rationale for the sampling and manipulation of the data.
The course introduces examples of the measurement of geophysical parameters both in the field and in the laboratory, with special attention to the handling of uncertainties in measured quantities. Practical exercises involve both acquisition and interpretation of the data.
The five practicals are distributed over the two semesters ¿ three in Semester 1 and two in Semester 2, with the relevant theory introduced before each practical, wherever possible.
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| Course description |
Semester 1
Week 1. Introductory lecture. Telegraph equation. Handling errors in scientific measurements. Accuracy and precision in measurements. Scientific report writing.
Week 2. Practical 1: Gravimetry and statistical data analysis - Computer exercise
Potential fields: Newton's law of gravitation; gravity; gravitational potential; Laplace's equation; Poisson's equation; force due to electric charge and magnetic poles.
Week 3. Satellite orbits, Kepler elements and satellite motion.
Week 4. Acoustic wave equation: total time derivative and partial time derivative; acceleration of a particle; linearization; equation of continuity; pressure waves in a fluid; constitutive equation; 1-D, 2-D and 3-D acoustic wave equations; solution to the 1-D wave equation.
Week 5. Practical 2: Determining density of Silurian mudstones. - Laboratory and computer exercise.
Feedback on Practical Report 1.
Week 6.
Seismic waves: components of strain and stress; equations of motion in an elastic medium; Hooke's law of elasticity; elastic wave equations, P-waves and S-waves; particle motion of a plane wave; solutions to the wave equation; normal modes: oscillations of a string.
Week 7. Fourier Analysis and Filter Theory, Part 1: Fourier transform; the delta-function; resolution and bandwidth; similarity theorem; impulse function; impulse response; linear filters and convolution; convolution theorem; derivative theorem; wavefield transformation.
Week 8 Practical 3: Thermal diffusivity of a rock core - Laboratory and computer
Fourier Analysis and Filter Theory, Part 2: Sampling theorem and aliasing; filtering; correlation and autocorrelation; deconvolution; effects of noise; upward and downward continuation.
Week 9 Electromagnetic (EM) Waves: Maxwell¿s equations; EM constitutive relations; EM wave equations; plane wave solutions of the EM wave equations, skin depth, wavelength; EM propagation in air and free space; EM propagation in conducting media; diffusion equation.
Week 10 Revision.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Approval of the Course Organiser is needed for this course. Students should have a background equivalent to the University of Edinburgh courses Physics of the Earth (EASC08016) AND ( Algebra and Calculus (PHYS08041) OR Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus (PHYS08042)). |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 17,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 16,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
128 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment details
Exam (50%)
Coursework (50%)
Both the exam and the coursework must be passed to achieve the learning outcomes.
The coursework consists of five practical exercises. The students are expected to do all five and write a report on each in no more than four pages. Written feedback will be provided on the first report.
Each of the subsequent four-page reports will count for 12.5%. The reports will count for a total of 50%. The two-hour exam will be on the whole course, including the practical exercises, and will count for 50%.
For information on deadlines please refer to the Learn page.
Assessment deadlines
Practical Report 1 (formative) - Semester 1, 12:00 Wednesday 1 October (Week 3).
Feedback on Practical Report 1 - Week 5
Practical Report 2 ¿ Semester 1, 12:00 Wednesday 22 October (Week 6).
Practical Report 3 ¿ Semester 1, 12:00 Wednesday 12 November (Week 9).
Practical Report 4 ¿ Semester 2, 12:00 Wednesday 28 January (Week 3).
Practical Report 5 ¿ Semester 2, 12:00 Wednesday 11 February (Week 5).
Pre-requisite courses
Students MUST have passed: Physics of the Earth (EASC08016) AND ( Algebra and Calculus (PHYS08041) OR Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus (PHYS08042))
AI usage Statement:
AI-Assisted Editing
AI tools may be used for identifying ideas, planning, and improving the clarity of your writing, but not for content generation. AI use must be acknowledged in your submission.
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| Feedback |
Feedback will be given on the first practical exercise report, which will not be assessed.
Tutorials will be held in most weeks to cover problems set in lectures and to cover any questions on the course material.
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Geophysical Measurement and Modelling | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with essential mathematical techniques
- Demonstrate familiarity with the application of classical physics to Earth problems
- Analyse observational data including examples of statistical and numerical methods, graphical interpretation and computer modelling
- Appreciate the manipulation of geophysical data to obtain physical properties of the Earth
- Write a concise scientific report, or extended abstract, of no more than four pages
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Reading List
Blackwell, J &Martin, J., 2011, A Scientific Approach to Scientific Writing, Springer
Gauch, H.J., 2012, Scientific Method in Brief,, Cambridge University Press.
Berendsen, J.C., 2011, A student's guide to data and error analysis, Cambridge University Press.
Lowrie, W., Fundamentals of Geophysics, Cambridge University Press.
Lowrie, W., A Student's Guide to Geophysical Equations, Cambridge University Press.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Report-writing skills |
| Keywords | Geophysical equations,Fourier theory,data analysis,laboratory measurements,computer modelling |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Anton Ziolkowski
Tel: (0131 6)50 8511
Email: anton.ziolkowski@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Johan De Klerk
Tel: (0131 6)50 7010
Email: johan.deklerk@ed.ac.uk |
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