Crustal Geophysics

Steven C. Jaume
,

jaumes@cofc.edu

College of Charleston
a

Public four-year institution, primarily undergraduate

Summary

An introductory geophysics course designed for upper level geology undergraduates who have had little to no exposure to geophysics.

Course URL:
Course Size:

less than 15

Course Context:

This is an introductory upper division geophysics survey course with structural geology and math prerequistes. It is taken by junior and senior geology majors as a geology elective and is taught every other year.

Course Goals:

Students should be able to conduct a basic interpretation of gravity and magnetic maps and cross sections.
Students should be able to construct a density/magnetic susceptibility computer model from a gravity/magnetic anomaly cross-secion.
Students should be able to construct a 1D velocity model from seismic refraction data.
Students should be able to take a seismic reflection section and construct a depth section using stacking velocities.
Students should be able to locate earthquakes, using either three or more single channel seismograms or a single three-component seismogram.
Students should be able to critically read at least part of the geophysically literature, and properly assess the limitations of the particular geophysical technique used.
Students should be able to take results from several different geophysical studies and synthesize the results into a single geophysical model of the crust and upper mantle.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Specific geophysical analysis and interpretation skills are taught and assessed via homework problem sets and exams. Students ability to critically read and synthesize material from the geophysical literature is taught and assessed via an iterative term paper project.

Skills Goals

The general goals are an improvement in student's quantitative skills and their ability to critically read and synthesize material from the geophysical literature.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Quantitative skills are assessed via homework problems and critical reading/synthesis skils via an iterative term paper.

Attitudinal Goals

One thing I emphasize in the course is that no single geophysical technique has "the answer"; a synthesis of the multiple geophysical techniques does a much better job of defining earth structure.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

The iterative term paper is designed so that the students can compare/contrast results from different geophysical studies.