Download GEOPH 421: Seismology and Physical Structure of the Earth

Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4 (2) of the University Calendar
GEOPH 421: Seismology and Physical Structure of the Earth
Instructor:
Phone:
Email:
Office hours:
TA:
Dr. Y. J. Gu
CCIS room 3-107
492-2292
[email protected]
None specific, but free to drop in or email
Yunfeng Chen (CCIS room 4-119),
[email protected]
11:00-12:20 Tu, Th
CCIS room 4-285, Lab room (L1-207)
Class Time:
Place:
Website:
www.ualberta.ca/~ygu/courses/geoph421/index.html
Objective:
This is a 4th year undergraduate course that emphasizes
the theory and applications of seismic body and surface
waves, normal modes, earthquake source, seismic
tomography, synthetic computation, and attenuation.
This course will have a lab component aimed at helping
students work with scientific data pertaining to plate
tectonics and petrology of the earth’s crust and mantle.
Reference Text (not required):
1. Introduction to Seismology
By Peter M. Shearer, Cambridge University Press.
ISBN:
0521669537
2. An Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and
Earth Structure
By Seth Stein and Michael Wysession, Blackwell
Publishing.
ISBN:
0865420785
3. Modern Global Seismology
By Thorn Lay and Terry C. Wallace, Academic Press.
ISBN:
012732870X
Course weights:
1. Assignment:
20% (late penalty 10% a day)
2. Lab participation:
5%
3. Midterm 1
4. Final:
30% (Tentative, Midterm week)
45%
Course outline:
1 Seismic waves and travel times
- Snell’s law and 3-D wave equation
- Plane waves in layered medium, travel times
- Body waves
2 Surface waves and normal modes
- Amplitudes
- Surface waves
- Free oscillations
4. Seismic tomography
- Inverse problems
- Historical overview of tomography and major battles
5. Earthquake source
- Description of source, mechanisms, beachballs
- Distribution of source
- Source propagation and spectra
6. Attenuation and anisotropy
- Theory regarding quality factor
- Seismic anisotropy and observation
- Lab on seismic attenuation
Midterm/Final Exam Rules:
Calculators and formulae sheets are allowed in exams. Devices with any remote
communication or reception capabilities (e.g. cell phones, laptops) are explicitly forbidden. If
in doubt, ask before using a device in an exam. I will distribute formulae sheets before each
exam; feel free to annotate them. Your student photo ID is required to verify your identity.
A student who cannot write the Midterm Test because of an incapacitating illness, severe
domestic affliction, or other compelling reasons may apply to defer the Midterm Test weight
to their Final Exam. The numerical value of the deferred portion of the grade will be adjusted
if the Midterm Test and Final Exam have different grade distributions (e.g. if the student
scores an average score for the final exam, he/she will be assigned the average score for the
midterm). Deferral applications must be made to the instructor within 48 hours of the missed
test and must be supported by a statutory legal declaration made before a Commissioner of
Oaths in the Student Services Office, Faculty of Science, or other appropriate documentation
(§23.3(1) of the University Calendar). For an excused absence where the cause is religious
belief, a student must inform the instructor well ahead of the exam date for approval.
Academic Integrity:
If you work together on homework assignments, write up your solutions independently.
Direct copying of another’s work is plagiarism.