Program Overview

Geophysics Program

The Geophysics program offers a range of courses and research opportunities in the field of geophysics. The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the Earth's structure and dynamics, as well as the principles and methods of geophysical exploration.

Course Offerings

• GEOPHYS 5000 Special Problems: Problems or readings on specific subjects or projects in the department. Consent of instructor required.
• GEOPHYS 5001 Special Topics: This course is designed to give the department an opportunity to test a new course. Variable title.
• GEOPHYS 5010 Seminar: Discussion of current topics.
• GEOPHYS 5040 Oral Examination: After completion of all other program requirements, oral examinations for on-campus M.S./Ph.D. students may be processed during intersession. Off-campus M.S. students must be enrolled in oral examination and must have paid an oral examination fee at the time of the defense/comprehensive examination (oral/written).
• GEOPHYS 5096 Global Tectonics: An integrated view of the Earth's structure and dynamics with an emphasis on information gained through geophysical methods.
• GEOPHYS 5099 Research: Investigations of an advanced nature leading to the preparation of a thesis or dissertation. Consent of instructor required.
• GEOPHYS 5202 Exploration and Development Seismology: Principles of reflection seismology as applied to the delineation of geologic structures and the determination of stratigraphy and lithology.
• GEOPHYS 5211 Seismic Stratigraphy: A study of the seismic expression of depositional models.
• GEOPHYS 5221 Wave Propagation: A study of Hamilton's principle and energy theorems, fundamentals of plane wave theory, waves in stratified fluids, elastic waves in solids, electromagnetic and hydromagnetic radiation, and Allen's functions and point sources.
• GEOPHYS 5231 Seismic Data Processing: Introduction to seismic data processing.
• GEOPHYS 5241 Advanced Electrical And Electromagnetic Methods In Geophysical Exploration: Theory of the electrical geophysical methods as applied to subsurface investigations addressing geologic, engineering, groundwater and contaminant transport problems.
• GEOPHYS 5261 Computational Geophysics: Scientific programming in a UNIX/Linux environment, with emphasis on solving geophysical problems.
• GEOPHYS 5432 Potential Field Theory: The mathematics and physics of gravitational, magnetic, and electrical fields of the earth as derived from potential functions, with applications to practical problems.
• GEOPHYS 5736 Geophysical Field Methods: Imaging of selected subsurface features and engineering structures using various geophysical tools.
• GEOPHYS 5761 Transportation Applications of Geophysics: Overview of geophysical and non-destructive test methods that are commonly used to investigate transportation structures and their foundations.
• GEOPHYS 5782 Environmental and Engineering Geophysics: An introduction to the theory and application of the gravity, magnetic, resistivity, self-potential, induced polarization and electromagnetic methods as applied to the solution of engineering and environmental problems.
• GEOPHYS 6000 Special Problems: Problems or readings on specific subjects or projects in the department. Consent of instructor required.
• GEOPHYS 6001 Special Topics: This course is designed to give the department an opportunity to test a new course. Variable title.
• GEOPHYS 6010 Seminar: Discussion of current topics.
• GEOPHYS 6040 Oral Examination: After completion of all other program requirements, oral examinations for on-campus M.S./Ph.D. students may be processed during intersession.
• GEOPHYS 6050 Continuous Registration: Doctoral candidates who have completed all requirements for the degree except the dissertation and are away from the campus must continue to enroll for at least one hour of credit each registration period until the degree is completed.
• GEOPHYS 6099 Research: Investigations of an advanced nature leading to the preparation of a thesis or dissertation. Consent of instructor required.
• GEOPHYS 6211 Advanced Seismic Interpretation: The integration of geologic information, well log data and seismic information for interpreting the earth's subsurface using advanced 3-D seismic interpretation software packages.
• GEOPHYS 6221 Advanced Geophysical Data Analysis: Applications of advanced time series and spatial series analysis techniques to geophysical data.
• GEOPHYS 6231 Advanced Seismic Data Processing: Theory and application of seismic data processing.
• GEOPHYS 6232 Introduction to Satellite Geodesy: An introduction to satellite geodetic methods, including Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS), satellite gravity, Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) and Interferometric SAR (InSAR), and LiDAR.
• GEOPHYS 6241 The Theory of Elastic Waves: A mathematical study of elastic waves in the layered earth.
• GEOPHYS 6251 Geophysical Inverse Theory: A study of inverse theory applied to geophysical data, focusing on the relationship between data and model spaces and ways to estimate model parameters via global and local optimization techniques.
• GEOPHYS 6401 Introduction to Positioning, Navigation, and Timing: This course provides a technical introduction to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), covering theory, procedures, and accuracy issues.
• GEOPHYS 6403 Advanced Positioning, Navigation, and Timing: Advanced topics in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Research Areas

The Geophysics program offers research opportunities in a variety of areas, including:

• Seismology
• Gravity and magnetic methods
• Electrical and electromagnetic methods
• Geophysical data analysis and interpretation
• Satellite geodesy and positioning, navigation, and timing

Program Requirements

• Completion of all required coursework
• Passing of oral and written examinations
• Completion of a thesis or dissertation
• Continuous registration for doctoral candidates