625-304 Applied Geophysics

Earth sciences 625-102. 50 points of geology subjects selected from 625-201, 625-202, 625-211, 625-222, 625-224, 625-203 or 625-223 are strongly recommended.

The teaching of this subject follows these principles:

• The users of geophysical data (geologists, engineers, lawyers, accountants) need to know how geophysics should be done and what can be expected of the results. Geophysicists, in turn, need to know what the users will expect of them.

• The basis for a common understanding between geophysicists and the users of geophysical data lies in the formalisation of the exploration process, based on the scientific method, rather than a detailed understanding of the underlying mathematics.

• Modern computing technologies make it possible to use realistic modelling and simulation of the exploration process to teach by doing.

The subject is broken into modules, each dealing with one exploration method (gravity, magnetics, resistivity and seismic) while avoiding all but the most elementary mathematics. Students learn the relevant physics at an intuitive level with the aid of a series of forward-modelling exercises presented in the context of responding to client-specific problems in the form of 'requests for bid'. Students learn by designing, conducting and interpreting geophysical surveys that yield the greatest benefit-to-cost ratio. While completing these tasks, students learn how geophysicists think, what they do, and how much to trust their conclusions.

A 2-hour end-of-semester written examination (50%); four written assignments of up to 2000 words each. The first assignment is worth 20%, and the scores for the best two of the remaining three (each worth 15%) will be used in the final grade.