The course is an introduction to physics of the solid Earth intended for students with substantial background in physics and mathematics including calculus. The course will provide an overview of the structure and evolution of the Earth as a dynamic planet within our solar system. Physical principles will be applied to the following topics: theory of elasticity and elastic wave propagation; modern global seismology as a probe of the Earth's internal structure; earthquakes and the description of seismic sources; thermoelastic properties of geological materials and the interpretation of seismological models; rheology and geodynamics; the Earth’s thermal regime and modes of convection within the Earth's mantle.

Honours Pathway Option

Students taking the HP advanced option will undertake an individual project on a topic of interest from the course syllabus. Such project shall develop in consultation with the course lecturers, and may be in the form of a reading project or a laboratory/numerical experiment accompanied by a final report. The assessment of the project will be agreed upon and undertaken in a manner appropriate to the project
itself (e.g. a written report or essay, a short talk etc.). Students taking the HP option may elect to substitute their project mark either with up to two (out of four) individual assignments or with one of the experiments and accompanying report normally undertaken
during the course (this amounts to a total of 10-20% of the final grade). The assessment weight towards the exam will remain the same.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Discuss the theoretical basis for modern global seismology and employ methods based on such theory to understand earthquake phenomena and the seismological probing of earth structure.

2. Explain key aspects of the physical behaviour of minerals and rocks under the pressure-temperature conditions of the Earth’s interior and use such understanding in the interpretation of seismological models of earth structure and in the analysis of geodynamic phenomena including mantle convection and plate tectonics.

Assessment will be based on:

• 2 assignments and 1 lab reports (equal marks, 30% total, LO1)
• 1 assignment, 1 lab report and 1 oral presentation (equal marks, 30% total, LO2)
• final exam (40%, LO1 & LO2)

32 lectures, 12 tutorials, four 3-hour lab sessions.

MATH1013/1115 and MATH1014/1116, PHYS1101, PHYS1201.