Overview | Honours | Summary of Courses

Offered By:	ANU Joint Colleges of Science
Academic Contact:	Dr Paul Tregoning and Dr Nicholas Rawlinson
Areas of Interest:	Earth and Marine Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics

Corequisite majors: Physics, Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Earth Science or Water Science

Description:

The physical processes that occur both on and within the Earth have intrigued geophysicists for decades. The specialisation in Earth Physics will provide students with key knowledge and tools to study and understand the science of climate change, deformation of the Earth through plate tectonics and earthquakes, mantle convection and dynamics and structure of the core, physical oceanography and many other facets of geophysics.

The close coupling of physical and mathematical modelling in geophysics enables students with interests in these backgrounds to use and develop their skills in a wide range of disciplines. Students can learn about seismology and the physical properties of the Earth, climate system science, the physics of fluids and ocean circulation.There is a strong focus in the coursework on numerical derivations and computations of geophysical processes, enabling students to generate a strong conceptual and quantitative grasp of how the Earth works.

The specialisation in Earth Physics will provide students with a pathway to higher degree research at Australian or overseas universities in any computational/numerical fields such as geophysics, oceanography, geodesy or Earth materials.

Learning Goals:

On completing the specialisation in Earth Physics students will be able to:

1. Understand how to represent processes in and on the Earth through simple numerical models.
2. Derive numerical estimates of geophysical processes from observations through the use of appropriate theoretical representations of the processes.
3. Undertake group laboratory experiments that mimic Earth processes and use their own observations to gain understanding of the processes.
4. Think critically and assimilate information from different disciplines in order to solve problems related to geophysics.
5. Generate observational datasets and associated numerical models as well as undertake associated statistical analyses.
6. Present research outcomes in scientific reports and seminars to inform expert and non-expert audiences on conceptual and quantitative description of Earth processes.

Requirements

This specialisation requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:

A total of 12 units from the following compulsory courses:

PHYS3034  Physics of Fluid Flows

PHYS3070  Physics of the Earth

A total of 12 units to be chosen from the following courses including:

• 6 units chosen from the following 2000 level courses:

EMSC2021  Climate System Science

MATH2305  Differential Equations

MATH2405  Maths Methods I Hons

• 6 units chosen from the following 3000 level courses:

EMSC3050  Special Topics in Earth Science

MATH3501  Scientific and Industrial Modelling

PHYS3032  Condensed Matter

PHYS3033  Nuclear Physics

PHYS3045  Research Topics Physics

Advice to Students:

The specialisation in Earth Physics is specifically aimed at students with strong interests in physics and/or mathematics.

Students must ensure they have taken the prerequisite courses in maths and physics needed for the compulsory courses of this specialisation.

Students should seek further course advice from one of the academic conveners of the Earth Physics specialisation.

A specialisation in Earth Physics must be taken in conjunction with a Physics, Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Earth Science or Water Science major.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2012 website applies to the 2012 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2011 website.