Caltech Seismological Laboratory [Earthquakes, Research, Academics]

On this page you will find the Geophysics course list with short descriptions. Also, some classes will have a class website you can view.

Always check with the Option Representative for course changes and announcements. Consult the Caltech Catalog for a complete listing of courses.

Geophysics Option Courses/Course Websites 2004-2005

Ge 11 abcd Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences
9 units each term. Prerequisites: Ch 1, Ma 1, and Ph 1; or instructor’s permission. Comprehensive, integrated overview of the earth and planets. Although designed as a sequence, any one term can be taken as a stand-alone course. Biologists are particularly welcome in Ge 11 b, as are physicists and astronomers in Ge/Ay 11 c.

a. Earth as a Planet. (3-3-3); first term. Systematic introduction to the physical and chemical processes that have shaped Earth as a planet over geological time, and the observable products of these processes—rock materials, minerals, land forms. Geophysics of Earth. Plate tectonics; earthquakes; igneous activity. Weathering, erosion, and sedimentary rocks. Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks. Rock deformation and mountain building. Role of aqueous, atmospheric, glacial, and tectonic processes in shaping the earth’s surface and our environment. Earth resources. Field trips, interpretation of geological maps, and laboratory study of earth materials (minerals and rocks). Instructor: Eiler.

b. Earth and the Biosphere. (3-3-3); second term. Systematic analysis of the origin and evolution of life in the solar system, and its impact on the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and climate of Earth. Archean surface environments and production of oxygen. Bacterial evolution, photosynthesis, genes as fossils. Banded iron stones, algal mats, stromatolites, global glaciation, and molecular evolution. Biological fractionation of stable isotopes. Numerical calibration of the geological time scale, the Cambrian evolutionary explosion, mass extinction events, and human evolution. The course usually includes one major field trip, and laboratory studies of fossils, Precambrian rocks, and geological processes. Instructor: Kirschvink.

Ge/Ay 11 c. Planetary Sciences. (3-0-6); third term. A broad introduction to what is known about the origin, evolution, and present state of the solar system. Observations on young solar mass stars, disks, and extrasolar planets, as well as meteorite properties and planet formation models, are the constraints on solar-system origin. Based on data from earth-based observations, planetary spacecraft, and extraterrestrial materials, the evolution and present states of planetary objects are addressed systematically by considering small bodies (comets and asteroids), the terrestrial planets, the giant planets, and finally, the icy bodies of the outer solar system. Instructor: Sari.

d. Geophysics. (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisites: Ma 2, Ph 2. An introduction to the geophysics of the solid earth; formation of planets; structure and composition of Earth; interactions between crust, mantle, and core; surface and internal dynamics; mantle convection; imaging of the interior; seismic tomography. Instructors: Gurnis, Clayton.

Ge 102 Introduction to Geophysics
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisites: Ma 2, Ph 2, or Ge 108, or equivalents. An introduction to the physics of the earth. The present internal structure and dynamics of the earth are considered in light of constraints from the gravitational and magnetic fields, seismology, and mineral physics. The fundamentals of wave propagation in earth materials are developed and applied to inferring earth structure. The earthquake source is described in terms of seismic and geodetic signals. The following are also considered: the contributions that heat-flow, gravity, paleomagnetic, and earthquake mechanism data have made to our understanding of plate tectonics, the driving mechanism of plate tectonics, and the energy sources of mantle convection and the geodynamo. Instructor: Simons.

Ge 111 ab Applied Geophysics Seminar and Field Course
An introduction to the theory and application of basic geophysical field techniques consisting of a comprehensive survey of a particular field area using a variety of methods (e.g., gravity, magnetic, electrical, GPS, seismic studies, and satellite remote sensing). The course will consist of a seminar held in the third term, which will discuss the scientific background for the chosen field area, along with the theoretical basis and implementation of the various measurement techniques. The 6-10 day field/data analysis component is covered in Ge 111 b. May be repeated for credit with an instructor’s permission. Instructors: Simons, Clayton, Stock.

a. Applied Geophysics Seminar. 6 units (3-3-0); third term. Prerequisite: instructor’s permission.

b. Applied Geophysics Field Course. 9 units (0-3-6); summer term. Prerequisite: Ge 111 a.

Ge 121 ab. Advanced Field and Structural Geology. 12 units (0-9-3); first, third terms. Prerequisites: Ge 120 or equivalent, or instructor’s permission. Field mapping and supporting laboratory studies in topical problems related to Southern California tectonics and petrogenesis. Each year the sequence offers a breadth of experience in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Instructors: Stock (first term), Saleeby (third term).

Ae/Ge/ME 160 abc Continuum Mechanics of Fluids and Solids
9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see the Aeronautics section of the Caltech Catalog (Note: Adobe Acrobat document).

Ge 161 Plate Tectonics
9 units (3-0-6); first term. Prerequisite: Ge 11 ab or equivalent. Geophysical and geological observations related to plate tectonic theory. Instantaneous and finite motion of rigid plates on a sphere; marine magnetic and paleomagnetic measurements; seismicity and tectonics of plate boundaries; reference frames and absolute plate motions. Interpretations of geologic data in the context of plate tectonics; plate tectonic evolution of the ocean basins. Instructor: Stock.

Ge 162 Seismology
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: ACM 95/100 abc or equivalent. Review of concepts in classical seismology. Topics to be covered: basic theories of wave propagation in the earth, instrumentation, Earth’s structure and tomography, theory of the seismic source, physics of earthquakes, and seismic risk. Emphasis will be placed on how quantitative mathematical and physical methods are used to understand complex natural processes, such as earthquakes. Instructor: Tromp.     (to the top)

Ge 163 Physics of the Earth’s Interior
9 units (3-0-6); third term. Prerequisite: Ae/Ge/ME 160 ab. Quantitative introduction to the dynamics of the earth, including core, mantle, lithosphere and crust. Mechanical models are developed for each of these regions and compared to a variety of data sets. Potential theory applied to the gravitational and geomagnetic fields. Soecial attention is given to the dynamics of plate tectonics and the earthquake cycle. Instructors: Gurnis, Simons.
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Ge 164. Mineral Physics of Earth’s Interior.
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisites: Ch 1 ab, Ph 1 ab, Ma 1 ab. This course will introduce and explore the mineral physics of Earth’s interior. Topics to be covered: elasticity and equations of state, vibrational and electronic properties of minerals, transport properties, phase transitions; determinations of pressure and temperature of samples under extreme conditions; application of mineral physics data to Earth and planetary interiors. A short survey will be given on experimental approaches used in mineral physics, with an emphasis on recent advances in synchrotron-based X-ray scattering methods at extreme conditions. Instructor: Jackson. Given in alternate years; offered 2007–08.

Ge 165 Geophysical Data Analysis
9 units (3-0-6); first term. Prerequisites: basic linear algebra and Fourier transforms. Introduction to modern digital analysis: discrete Fourier transforms, Z-transforms, filters, deconvolution, auto-regressive models, spectral estimation, basic statistics, 1-D wavelets, model fitting via singular valued decomposition. Instructor: Clayton.

Ge 166 Radar Imaging of the Earth for Geoscience Applications
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: Ge 165 or instructor’s permission. Basics of wave propagation and backscattering from surfaces, synthetic aperture radar imaging theory, radar signal processing, image interpretation, methods of interferometry and polarimetry. Practical experience in forming radar images from signal data, interfering them for measuring topography and surface change. Computer laboratory based on interferometric radar processing package applied to data from modern spaceborne radar sensors. Emphasis on understanding the characteristics of the images, including geophysical signals, random error sources, and signal processing artifacts. Given in alternate years; not offered 2005-06.

Ge 168 Crustal Geophysics
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: ACM 95/100 or equivalent, or instructor’s permission. The analysis of geophysical data related to crust processes. Topics include reflection and refraction seismology, tomography, gravity, magnetics, and geodesy. Instructor: Clayton.

Ge 169 ab Readings in Geophysics
6 units (3-0-3); second, third terms. Reading courses are offered to teach students to critically read the work of others and to broaden their knowledge about specific topics. Each student will be required to write a short summary of each paper that summarizes the main goals of the paper, to give an assessment of how well the author achieved those goals, and to point out related issues not discussed in the paper. Each student will be expected to lead the discussion on one or more papers. The leader will summarize the discussion on the paper(s) in writing. A list of topics offered each year will be posted on the Web. Individual terms may be taken for credit multiple times without regard to sequence. Instructor: Staff.

Ge 179 abc Seismological Laboratory Seminar
1 unit (1-0-0); first, second, third terms. Presentation of current research in geophysics by students, staff, and visitors. Graded pass/fail. Instructor: Helmberger.   (to the top)

CE/Ge 181 Engineering Seismology
9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see the Civil Engineering section of the Caltech Catalog. (Note: Adobe Acrobat document).

Ge 193 Special Topics in Geophysics
Units to be arranged. Offered by announcement only. Advanced-level discussions of problems of current interest in geophysics. Students may enroll for any or all terms of this course without regard to sequence. Instructor: Staff.

Ge 211 Applied Geophysics II
Units to be arranged. Prerequisite: instructor’s permission. Intensive geophysical field experience in either marine or continental settings. Marine option will include participation in a student training cruise, with several weeks aboard a geophysical research vessel, conducting geophysical measurements (multibeam bathymetry, gravity, magnetics, and seismics), processing and interpreting the data. Supporting lectures and problem sets on the theoretical basis of the relevant geophysical techniques and the tectonic background of the survey area will occur before and during the training cruise. The course might be offered in a similar format in other isolated situations. The course will be scheduled only when opportunities arise and this usually means that only six months’ notice can be given. The latest information on the status of the course is available at http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~jstock/Ge211.html. Instructors: Stock, Clayton, Gurnis.

Ge 260 Physics of Earth Materials
9 units (3-2-4); second term. Prerequisite: familiarity with basic concepts of thermodynamics and mineralogy; instructor’s permission. Application of high-pressure physics to geologic problems. Topics: concepts of elastic and shock propagation in single and polycrystalline solids and in fluids, and their relation to various thermodynamic processes; phase changes, dynamic yielding, shock metamorphism, high-pressure electrical properties of minerals, and application of shock and ultrasonic equation-of-state data to earth and planetary interiors. Instructors: Ahrens and Stock. Given in alternate years; not offered 2005–06.
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Ge 261 Advanced Seismology
9 units (3-0-6); third term. Continuation of Seismology with special emphasis on particular complex problems; includes generalizations of analytical methods to handle non-planar structures and methods of interfacing numerical-analytical codes in 2- and 3-dimensions; construction of earth models using tomographic methods and synthetics; requires a class project. Instructors: Helmberger and staff.

Ge 262 Long-Period Seismology
9 units (3-0-6); third term. Free oscillations and surface waves. Equations of motion that govern the vibrations of the prestressed, rotating, self-gravitating Earth model. Normal modes of a spherically symmetric Earth model: toroidal and spheroidal modes, Love and Rayleigh surface waves, and mode-ray duality. Effects of rotation, hydrostatic ellipticity, and lateral heterogeneity on free oscillations. Description of an earthquake in terms of the centroid-moment tensor. Free oscillations of an anelastic Earth model: attenuation, physical dispersion, and the Kramers-Kronig relations. Instructor: Tromp. Given in alternate years; offered 2003–04.

Ge 263 Computational Geophysics
9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: introductory class in geophysics, class in partial differential equations, some programming experience. Finite-difference, pseudospectral, finite-element, and spectral-element methods will be presented and applied to a number of geophysical problems including heat flow, deformation, and wave propagation. Students will program simple versions of methods. Instructors: Tromp, Gurnis, Clayton. Given in alternate years; not offered 2003–04.

Ge 264 Physics of Earthquakes
9 units (3-0-6); third term. Prerequisite: Ge 161 or equivalent. Bridges basic theories in seismology to modern seismic data. Emphasis is on understanding the physics of earthquakes through hands-on analyses of data. Designed for students who plan to conduct research in seismology and related subjects. Students are expected to spend a total of 50 hours working on the data. Topics to be covered: modern seismic instruments, time series analysis, seismic sources and displacement fields, interpretation of broad-band (10 Hz to DC) seismic data, the link between microscopic and macroscopic physics of earthquakes. Instructor: Kanamori.

Ge 265 Exploration Geophysics
9 units (3-0-6); third term. Prerequisites: Ge 162, Ge 165 a or equivalents, or instructor’s permission. The analysis of geophysical data related to crustal imaging and processes. Topics include reflection and refraction seismology, tomography, gravity, magnetics, and electrical methods. Instructor: Clayton. Not offered 2003–04. (to the top)

Ae/Ge/ME 266 ab. Dynamic Fracture and Frictional Faulting
9 units (3-0-6), first, second terms. Prerequisites: Ae/AM/CE/ME 102abc or Ae/Ge/ME 160 or instructor's permission. Introduction to elastodynamics, waves in solids. Dynamic fracture theory, energy concepts, cohesive zone models. Friction laws, nucleation of frictional instabilities, dynamic rupture of frictional interfaces. Radiation from moving cracks. Thermal effects during dynamic fracture and faulting. Crack branching, faulting along nonplanar interfaces. Related dynamic phenomena such as adiabatic shear localization. Applications to engineering phenomena and physics and mechanics of earthquakes. Instructor: Lapusta.

Ge 297 Advanced Study
Units to be arranged.

Ge 299 Thesis Research
Original investigation, designed to give training in methods of research, to serve as theses for higher degrees, and to yield contributions to scientific knowledge.

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