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GL5573: FIELD GEOPHYSICAL DATA ACQUISITION AND DIGITAL SUBSURFACE MAPPING (2024-2025)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 11:08


Course Overview

This module will take students to the boundaries of applied geophysics, through hands-on training to academia and industry standard techniques in field geophysical data acquisition, visualisation, and mapping. The course content is drawn from academic research, industry geophysics case studies, and dedicated field geophysics training. It provides skills that open up career paths to graduates in a range of geophysical industries. The balance between topics and techniques may shift from year to year in response to changing patterns of research and changing employer demand.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Jean-Christophe Comte

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)
  • MSc Geophysics

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This module provides professional hands-on training in academia and industry standard techniques in field geophysical data acquisition and their digital visualisation and mapping. Drawing on expertise from internal and external teaching staff, students will gain hands-on experience in current techniques through lectures, tutorials, field trips and professional reporting to expand on their skills gained in other areas of the MSc Geophysics curriculum. 

 

For field geophysical data acquisition, training will be delivered through dedicated field courses involving hand-on practice of industry-standard geophysical instrumentation with associated interpretation software available at Aberdeen, including:

  • Seismic reflection and refraction
  • Electrical resistivity and induced polarization
  • Ground penetrating radar
  • Passive magnetometry
  • Passive seismics
  • Plus field instrumentation made available through the programme’s industry partners including for example frequency and time-domain electromagnetics, shear waves and surface waves seismics, etc.

 

For geophysical data digital visualisation and mapping, training will be delivered through hand-on practicals on the use of:

  • Geographical information systems (GIS)
  • 3D geophysical visualisation and modelling software, including geophysical data inversion

 

Typical application areas may change from year to year in response to changing employer demand, but will typically include:

  • Environmental geophysics
  • Civil engineering geophysics
  • Archaeological geophysics
  • Forensic geophysics
  • Mining geophysics
  • Geophysical hazards

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Lab Report: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 34
Assessment Weeks 30 Feedback Weeks 34

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

On one of the technical tutorials associated with the geophysical mapping and visualising techniques. Feedback via MyAberdeen – annotating reports and verbal.   

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralApplyStudents will be able to carry out demonstrated workflows to achieve geophysical data processing, visualising, mapping and interpretation.

Oral Presentation: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 33
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Oral presentation summarising the results and interpretation of the geophysical data collected during the field courses.

15 min presentation + 5 min for questions

Feedback via MyAberdeen – annotating presentations and verbal.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralApplyStudents will be able to carry out demonstrated workflows to achieve geophysical data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and extract key findings to present to specialist audience.

Oral Presentation: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 33
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Poster presentation, with short overview on one aspect of use of GIS in geophysics.

3 min presentation + time for questions (max. 10 min total)

Feedback via MyAberdeen – annotating posters and verbal.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ReflectionCreateStudents will be able to create a summary poster that describes an application of use of GIS in geophysics.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ReflectionCreateStudents will be able to create a summary poster that describes an application of use of GIS in geophysics.
ProceduralApplyStudents will be able to carry out demonstrated workflows to achieve geophysical data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and extract key findings to present to specialist audience.
ProceduralApplyStudents will be able to carry out demonstrated workflows to achieve geophysical data processing, visualising, mapping and interpretation.

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