Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GLY6468
Tracking Number - 5432

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Current Status: -
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments:


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2016-03-28
  2. Department: Geology
  3. College: AS
  4. Budget Account Number: 122500
  5. Contact Person: Chuck Connor
  6. Phone: 8139740325
  7. Email: cbconnor@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: GLY
  9. Number: 6468
  10. Full Title: TERRESTRIAL GRAVITY AND MAGNETISM
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?: N
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Potential Fields Geophysics
  19. Course Online?: L - Blended (1-99% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 15
  21. Grading Option: -
  22. Prerequisites: MAC 2312, PHY 2048
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: Terrestrial gravity and magnetic fields are used to determine the structure of the Earth's interior and the nature of Earth processes. This course introduces students to the use and interpretation of potential field data in geophysical modeling.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed to compete with national trends
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? This course has been taught four times previously as a special topics course (GLY6739). This course is taken by M.S. and Ph.D. students who plan to work in geophysics (either in industry or in academia). Course enrollment has been 6 to 10 students. The course is being taught in Spring 2016 to nine students. This course will become an elective in the Computational Geophysics track of the Professional Geology Master's of Science track. Doctoral-level students take the course in order to master techniques required for their research projects.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 3 or more times
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Ph.D in Geosciences. Experience in potential fields geophysics, including gravity and magnetic methods
  29. Objectives: The course objectives are:

    Learn about potential field methods (gravity and magnetics)

    Learn how to apply potential field methods to improve understanding of the Earth at various scales

    Learn about computing and computing applications in potential fields geophysics

  30. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, each student participant will:

    1. Understand how to use gravity and magnetic data sets to create maps, profiles, and interpret anomalies reflected on these maps.

    2. Understand the interpretation of gravity and magnetic maps for exploration of natural resources, structural geology, tectonic setting, natural hazards, and related Earth processes.

    3. Have the skills to use computer codes to process and interpret gravity and magnetic data.

    Students will demonstrate their knowledge and skills through completion of the modules assignments, quizzes, and the term project.

  31. Major Topics: 1. Basics of Newton’s laws, learn about gravity units, understand the major causes of planetary scale gravity variations

    2. Gravity maps: review the types of gravity maps; learn about the scales of gravity anomalies

    3. Gravitational potential and the geoid, Gauss’s law, excess mass and divergence

    4. Instruments and gravity data processing

    5. Contour integrals, complex shapes, forward models

    6. Magnetic maps

    7. Magnetic properties of rocks and minerals

    8. Filtering of magnetic maps (1D and 2D FFT, upward continuation and anomaly separation)

    9. Forward modeling of magnetic data

    10. Gravity and magnetic data inversion

  32. Textbooks: Gravity and Magnetic Exploration: Principles, Practices and Applications, by Hinze, von Frese, and Saad, Cambridge University Press,
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: On line resources prepared for this course include:

    Module 1: Review of the basics of Earth's gravity field

    Module 2: Gravity Maps

    Module 3: Gravitational Potential and the Geoid

    Module 4: Gauss, Excess Mass, Simple Shapes

    Module 5: Instruments and gravity processing

    Module 6: Density

    Module 7: The terrain correction

    Module 8: Magnetic maps and profiles

    Module 10: Magnetic properties of rocks

    Module 11: The Fourier transform is smoothing magnetic profiles

    Module 12: The 2D Fourier transform for filtering magnetic maps

    Module 13: Forward models of magnetic anomalies

    Module 14: geophysical inversion.

    Each of these modules contains additional resources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, and access to computer codes posted on the canvas website or in public domain Wikis (maintained by USF faculty).

  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: 1. Modules (posted on Canvas) will be assigned each week in the first part of the course (a total of 14 modules). We will go through these modules in class and the completed module problems will be due one week after they were assigned at the beginning of lecture. These problem sets are worth 60% of your final grade. Late assignments will not be accepted unless specifically allowed by the instructor.

    2. A final project involving processing and interpretation of magnetic and gravity data will be completed by each student. This project will include a short write-up (not to exceed 5 pages), maps/profiles and a short presentation of results. The final project will be worth a total of 20% of the course grade.

    3. Quizzes – 20% of course grade. There will be four short exams lasting 1/2 a class period given during the term. These quizzes will test core concepts and understanding, and will not focus on computation. The exams will cover reading material and material presented in the modules. They will be closed book.

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: Each module contains an end of module assignment. Students must complete these end-of-module assignments and turn in the results within one week of assignment. The modules are self-contained and available on the course web-site (in canvas). This means that students can complete some parts of the course on-line, simply by completing the modules. nevertheless, the modules are accompanied by lecture every week, and the students are able to meet twice per week to work on modules as a group.

    Four quizzes are given during the term. These quizzes are ten questions each, and ask about basic course content.

    A term project is required, which typically involves processing a gravity or magnetic data set, visualizing anomalies, and interpreting their origin. Other projects include collecting data and processing, or modeling data sets using computer codes. Occasionally students write computer codes for their project.

  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: All work assigned in this course must be completed by the due date. Quizzes must be completed in class on the day of the quiz. Students will be allowed to make up work by providing a valid reason for lateness, as described in the USF University Policy on Academic Integrity.
  38. Program This Course Supports: M.S. in Geology, Ph.D. in Geology. Professional Geology Master's program
  39. Course Concurrence Information: None


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.