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Department of Physics

ΕΚ511

10ΕΚ511 Physics of the Earth's Solid Crust (postgraduate)

Course webpage:https://eclass.uoa.gr/courses/PHYS172

Course outline

Course content

  • Introduction to elasticity theory: Mechanical stress and strain. The elastic region as a necessary limit of thermodynamic equilibrium. Lamé measures. Equations of elasticity. The body waves P and S as solutions of these equations with the corresponding scalar and vector potentials.
  • Introduction to Physics of the rocks: Introduction to Physics of the Earth. Grüneisen theory. Harmonicity-anharmonicity. Melting. Porous materials. Heterogeneity and transfer phenomena. Effect of fluid infiltration on the elastic parameters of rocks.
  • Strength, imperfections and breakage of crystalline materials and rocks: Effect of point and line defects on the strength of crystalline materials and fracture processes, theoretical models. Mechanical properties of materials of the Earth. Critical phenomena and dynamic instability during the fracture preparation process. Theoretical models relating mechanical processes preceding rock fracture to the emission of wide-frequency electromagnetic signals.
  • Seismic waves and structure of the Earth's Solid Crust: Seismic waves. Structure of the Earth's Solid Crust. Thermal and pressure gradients in Earth's interior. Earthquakes and tectonics of lithospheric plates, faults. Body waves. Surface waves. Seismic wave velocities. Constitution of the Earth.
  • The temperature field in the Solid Crust of the Earth: Fourier theory. The first scientific calculation for the age of the Earth (Lord Kelvin 1862).
  • The electromagnetic field in the Solid Crust of the Earth: Electromagnetic properties of the materials of the Earth's Solid Crust. Dispersion relations. The semi-static approximation of Maxwell's equations for their application to the Earth's Solid Crust. Transmission of electromagnetic disturbances in the Earth's Solid Crust: Diffusion-propagation.
  • Electric and electromagnetic prospecting methods: Electrical methods (DC resistivity method). Magnetotelluric method (MT method).
  • Introduction to the Physics of preseismic electric signals: The VAN method of short-term earthquake prediction. Physical properties of Seismic Electric Signals (SES).