Department of Physics

10ΕΛΕ31  Theoretical Geophysics

Course webpage: https://eclass.uoa.gr/courses/PHYS316

Course outline

Course content

• Introduction to the physical principles and mathematical methods in geophysics.
• Elements of Earth’s structure and its constituents. Variation of the seismic velocities with depth. Density, pressure and temperature in the Earth’s interior.
• Thermodynamics. Heat in the Earth’s interior. Thermal flux from the Earth’s interior. Heat sources in the Earth’s interior. Temperature in the Earth’s interior. Elements of thermodynamics in the Earth’s interior. Convection currents in the mantle.
• Seismology. Propagation of seismic waves. Faults mechanics and earthquake generation mechanism. Elements of elasticity theory and elastic waves. Seismic waves and their propagation in the Earth’s interior. Earthquake magnitude and energy. Non-linear phenomena in lithosphere. Lithosphere is a self-organized critical (SOC) system.
• Dynamic fields. Gravitational and magnetic field of the Earth. Measurements of the gravitational field. Local variations of the gravitational field. Isostasy. Elements of the Earth’s magnetic field. The main magnetic field of the Earth. Bipolar and non-bipolar field. Variations of the Earth’s magnetic field.
• Geoelectromagnetism. Maxwell equations. Electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction in the Earth’s interior. Electromagnetic source above a homogeneous conductive Earth. Magnetotellurics. Methods of geophysical exploration.
• Deformations of the Earth’s crust.
• Fluids in geophysics.