65935 - Seismology and Physics of the Earth's interior

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has a basic understanding of physical phenomena that occur within the solid Earth and the physical models that describe them. They can: - apply these models to solve simple quantitative problems of gravimetry, eeoelectricity, seismology and geothermics; - apply some geophysical techniques useful to study environmental problems.

Course contents

Application of geophysical survey methods to environmental problems.

Resistivity surveys: electrical resistivity of earth material, theory of current flow in the ground, field procedures and selection of electrode array, instruments, interpretation of resistivity data, environmental applications.

The seismic risk: plate tectonics, Earth structure, seismic waves, seismic source, Italian seismicity, seismic hazard estimates, hazard maps, fake news, scientific citizenship.

Gravity and the Figure of the Earth: Earth’s gravity field, geoid, reference ellipsoid, normal gravity, Gravity Surveying, Correction of Gravity Measurements, Gravity Anomalies, Airy and Pratt isostatic compensation models.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes of prof. Paolo Gasperini.

H. R. Burger, A. F. Sheehan and C. H. Jones, Introduction to Applied Geophysics, Cambridge University Press, 2023.

W. Lowrie and A. Fichtner, Fundamentals of Geophysics (3rd edition), Cambridge University Press, 2020.

C.M.R. Fowler, The solid Earth, Cambridge University Press, 2005.

S. Stein and M. Wysession, An Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure, Blackwell Pub., 2003.

C.J. Ammon, A.A. Velasco, T. Lay and T.C. Wallace, Foundations of Modern Global Seismology (2nd edition), ‎ Academic Press, 2020.

Teaching methods

Lectures, educational movies, cooperative learning, field and computer labs.

Assessment methods

In order to test knowledge of the topics covered in the course, the student will be evaluated through a written and oral exam.

Teaching tools

Power-point presentations, educational movies.

Students who need compensatory tools for reasons related to disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD) can directly contact the Service for Students with Disabilities (disabilita@unibo.it) and the Service for Students with learning disabilities (dsa@unibo.it) to agree on the adoption of the most appropriate measures.

Office hours

See the website of Antonello Piombo