SYLLABUS

Course title and number

Term
Meeting times and
location

Introduction to Geophysics (GEOL 4330, Section 1, Course no. 19842)

Spring 2015
TTH 1:00-2:30 p.m. 104 SEC Building
Course Description and Prerequisites

Introduction to principles of seismology, gravity, geomagnetism, radioactivity, electromagnetism, and

heat flow and their uses in geological exploration and interpretation. Prerequisite: GEOL1330, MATH
2433, PHYS1322. Credits 3 (3-0).
Learning Outcomes
The student will:
1. Learn the basics of geophysical data collection and interpretation
2. Understand the propagation, analysis, and interpretation of seismic waves and earthquakes
3. Understand the principles of seismic reflection and refraction.
4. Understand the collection and analysis of gravity field data.
6. Understand the collection and analysis of magnetic field data.
7. Understand the collection and analysis of heat flow data.
8. Understand the collection and analysis of electromagnetic data.
The objective of this course is to give the student an overview of geophysical exploration techniques.
The course will address the theory and practice of the major types of geophysical data collection and
interpretation.

Name
Telephone number
Email address
Office hours
Office location

Instructor Information
William W. Sager
(713)-743-3108
wwsager@uh.edu
W 10:00-12:00 a.m.; TTh 9:00-11:00 am, or by appointment
127-B SR1 Building

Textbook and/or Resource Material

Looking into the Earth, A. E. Mussett and M. A. Khan, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Withdrawal Policy
Beginning with the Fall semester 2007, a new policy on dropping courses came into effect. This policy
establishes a 6-'W' grades limit for all undergraduate students. The six 'W' grades may be used at any
time during a student's undergraduate career at UH to drop a course up through the last day to drop a
course or withdraw from all courses deadline. This deadline falls approximately four weeks before the
last class day of the fall and spring semesters. The 'W' may be granted upon the student's written
request by the deadline, regardless of whether or not the student is passing the course. Once the 6 'W's
have been used however, the student must complete all courses he or she is enrolled in regardless of
academic performance.
Important Dates
Tuesday, January 20, 2015 first class day
Wednesday, February 4, 2015 - last day to drop/withdraw without receiving a grade
Monday, April 6, 2015 last day to drop course with a W
Monday, May 4, 2015 last class day

Homework
Homework will consist mainly of occasional problems sets to solve and submit. Some data sets may be
given for interpretation. Homework assignments will be made in class at which time the instructor will
give the assignment and due date. Late homework will be penalized by one half grade for every class
period it is late.

Grading Policies
Attendance Policy
You are expected to attend class. Attendance will be counted toward a small proportion of the grade.
Short calculations will be done in class and handed in these papers will be used to determine
attendance.
Examinations & Quizzes
There will be 3 mid-term tests but no final exam. The mid-term exams will be sequential (covering part
of the course). These tests will contain recitation material (i.e., material to be recalled without reference
to notes or text) as well as problems to be solved.
Make-up Tests
Tests can be made up at the discretion of the instructor. If you miss a test, contact the instructor to
correct the problem. If you know you will have to miss a test (or homework submission), talk to the
instructor ahead of time to plan for it. If you miss a test unexpectedly, contact the instructor immediately
to resolve the situation.
Grading
Student grades will be posted online on the UH Blackboard Learn web site. Students should therefore
access the Blackboard web site and learn how to find their grades. The term grade will be computed as
follows:
Exams (3) 25% each
Final (1) none
Homework 20%
Attendance 5%
Grades will be assigned on the following scale:
A = 100 90
B = 89-80
C = 79 70
D = 69 60
F = < 60
Note: the instructor may adjust the grading to lower the grade ranges (i.e., curving the grade), but this
cannot be assumed. Grade ranges will not go higher.
Grade Challenges
The instructor will be happy to review grading with any student at any time. It is highly recommended
that you attend to a grade problem as soon as you notice it, rather than waiting until later in the
semester.
Incomplete Grades
According to the UH faculty handbook: the grade of "I" (Incomplete) is a conditional and temporary
grade given when students are either (a) passing a course or (b) still have a reasonable chance of
passing in the judgment of the instructor but, for non-academic reasons beyond their control have not
completed a relatively small part of all requirements. Students are responsible for informing the
instructor immediately of the reasons for not submitting an assignment on time or not taking an
examination. An incomplete is for extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, not because you
are failing the course or behind on your work.

Other Pertinent Course Information

Web Site Information
Material, information, and announcements from this course will be posted on the Blackboard Learn web
site. In particular, you will find powerpoint files for lectures and papers for reading assignments on that
web site. You may use the powerpoint files for your own use, but you may not distribute them.
Class Communication
Announcements will be sent to students via email, using uh accounts. Please let the instructor know if
this is a problem for you.
Cell Phones
Please turn off your cell phone(s) or other communication devices before class begins and put them
away. Phones ringing during class are a distraction for the instructor and other students. Studies show
that even the presence of a cell phone in your field of view is a distraction and hinders your ability to
retain information.
Use of Laptops During Class
Use of laptop computers in class is highly discouraged. Studies show that laptops are a distraction, not
only for the user, but also for others around the user. Although laptops are convenient for taking notes
and storing electronic files, they are an impediment for learning in class.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The University of Houston complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American
with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic accommodation for
students identified as disabled under the law. In accordance with 504/ADA guidelines. UH strives to
provide reasonable academic accommodation to students who request and require them. If you believe
you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Center for Students with
DisABILITIES at 713-743-5400 or http://www.uh.edu/csd/." If you have a disability, please notify the
instructor, who will make accommodations.
Academic Integrity
You are expected to be act with honesty and integrity while at the university. This means that you
should not cheat in your classes either by misrepresentation (lying), plagiarism or copying (academic
theft), or by dishonest acts with your fellow students or instructor. The UH code for academic integrity
can be found at this link: http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/policies/academ-reg/academic-honesty/.
Plagiarism Statement
As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as ones own ideas, words, writing, etc., which
belong to another. On accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work
of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person.
Plagiarism is one of the worst academics, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without
which research cannot be safely communicated.
Copyright Notice
All materials in this class are copyrighted. These materials include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes,
exams, lab problems, in-class materials, review sheets, and additional problems sets. Because of these
materials are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy the handouts, unless permission is
expressly granted.

Course Topics, Calendar of Activities, Major Assignment Dates

Dates

Jan 20

Jan 22

Jan 27

Jan 29

Feb 3

Feb 5

Feb 10

Seismic refraction - interpretation, offsets, ray tracing, examples

Chapter 6

Feb 12

Seismic reflection - travel time, single layer, multiple layers, normal

moveout

Chapter 7

Feb 17

Seismic reflection - rms velocity, dipping layers, multiple reflections

Chapter 7

Feb 19

Seismic reflection - diffractions, data acquisition, data processing,

statics

Chapter 7

Feb 24

Seismic reflection - stacking, velocity analysis, migration, examples

Chapter 7

Feb 26

Mid-term #1

Chapters 2-7

Mar 3

Gravity - Newton's law, measuring gravity, rock densities

Chapter 8

Mar 5

Gravity - field procedure, data acquisition, processing

Chapter 8

Mar 10

Gravity - anomalies, filtering, modeling, examples

Chapter 8

Mar 12

Gravity - Isostasy, geoid, density vs depth

Chapter 8

Topic Summary

Required
Reading

Week

Introduction, Syllabus, Overview, Geophysical data collection,

reduction, and processing
Seismology - stress, strain, elastic properties, seismic waves,
reflection, refraction, mode conversion, earthquakes, Earth
structure, shadow zone
Earthquakes - tomography, epicenter determination, intensity,
magnitude
Earthquakes - mechanisms, fault plane plane solutions,
seismotectonics
Seismic refraction - critical angle, t-x,single & multiple layers, ray
parameter
Seismic refraction - dipping interface, discontinuous boundary,
hidden layers

Chapters 2, 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 6

Mar 16-20

Spring Break

10

Mar 24

Magnetics - principles, Earth's field, dipole field, magnetism types

Chapter 10

10

Mar 26

Magnetics - survey technique, gradiometry, data processing,

anomalies

Chapter 11

11

Mar 31

Magnetics - interpretation, modeling, continuation, applications

Chapter 11

11

Apr 2

Magnetics - paleomagnetism

Chapter 10

12

Apr 7

Mid-term #2

Chapters 8-11

12

Apr 9

Electrical methods - resistivity, principles, active vs passive arrays

Chapter 12

Electrical methods - multilayer structure, sounding, profiling,

electrical imaging
Electromagnetics - magnetotellurics, ground penetrating radar
(GPR)

13

Apr 14

13

Apr 16

14

Apr 21

heat flow - heat sources, conduction, convection

Chapter 17

14

Apr 23

heat flow - oceanic vs continental, heat flow measurement

Chapter 17

15

Apr 28

heat flow - shallow temperature surveys, methods, examples

Chapter 17

15

Apr 30

Mid-term #3

Chapters 12,
14, 17

End
Term

May 14 (Thur)

deadline for all assignments

Chapter 12