Results for GEOPHYS

(Staff)

Integrating the science of natural hazards, methods for quantitatively estimating the risks that these hazards pose to populations and property, engineering solutions that might best ameliorate these risks and increase resilience to future events, and policy and economic decision-making studies that may increase long-term resilience to future events. Panel discussions by outside experts exploring the science, engineering, policy, and economics that underly the hazards, risks, and strategies for increasing resilience. Group assignments to evaluate the way in which natural hazards, and human population and developing interact in megacities to produce risk, and what strategies might be adopted in each area to reduce risks posted by the specific hazards faced by these urban areas.

How to observe and interpret physical and biological changes in the oceans using satellite technologies. Topics: principles of satellite remote sensing, classes of satellite remote sensors, converting radiometric data into biological and physical quantities, sensor calibration and validation, interpreting large-scale oceanographic features.

Introduction to the physics governing the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean and their control on climate with emphasis on the atmospheric circulation. Topics include the global energy balance, the greenhouse effect, the vertical and meridional structure of the atmosphere, dry and moist convection, the equations of motion for the atmosphere and ocean, including the effects of rotation, and the poleward transport of heat by the large-scale atmospheric circulation and storm systems. Prerequisites: MATH 51 or CME100 and PHYSICS 41.

In this course we cover the dynamic forces acting upon the Earth. We will investigate how geophysical forces effect the bending of tectonic plates, the flow of heat, sea level topography, the breaking point of rocks, porous flow, and how faults store and release energy. Math 52 or CME 102, GP 107 or permission from instructor. Offered every year, spring quarter (except 2013-14 when offered in Winter).

Interdisciplinary problems involving the state and movement of fluids in crustal systems, and computational methods to model these processes. Examples of processes include: nonlinear, time-dependent flow in porous rocks; coupling in porous rocks between fluid flow, stress, deformation, and heat and chemical transport; percolation of partial melt; diagenetic processes; pressure solution and the formation of stylolites; and transient pore pressure in fault zones. MATLAB, Lattice-Boltzmann, and COMSOL Multiphysics. Term project. No experience with COMSOL Multiphysics required. Offered every other year, winter quarter. Next offering, Winter 2014-15.

The interconnected set of dynamic systems that make up the Earth. Focus is on fundamental geophysical observations of the Earth and the laboratory experiments to understand and interpret them. What earthquakes, volcanoes, gravity, magnetic fields, and rocks reveal about the Earth's formation and evolution. Offered every other year, winter quarter. Next offering Winter 2013-14.

Imaging principles exemplified by means of imaging geophysical data of various uncomplicated types (bathymetry, altimetry, velocity, reflectivity). Adjoints, back projection, conjugate-gradient inversion, preconditioning, multidimensional autoregression and spectral factorization, the helical coordinate, and object-based programming. Common recurring issues such as limited aperture, missing data, signal/noise segregation, and nonstationary spectra. See http://sep.stanford.edu/sep/prof/.

Field-, lab-, or computer-based. Faculty supervision. Written reports.

For seniors writing a thesis based on Geophysics research in 196 or as a summer research fellow. Seniors defend the results of their research at a public oral presentation.

Experimental, observational, or theoretical honors project and thesis in geophysics under supervision of a faculty member. Students who elect to do an honors thesis should begin planning it no later than Winter Quarter of the junior year. Prerequisites: department approval. Seniors defend the results of their research at a public oral presentation.

Interdisciplinary problems involving the state and movement of fluids in crustal systems, and computational methods to model these processes. Examples of processes include: nonlinear, time-dependent flow in porous rocks; coupling in porous rocks between fluid flow, stress, deformation, and heat and chemical transport; percolation of partial melt; diagenetic processes; pressure solution and the formation of stylolites; and transient pore pressure in fault zones. MATLAB, Lattice-Boltzmann, and COMSOL Multiphysics. Term project. No experience with COMSOL Multiphysics required. Offered every other year, winter quarter. Next offering, Winter 2014-15.

Basic principles of rock mechanics and the state of stress and pore pressure in sedimentary basins related to exploitation of hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs. Mechanisms of hydrocarbon migration, exploitation of fractured reservoirs, reservoir compaction and subsidence, hydraulic fracturing, utilization of directional and horizontal drilling to optimize well stability. Given alternate years. Next offering Winter 2013-14.

Imaging principles exemplified by means of imaging geophysical data of various uncomplicated types (bathymetry, altimetry, velocity, reflectivity). Adjoints, back projection, conjugate-gradient inversion, preconditioning, multidimensional autoregression and spectral factorization, the helical coordinate, and object-based programming. Common recurring issues such as limited aperture, missing data, signal/noise segregation, and nonstationary spectra. See http://sep.stanford.edu/sep/prof/.

Integrating the science of natural hazards, methods for quantitatively estimating the risks that these hazards pose to populations and property, engineering solutions that might best ameliorate these risks and increase resilience to future events, and policy and economic decision-making studies that may increase long-term resilience to future events. Panel discussions by outside experts exploring the science, engineering, policy, and economics that underly the hazards, risks, and strategies for increasing resilience. Group assignments to evaluate the way in which natural hazards, and human population and developing interact in megacities to produce risk, and what strategies might be adopted in each area to reduce risks posted by the specific hazards faced by these urban areas.

Workshop in computer processing of 2D and 3D seismic reflection data. Students individually process a seismic reflection profile (of their own choice or instructor-provided) from field recordings to migrated sections and subsurface images, using interactive software (OpenCPS from OpenGeophysical.com). Prerequisite: GEOPHYS 222 or consent of instructor.

Introduction to the physics governing the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean and their control on climate with emphasis on the atmospheric circulation. Topics include the global energy balance, the greenhouse effect, the vertical and meridional structure of the atmosphere, dry and moist convection, the equations of motion for the atmosphere and ocean, including the effects of rotation, and the poleward transport of heat by the large-scale atmospheric circulation and storm systems. Prerequisites: MATH 51 or CME100 and PHYSICS 41.

On-the-job-training for master's and doctoral degree students under the guidance of on-site supervisors. Students submit a report detailing work activities, problems, assignment, and key results. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: written consent of adviser.

Radar remote sensing, radar image characteristics, viewing geometry, range coding, synthetic aperture processing, correlation, range migration, range/Doppler algorithms, wave domain algorithms, polar algorithm, polarimetric processing, interferometric measurements. Applications: surfafe deformation, polarimetry and target discrimination, topographic mapping surface displacements, velocities of ice fields. Prerequisites: EE261. Recommended: EE254, EE278B, EE279.

Laboratory observations and theoretical modeling of the electromagnetic properties and nuclear magnetic resonance response of geological material. Relationships between these properties and water-saturated materials properties such as composition, water content, surface area, and permeability. Offered Winter 2014.

The interconnected set of dynamic systems that make up the Earth. Focus is on fundamental geophysical observations of the Earth and the laboratory experiments to understand and interpret them. What earthquakes, volcanoes, gravity, magnetic fields, and rocks reveal about the Earth's formation and evolution. Offered every other year, winter quarter. Next offering Winter 2013-14.

This course investigates how waves propagate through the whole Earth. This course examines the questions "How do body waves and surface waves behave within the Earth?" and "What does that tell us about the Earth?" The course delves into both theory and how we apply that theory to understand seismic observations. Requirements: Math 52 or CME 102, GP130 or permission from instructor.

Earthquake and volcanic deformation, emphasizing analytical models that can be compared to data from GPS, InSAR, and strain meters. Viscoelasticity, post-seismic rebound, and viscoelastic magma chambers. Effects of surface topography and earth curvature on surface deformation. Gravity changes induced by deformation and elastogravitational coupling. Poro-elasticity, coupled fluid flow and deformation. Earthquake nucleation and rate-state friction. Models of earthquake cycle at plate boundaries. Offered Winter 2013-14

Research in reflection seismology and petroleum prospecting. May be repeated for credit.

Research on the use of geophysical methods for near-surface environmental problems. May be repeated for credit.

Research on physics and mechanics of earthquakes, volcanoes, ice sheets, and nglaciers. Emphasis is on developing theoretical understanding of processes governing natural phenomena.

Research on the origin, major structures, and tectonic processes of the Earth's crust. Emphasis is on use of deep seismic reflection and refraction data. May be repeated for credit.

Research in areas of petrophysics, seismology, in situ stress, and subjects related to characterization of the physical properties of rock in situ. May be repeated for credit.

Research on seismic source processes, crustal stress, and deformation associated with faulting and volcanism. May be repeated for credit.

Research on the use of laboratory geophysical methods for the characterization of the physical properties of rocks and their response to earth stresses, temperature, and rock-fluid interactions. May be repeated for credit.

Theory, numerical simulation, and experiments on seismic and electromagnetic waves in complex porous media. Applications from Earth imaging and in situ characterization of Earth properties, including subsurface monitoring. Presentations by faculty, research staff, students, and visitors. May be repeated for credit.

Research on the mechanical properties of porous rocks: dynamic problems of seismic velocity, dispersion, and attentuation; and quasi-static problems of faulting, fluid transport, crustal deformation, and loss of porosity. Participants define, investigate, and present an original problem of their own. May be repeated for credit.

Research applications, especially crustal deformation measurements. Recent instrumentation and system advancements. May be repeated for credit.

Topics chosen from surface wave dispersion measurement, 1D inversion techniques, regional tomographic inversion, receiver functions, ray theory in spherical geometry, seismic attenuation, seismic anisotropy, seismic focusing, reflected phases, stacking, and interpretations of seismic results in light of other geophysical constraints. May be repeated for credit.