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Course Name
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Course Code/Level:
Credit hours
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Course Description:
Geophysics I
PHY2202
2
This is an introductory course in Geophysics. It is an elective course offered in second year. The
course covers the structure of the earth, gravity and its anomalies, isostasy, seismology,
geomagnetism and an iintroduction to plate-tectonics.
5. Course Objectives
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
 Describe the major component of the structure of the earth
 Explain the causes of earthquakes and how earthquakes are measured
 Describe how the source parameters can be determine and the seismic methods used for
describing the Earth’s Structure
 Describe variations in gravity g at all points on the earth surface and the different types of
gravity anomalies
 Describe the earth magnetic field
 List the basic types of plate boundaries and the possible sources of forces that drive the
plate
6. Course Outline
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Content
The Earth’s structure: Crust, mantle, Core
hours
2
Gravity: The Earth’s gravity: gravitational force and acceleration,
4
effect of shape, effect of in homogeneities.
 Gravity reduction and anomalies: Latitude, elevation, free air and
4
Bouguer anomalies.
4
 Isostasy: Pratt’s and Airy’s hypotheses.
6
 Seismology: Earthquakes, seismic wave velocities.
 Geomagnetism: Geomagnetic elements and magnetic maps, nondipole field, secular variations and westward drift, generation of the
8
main field. Magnetic reversals and polar wandering.
2
 Introduction to plate tectonics.
Total
30
7. Mode of Delivery:
This course is mainly lecture based, with occasional tutorials to allow for student-lecturer
interaction and solving problems together.
There will be some occasional field trips to the Rift Valley and to earthquake prone areas.
8. Reading List
Fowler C.M.R. ‘‘The Solid Earth’’
Thorne Lay and Terry C. Wallance “Modern Global Seismology.”
Ezra M. T. ‘‘An Introduction to Geophysics’’.