MSCI 540 - Applied Coastal Geophysics

(3 credits) (Prereq: CMWS 601 or permission of instructor) A major discipline of geosciences, geophysics is the study of the earth by quantitative physical methods, such as electromagnetic, gravitational, and acoustic/seismic techniques. This course offers a survey of geophysical principles and techniques commonly used in geologic and oceanographic research and studies. The theoretical basis for various techniques is examined and direct applications are emphasized in class and the accompanying lab. Geophysical techniques provide an important quantitative means to define the characteristics and behavior of the earth/ocean/atmosphere system. Importantly, this allows information to be gathered in remote locations or sites that cannot be directly observed and can often provide a much more rapid and efficient means to sense broad areas quickly and relatively inexpensively compared to many direct observation and measurement techniques. Geophysical techniques are routinely applied globally to define planetary scale behavior as well as to very local applications such as measurement of turbidity and current velocities or local habitat/resource mapping. S