Corequisite majors: Physics, Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Earth Science or Water Science

Description:

The physical processes that occur both on and within the Earth have intrigued geophysicists for decades. The specialisation in Earth Physics will provide students with key knowledge and tools to study and understand the science of climate change, deformation of the Earth through plate tectonics and earthquakes, mantle convection and dynamics and structure of the core, physical oceanography and many other facets of geophysics.

The close coupling of physical and mathematical modelling in geophysics enables students with interests in these backgrounds to use and develop their skills in a wide range of disciplines. Students can learn about seismology and the physical properties of the Earth, climate system science, the physics of fluids and ocean circulation.There is a strong focus in the coursework on numerical derivations and computations of geophysical processes, enabling students to generate a strong conceptual and quantitative grasp of how the Earth works.

The specialisation in Earth Physics will provide students with a pathway to higher degree research at Australian or overseas universities in any computational/numerical fields such as geophysics, oceanography, geodesy or Earth materials.

Learning Goals:

On completing the specialisation in Earth Physics students will be able to:

1. Understand how to represent processes in and on the Earth through simple numerical models.
2. Derive numerical estimates of geophysical processes from observations through the use of appropriate theoretical representations of the processes.
3. Undertake group laboratory experiments that mimic Earth processes and use their own observations to gain understanding of the processes.
4. Think critically and assimilate information from different disciplines in order to solve problems related to geophysics.
5. Generate observational datasets and associated numerical models as well as undertake associated statistical analyses.
6. Present research outcomes in scientific reports and seminars to inform expert and non-expert audiences on conceptual and quantitative description of Earth processes.