3 credits
Spring 2025 Lecture Upper Division
This course will explore geophysical processes from the scales of individual stresses that deform rocks, to plate motions, to planetary-scale interiors and phenomena. Emphasis will be focused on sources of stress and how this stress is manifested, heat transfer, and fluid processes. Seismic waves, gravity data, planetary shape, and what information they provide about the interior of solid planets will be discussed. The course material will be applied to Earth, other rocky worlds like the Moon and Mars, and icy moons like Europa and Enceladus. This course is an introduction to geophysical processes and serves as a stepping-stone to upper level geophysics courses such as EAPS 35200, EAPS 45000, and EAPS 55700.
Learning Outcomes1Describe the interior structures of Earth and other planets and large moons, and how we know them.
2Describe how heat and fluids are transferred within the Earth and other planets and large moons.
3Describe how interior processes in the Earth are ma09nifested in plate tectonics, and how they result in other tectonic regimes on other planets and large moons.
4Apply quantitative skills to geophysical problems.
5Critically evaluate a scientific study and orally communicate your evaluation.
Prerequisites
Attachments
made by Purdue students.