GEO2140 – Solid Earth Geophysics
Course description
Changes in the course due to coronavirus
Autumn 2020 and Spring 2021 the exams of most courses at the MN Faculty will be conducted as digital home exams or oral exams, using the normal grading scale. The semester page for your course will be updated with any changes in the form of examination.
Please note that there may be changes in the form of examination for some courses taught Spring 2021. We aim to bring both the course description and the semester page of all courses up to date with correct information by 1 February 2021.
See general guidelines for examination at the MN Faculty autumn 2020.
Course content
The course presents the fundamental geophysical methods that are used to investigate the Earth’s inner structure and an introduction to understanding global tectonic processes. Methods applied in environmental geology, mining and petroleum, and seismology, are covered.
Learning outcome
When you have taken this subject, you will
- understand how earthquakes are generated and their distribution on the Earth, and how they are related to global tectonic processes
- be able to explain local and regional methods for collecting seismic data from active seismic sources
- know how gravity and magnetic data are collected, and a little about how they are used
- know about methods employed in borehole logging and measurements from the surface, covering electrical, electromagnetic and radiometric techniques
- be familiar with the most commonly used map projections and their properties
- be able to explain basic analogue and digital data processing techniques
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2) + R2
And in addition one of these:
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).
Recommended previous knowledge
- MAT1100 – Calculus
- MAT-IN1105 – Programming, Modelling and Computations
- GEO1100 – Evolution of the Earth
- FYS-MEK1110 – Mechanics
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEL2140 – Geophysics and global tectonics (continued).
- 3 credits overlap with G180.
Teaching
4 hours of lectures and 2 hours of exercises per week during the semester.
There are 2 compulsory assignments which must be approved before sitting the final written examination.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).
We reserve the right to change the teaching form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
- Approval of 2 compulsory assignments is required before the student can take the final exam.
- Final written examination (3 hours) counts for 100% towards the final grade.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for the following course:
Examination support material
Approved calculator (in Norwegian)
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.