430 - GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

courses
ID:
430
Duration (hours):
60
CFU:
6
SSD:
GEOFISICA APPLICATA
Located in:
PESCARA
Url:
PLANETARY SCIENCES/PLANETARY SCIENCES AND SPACE EXPLORATION Year: 1
Year:
2025
Course Catalogue:
https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Overview

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 23/12/2025)

Syllabus

Course Objectives


Students will learn how physical concepts and phenomena can be exploited to probe the subsurface in a non-invasive way. The course explores theory and application of consolidated geophysical methods, including the instrumentation used, data acquisition methods, data processing, and inversion. Students will also understand how these methods, developed for terrestrial ground exploration, have been adapted for the exploration of other celestial bodies.

Course Prerequisites


Ability to solve integrals in one dimension. Ability to calculate the partial derivatives of a function of several variables. Understand what a differential equation is. Programming skills in Matlab or Python are NOT required, but highly desirable.

Teaching Methods


In-person, in-class lessons; Demonstration of examples with simulated data; Real data visualization and processing using open-source software

Assessment Methods


The exam will comprise two parts.Part one will consist of a multiple-choice written test designed to verify the acquired knowledge on a general level.Students must successfully complete part 1 before accessing part 2. Part two will consist of an oral interview that will focus in depth on three specific topics. Full details on the oral exam will be provided by the instructor in the “exam policy” document. Evaluation will be expressed as a fraction of 30.

Texts


Reference materials will mainly consist of the presentations shown in class (in English) and made available throughout the course, as well as recordings of the lessons.
Those who can understand Italian may refer to the book: Lezioni di geofisica applicata, di G. Santarato, N. Abu Zeid, e S. Bignardi. Editor Libreriauniversitaria.it, ISBN-10 : 8862926405, ISBN-13 : 978-8862926409
Alternatively, suitable English references (although covering only part of the course) can be found online:


Fundamentals of Geophysics, di William LowrieEditore: Cambridge University PressISBN-13: 978-0-511-35447-2 | ISBN-10: 0-511-35447-9

An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics, di John M. ReynoldsEditore: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.ISBN: 978-0-471-48535-3 (copertina rigida) | 978-0-471-48536-0 (copertina flessibile)

Contents


This course comprises the mathematical/physical basis, procedures, field applications, and instruments used in non-invasive geophysical methods, with special attention to the exploration of the solar system.
In particular, we will draw from the experience gained over decades of development of such methods for the exploration of our planet to lay a path in which we will learn how such methods have been adapted (or could potentially be adapted) to gain insight into the physical properties of other extraterrestrial bodies.
Topics:
Structure, Terminology, and workflow of geophysical methods.
Gravity: Laws of gravitation; Earth gravity models; Spheroid and Geoid; Gravity measurements and Instrumentation; Correction to gravity measurements and computation of the gravity anomaly; The meaning of gravity anomaly; Isostasy; Interpretation of Gravimetric Maps; Gravity anomaly from bodies of irregular shape; Gravimetric survey beyond our planet.
Magnetism: Basic physical laws. Magnetic properties and behavior of solids. Magnetic Hysteresis; Residual Magnetization; Magnetic field from a dipole; The Earth's magnetic field. Variations of the Earth's magnetic field;
Paleomagnetism; Magnetic measurement methods and Instrumentation; Sources of noise; Examples of magnetic surveys; Origins of the Earth's magnetic field; Magnetic surveys beyond our planet.
Electro-Magnetic Methods: Maxwell Equations; Low-Frequency E. M. methods; Time Domain Electromagnetics; Inversion Methods; High-Frequency E. M. Methods (Ground Penetrating Radar);
Electric Resistivity Methods: Basic principles; Vertical Electrical Soundings; Electrical Resistivity Tomography; Induced Polarization and Spectral Induced Polarization; Self-Potential;
Seismic Methods: Theory of Elasticity in a Continuum. Stress-Strain relation; Classification of seismic waves; Energy loss and Spherical divergence; Seismic waves reflection and refraction laws; Head Waves; “Dromocrone” of reflected and refracted waves. Surface waves;
Seismic Reflection Method; Seismic refraction Method; Surface waves methods: SPAC, SASW; MASW; SPAC; ESAC; Re.Mi; HVSR;
Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Multidimensional Fourier Transforms; Convolution and Correlation; Signal sampling and aliasing. Pulse-Compression.
Data Inversion Theory: Introduction; Stochastic global Inversion methods; Local Inversion Methods; Ill-posed problems and regularization.

Course Language

English

Degrees

Degrees

PLANETARY SCIENCES 
Master’s Degree
2 years
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