Near-Surface Applied Geophysical Methods: Theory, Acquisition and Processing with Adaptations to Different Research Questions
Tillämpade ytnära geofysiska metoder: teori, inhämtning och bearbetning med anpassningar till olika forskningsfrågor

VTG005F, 7.5 credits

Valid from: Spring 2022
Decided by: Professor Thomas Johansson
Date of establishment: 2022-01-19

General Information

Division: Engineering Geology
Course type: Third-cycle course
Teaching language: English

Aim

The aim of the course is to increase the student’s independence in the application and in the critical review of near-surface geophysical methods. A variety of geophysical techniques can be applied in several geological, hydrogeological, environmental, engineering, and archaeological cases. The course promotes the student’s understanding of the essential theoretical principles, which are necessary for the successful application of geophysics in real cases and for the interpretation of the outcome. An important part of the content consists of field activities, where geophysical datasets related to selected problems are acquired, processed, and interpreted. The course will be adapted to the specific requirements of the students in terms of project assignment, geophysical methods, processing software and interpretation.

Goals

Knowledge and Understanding

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• • Understand the fundamental concepts of the most common geophysical techniques.
• • Have theoretical knowledge of the physical phenomena behind the geophysical methods.
• • Understand, based on the target of the investigation, which are the most appropriate methods to be applied and their relative limits.

Competences and Skills

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• • Be able to suggest the most relevant geophysical techniques for a specific target.
• • Show an ability to independently plan a geophysical survey, taking into account the target, the logistics and the desired resolution.
• • Be able to independently perform and process a geophysical survey.
• • Show an ability to critically interpret the geophysical results, discerning the information that can be obtained from a specific technique, and what remains unknown.
• • Be able to have a qualified communication with scientists and professionals of different disciplines regarding geophysical methods and their applications.
• • Be able to form an independent, qualified, and modulated opinion on the use of geophysical measurements in the context of the students own research questions.
• • Be able to handle and independently learn further the most common software tools for data handling, processing and analysis.
• • Be able to formulate a research question regarding the application of geophysical methods and understand which tools are necessary to answer it.
• • Demonstrate an in-depth insight and ability to discuss how the quality of measured data, the choice of acquisition settings and the parameters of the processing can affect the reliability of scientific research and quality of the outcome;

Judgement and Approach

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• • Be able to critically analyse geophysical data in order to produce new knowledge and insights.
• • Be able to motivate the choice of method(s) most suitable for the given research question as well as discuss its drawbacks and limitations.

Course Contents

The participants will learn about the basics of geophysical measurements and case studies by literature study and a workshop. That will enable the student to propose a course project within the field of applied geophysics, related to their individual interests and goals (for example in archaeological or hydrogeological prospecting, civil or environmental engineering). Alternatively, a course project can be suggested by the tutors. In the course project, the participants will apply the knowledge and the skills they have obtained in the beginning of the course to their own suggested research topic. They will formulate a research question, choose and motivate the methods and tools to address it. Based on that question, they will perform a measurement survey, process and analyse their data and discuss their quality, reliability and limitations. At the end of the course, the students are expected to make a report based on their project work. That report will be peer-reviewed, presented, and discussed in the final workshop. The planning and conduction of the geophysical survey will be an interactive session with a tutor, where geophysical techniques and acquisition parameters are discussed and used. The project work includes practical training in the use of software tools, which will be provided by the tutor. Disposition Part 1: Theory of geophysical methods (theory and real case examples from literature): • Introduction to geophysical methods • Literature study about geophysical properties, methods, signal processing and inversion theory (focused on selected methods of student’s interest) • Literature study of real case examples, adapted to student’s interests. Part 2: Seminar on geophysical methods, geophysical surveys and case studies: • Student presentation seminar, based on the literature studies, about the applied geophysical methods and the chosen real case example • Discussion about critical approach to geophysical results Part 3: Demonstrations of instruments and data processing techniques. • Instrument demonstration • Data processing demonstration Part 4: Formulation of scientific questions for project work • Scientific questions to be addressed in the project work Part 5: Project planning • Project work: planning for geophysical surveys on the students scientific question Part 6: Survey and data processing • Field acquisition of datasets • Processing and inversion of data • Data visualization and interpretation Part 7: Project work and report • Report writing Part 8: Peer-review of reports and final presentation • Peer-review of the reports • Presentation of projects to other students • Workshop: final presentation, discussion and evaluation

Course Literature

• Milsom, J. & Eriksen, A.: Field Geophysics. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. ISBN 9781119956907.
• Reynolds, John M.: An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics. John Wiley and Sons, 2011. ISBN 9780470975442.
• Knödel, K., Lange, G. & Voigt, H.: Environmental Geology: Handbook of Field Methods and Case Studies. Springer, 2007. ISBN 9783540746690.
• Kirsch, R.: Groundwater Geophysics: A Tool for Hydrogeology. Springer Science & Business Media, 2006. ISBN 9783540293873.
• Oswin, J.: A Field Guide to Geophysics in Archaeology. Springer, 2010. ISBN 9783642095399.

Instruction Details

Types of instruction: Lectures, seminars, exercises, project. Field investigations

Examination Details

Examination formats: Written report, written assignments, seminars given by participants. To get approved on the course the following is required: • Attendance of a minimum of 80% of class meetings. • Project work and report completed, presented, and approved. • Peer-review of another report and presence at the final workshop.
Grading scale: Failed, pass
Examiner:

Admission Details

Admission requirements: PhD students after (at least) 25% of their PhD requirements. A general interest in (geo-)physics method is expected

Course Occasion Information

Contact and Other Information

Course coordinators:

• Tina Martin <tina.martin@tg.lth.se>
• Matteo Rossi <matteo.rossi@tg.lth.se>