GEODYNAMICS- SIO 234

http://topex.ucsd.edu/geodynamics

A general course on the dynamics and kinematics of the solidearth based on the text of Turcotte and Schubert.
Prerequisite: some familiarity with (or willingness to learn ) partial differential equations and fourier transforms.



David Sandwell; 1102 IGPP; dsandwell@ucsd.edu; Ph. 534-7109
Yuri Fialko: 321 Munk; yfialko@ucsd.edu; Ph. 822-5028

Lecture course, 4-units, letter grade or S/U grade, homework, weekly and final quiz.

MWF, 9:00 - 9:50 AM,  - Munk Conference Room

class@ucsd.edu


SYLLABUS
DATE
TOPIC
READING/HOMEWORK
LECTURER

Evolution and Structure of the Earth


28 SEP
Introduction
Lithospheric dynamics preview

Sandwell
01 OCT
Functions of a Complex Variable (review);
Applications of fourier transforms;

Read: Origin, Composition, and Structure of the Earth
Read: Wood (p 13 - 53) Meteorites

HW1
Sandwell
03 OCT
Global tectonic observations;
Radial earth structure
Read: T&S, Ch.1. 1-55 or
Plate Tectonics, S,T&O, Ch. 2.
Sandwell
05 OCT
Quiz 1:
Origin and comp of  the Earth; Meteorites
Radioactivity and geochromology (T&S p 411)



Plate Kinematics


08 OCT
Flat earth kinematics and plate motions on a sphere; Read: The Ocean basins: Their Structure 
and Evolution
, Chapter 2 (in IGPP Reading Room)
HW2
Sandwell
10 OCT
Crustal generation at mid-ocean ridges;
Marine magnetic anomalies
Plate motion inversions;

Sandwell
12 OCT
Matlab and Fourier Transforms - Lab
Read: Heat Transfer, T&S, Ch. 4., 132-152
Sandwell

Heat Flow


15 OCT
Heat conduction, heat flow measurements, and Global heat budget; Read: Heat Transfer, T&S, Ch. 4., 153-166
HW3
Sandwell
17 OCT
Cooling of the oceanic lithosphere;

Sandwell
19 OCT
Quiz 2:
names of plates and boundaries;
(fun study guide)
triple junction on flat earth
Read: Heat Transfer, T&S, Ch. 4., 166-183
22 OCT
Cooling of the oceanic lithosphere;


24 OCT
Ocean floor topography; 
Buoyancy of the lithosphere;
Read: Doin and Fleitout, EPSL, 1996
HW4 Problems from T&S, Ch. 4
4-9, 4-14, 4-23, 4-25, 4-37
Due NOV 2
Sandwell
26 OCT
Cooling of a lava lake (Stefan problem)
Read: T&S, Ch. 2. 89-104 Sandwell

Isostasy/Flexure

29 OCT
Isostasy and crustal thickness; Review Stress and Strain: 
Shearer, Introduction to Seismology, Ch. 2, 13-21
Sandwell
31 OCT
Review of Stress and Strain
Rheology of the Lithosphere
Read: Brace and Kohlstedt, JGR, 1980
Burov and Watts

Sandwell
02 NOV
Moment vs. Curvature Read: Elasticity, T&S, Ch3, 105-120
HW5 - Due Nov. 9
Sandwell
05 NOV
Flexure Theory Read: Flexure, T&S, Ch.3, 112-131;
Sandwell
07 NOV
Flexure Examples Watts Lectures:
Flexure 1
Flexure 2
Sandwell
09 NOV
Student Presentations of HW3
A  - Caraballo-Alvarez,
Henig

B -  Crowell,
Dewolf

12 NOV
Holiday - Field trip to Pinon Flat
Plan for day:
6:30   meet in IGPP parking lot to load 3 GPS receivers/tripods
7:00   drive to Pinon
10:00 setup three GPS at the locations of three radar corner reflectors and
           inspect reflectors.
12:00 lunch (we'll bring sandwiches/drinks).
13:00 tour facility
16:00 take down GPS receivers
19:00 should be back in San Diego


14 NOV
Student Presentations of HW3
C - Lang,
Stambach

D - Buelher, Tong
16 NOV
Student Presentations of HW3
F - Hartsig, Markee
G - Chen, Wood
Gravity


Earthquakes


19 NOV
Theories of faulting; 
Seismic cycle. 
Reading 
Interseismic deformation due to strike-slip faults
Class notes, T&S Chapter 8, 339-359; Data
Fialko
21 NOV
Earthquake stress drop and absolute driving stress;
Heat flow paradox of the San Andreas fault
Reading
Heat flow paradox
Fialko
23 NOV
Thanksgiving Holiday


26 NOV
Seismotectonics of plate boundaries

Read: T&S Chapter 8-12; 
Scholz, p. 277-324

HW6
Fialko

Gravity

28 NOV
Flexure Examples Read T&S, Gravity, 195-207 Sandwell
30 NOV
Reference gravity
Gravity Anomalies
Laplace's equation and satellite altimetry

Sandwell
03 DEC
Poisson's equation and Bouguer anomalies
Gravity/topography transfer function; Isostatic geoid anomalies, Swell-push force
Please complete course and professor evaluation.
Sandwell
05 DEC
Radial Earth Structure and Adiabatic Gradient
Read: Structure and Composition of the Mantle, S,T&O, Ch. 3., 63-68. Sandwell
07 DEC
Quiz 3:
flexure
gravity/topography transfer function
adiabatic gradient

Sandwell


SIO 234 SUGGESTED BOOKS:

Textbooks:

Geodynamics: Second Edition,  Turcotte, D. L. and Schubert, G., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2002.
 

Reference Books:

Mantle Dynamics:    Mantle Convection in the Earth and Planets, Schubert, G., Turcotte, D. L. and P. Olson, Cambridge University Press, 2001

Fourier Transforms:    The Fourier Transform and its Application, Bracewell, R. N.,  McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1978.  (Chapters 2, 6)

Marine Geophysics:    The Ocean Basins: Their Structure and Evolution, The Open  University , Pergamon Press, 1989.   (Chapters 2, 3)

Meteorites:  Meteorites and the Origin of Planets, Wood, J. A., McGraw-Hill Book Co. 1968 (Chapters 2, 3).

General Ref.:     Physics of the Earth, Stacey, F. D.,  John Wiley & Sons, New  York, 1969.

Computer Homework:

Computer homework can be done using Fortran, C, or MATLAB which runs on most machines.  If you do not have a computer account we will set you up.