Geophysical Data Acquisition and Analysis

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

Theoretical classes with detailed exposition of the concepts and principles pertaining to geophysical methods and of their applications. Theoretical-practical classes in which students are introduced to the resolution of exercises concerning practical applications (with guidance). Field work in which students have contact with data acquisition with some geophysical methods. Personal work involving the resolution of exercises on an autonomous base.

Learning Outcomes

To provide the fundamental concepts and principles on the main methods in exploration geophysics, as well as insight on their applications, their potentialities and limitations. To gain knowledge on essential processing and interpretation of data, as well as the acquisition concerning some fundamental methods.

Acquiring capabilities in synthesis and analysis, representation and transmission of information, problems solving, critic reflection, autonomous comprehension of new situations, practical application of theoretical knowledge.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Geophysical prospecting methods. Specific and general objectives and related costs. Planning a geophysical prospection campaign and integration with other exploration methods

Gravimetric and magnetic prospection: Concepts, equipment, data acquisition, gravimetric/magnetic corrections, anomalies, mapping, data inversion and interpretation

Spontaneous potential, resistivity and induced polarization methods. Concepts, equipment, electrode geometries for data collection, production of maps, profiles and pseudo-sections, inversion and interpretation

Electromagnetic methods in the time domain (TEM) and frequency domain. Concepts, equipment, data acquisition methods, mapping, data inversion and interpretation

Seismic methods: concepts of elasticity; seismic refraction and reflection. Equipment, geophone geometries, processing, inversion of data and interpretation

Introduction to geophysical data logging. Data logs and applications. Examples of using WellCad in the interpretation of data logs

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 50.0%
Reports: 50.0%

Bibliography

Breiner, S. (1999). Applications Manual for Portable Magnetometers. Geometrics, USA.

Geosoft (2010). Oasis montaj 7.2 Tutorial - Mapping and Processing System Geosoft Inc., Toronto.

Hinze, W.J., Von Frese R.R.B., Saad, A.H. (2013). Gravity and Magnetic Exploration - Principals, practices and applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Kearey, P., Brooks, M., Hill, I. (2002). An introdution to Geophysical Exploration. Blackwell Science.

Lowrie, W. (2007). Fundamentals of geophysics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Milsom, J. (2003). Field Geophysics. Wiley, London.

NGA (2004). GM-SYS: Gravity/Magnetic Modeling Software. User's Guide. Northwest Geophysical Associates, Inc., USA.

Parasnis, D.S. (1997). Principles of Applied Geophysics. Chapman and Hall, London.

Reynolds, J.M. (1997). An introduction to applied and environmental geophysics. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.