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Seismology Summer School: Remote On-line Sessions for Emerging Seismologists (ROSES)
Seasonal Seismology school: Graduate students from around the world convene on-line once weekly for eleven weeks to learn from guest instructors and to work with their peers on seismological data analysis challenges. Topics covered: ObsPy, Metadata, Time Series Analysis, Waveform Cross Correlation, Polarization Analysis, Array Seismology, Machine Learning, PyGMT, Bayesian inversion, kriging, gridding. Course was initiated by the AGU Seismology section (president: Anne Sheehan), conceived by section president-elect Suzan van der Lee, and first organized by Fransiska Dannemann and Suzan van der Lee in 2020. Fransiska Dannemann and Liam Toney, assisted by Anant Hariharan, led the course in 2021 and 2022. IRIS has assisted ROSES throughout this time. Beyond 2022, the EarthScope Consortium will assume management of ROSES.
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Mathematical Inverse Methods in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Data-driven modeling via solving inverse problems and estimating model parameters. Application of linear algebra to the modeling of physical data. Students learn to model large amounts of imperfect data using linear algebra, optimization and regularization techniques, and common physical sense. Via lab exercises and homework, the course emphasizes application over theory. Exercises include but are not restricted to 1) locating events or objects from line-of-sight signal travel times, 2) de-blurring an image, 3) characterizing the subsurface from surface measurements of wave dispersion, 4) locating engineering structures from anomalous gravity data, and 5) tomography: non-destructive characterization of internal structure of materials, human bodies, or the Earth. We will emphasize linear, discrete, ill-posed inverse problems, but will also review time series analysis, including Fourier Transforms and matched filtering, and touch on the principles of solving non-linear inverse problems via directed and random searches in model space.
Listed as EARTH 329 prior to 2019.
Co-listed as DATA_SCI 422.
Taught by Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2023
Data-Driven Research in Physics, Geophysics, and Astronomy
Major facilities in earth sciences, physics, and astronomy have revolutionized research in these fields and have created major data challenges. In this course we will review the science motivation and goals and the relevant data challenges of the Earthscope, LIGO, and LSST facilities that represent large-scale investments in these research communities. Although the goals for the three projects may appear to overlap only partially, there are strong intellectual bridges and shared challenges because of the data-driven science involved. The primary objective of this course is to introduce student to key domain science areas, broadening education and providing an appreciation of cross-disciplinary similarities in data-driven physical sciences.
Co-taught by an astrophysicist (Vicky Kalogera or Christopher Berry or Adam Miller or Zoheyr Doctor) and Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2024
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Scientific Programming in Python
Introduction to coding, scientific computing, and visualization for analyzing data in the physical sciences. Emphasis on analysis of authentic data and coding in Python, but Unix, shell scripting, and Generic Mapping Tools are also introduced. Students learn via self-paced, extensive, graded tutorials, called quizorials. Students also undertake a signifcant final coding project, individually or in pairs.
Listed as EARTH 322 prior to 2019.
Taught by Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2024
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Seismology and Earth Structure
A quantitative, physics-oriented couse in which we derive and solve the wave equation for a layered, spherical solid (a planet), learn about P, S, Love, and Rayleigh waves, how they propagate, attenuate and/or amplify, and how they can be recorded and analyzed to infer fundamental characteristics of earthquakes as well as of the structure of the planet in which they occur. We will also cover the basic theory and practice of the seismic methods used in fossil fuel exploration. Key words: elastic theory, stress, strain, wave equation, seismic waves, wave propagation, ray paths, refraction, reflection, Snell’s law, reflection coefficients, seismometers, body waves, travel times, surface waves, dispersion, normal modes, attenuation, anisotropy, crust, mantle, core, seismic tomograpy, seismograms.
Taught by Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2022
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USArray Data Processing for the Next Generation of Seismologists
Summer school/short course: Graduate students from around the US and the world convene for a week to learn from guest instructors and to work with their peers on data challenges related to USArray. Course was initiated and organized by Gary Pavlis and Suzan van der Lee, and later brought under auspices of IRIS.
Taught while USArray was traversing the contiguous states.
Last taught in 2016
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Instrumentation and Field Methods
Our knowledge of earth systems is often based on the measurement of mass and energy flux, and of the physico-chemical properties of earth materials. This course aims to provide the basic skills to use simple instruments to quantify flux and material characteristics, the ability to learn new instruments from first principals, and the structured framework necessary to the planning and execution of measurement and monitoring campaigns. The lab exercises will be founded in Problem Based Learning (PBL) techniques where students individually and in small groups are challenged with open-ended problems that most often have no specific solution, or multiple solutions. The PBL based lab exercises will be graded based on the effort, innovations, documentation, and approach to learning demonstrated. Co-taught by Patricia Beddows and Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2014
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Earth's Interior
Size, mass, & density of the earth; seismic waves; earth structure from seismology; minerals and rocks; composition of mantle and core; heat and temperature in the earth; radiometric age dating; origin of the elements, formation of the solar system; meteorites; formation of the planets; continents and oceans, paleomagnetism, continental drift; earthquake focal mechanisms, plate boundaries and kinematics, mechanics of plate tectonics. Taught by Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2025
Freshman Seminar
Hundreds of earthquakes occur every day, but only one of these has the potential to cause considerable damage in poorly designed or constructed buildings. Globally, about ten earthquakes per year cause heavy to extreme ground shaking that has the potential to turn catastrophic because they have a 7+ magnitude, occur near a large city, or cause a tsunami, for example. In this seminar we will discuss and compare different earthquakes, their causes and consequences, how to prepare for earthquakes, and how to forecast earthquake hazard, among other aspects of earth shaking and seismology. Teaching method: Reading, listening, discussing assigned readings and positions, interpreting graphs, solving problems, participating in demonstrations, presenting material to the class, and writing. Students write about own experience, own research, past earthquakes, and distill published work in different ways.
Taught by Suzan van der Lee
Last taught in 2014
Introduction to the Solar System
Earth is the most studied planet of the solar system. Remote sensing and manned and robotic missions to the Moon, terrestrial planets, giant planets’ solid moons, and the outer solar system provide exciting new data from worlds we know nothing or little about. This course will explore the implications of these data, extraterrestrial worlds, and similarities and differences between Earth, other solid bodies in the solar system, and exoplanets - planets that orbit stars other than our sun. The study of a diverse range of planets, teaches us about our own planet Earth, with its unique plate tectonics, quakes, interior structure, surface, oceans, atmosphere, mountain building, and life. The course attempts to provide context and content for the formation and evolution of planet Earth and the solar system. In the process the course hopes to illustrate how mathematical and physical principles apply to and enliven our world.
Taught by Suzan van der Lee.
Last taught in 2013
Advanced Topics in Geophysics
Graduate level course: discussions, presentations, and lectures on Seismic techniques for studying North America with Earthscope (2006) and Geophysics of the Mid-continent Rift System (2011).
Last taught in 2011
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Seismic Tomography
Seismic Tomography: Teleseismic tomography, Fermat’s principle, ray tracing, local tomography, joint local tomography and earthquake relocation, waveform tomography, mode summation, partitioned waveform inversion, hypocenter and origin time corrections, station statics, hitcount, smearing, damping, error estimation, resolution tests.
Co-taught by Edi Kissling and Suzan van der Lee
Last taught in 2003
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