Suchergebnis: Katalogdaten im Herbstsemester 2017

Erdwissenschaften Master Information
Vertiefung in Geology
Wahlmodule Geology
Earthquake Seismology
Earthquake Seismology: Obligatorische Fächer
NummerTitelTypECTSUmfangDozierende
651-4021-00LEngineering SeismologyW+3 KP2GD. Fäh, S. S. Bora
KurzbeschreibungThis course is a general introduction to the methods of seismic hazard analysis. It provides an overview of the input data and the tools in deterministic and probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, and discusses the related uncertainties.
LernzielThis course is a general introduction to the methods of seismic hazard analysis.
InhaltIn the course it is explained how the disciplines of seismology, geology, strong-motion geophysics, and earthquake engineering contribute to the evaluation of seismic hazard. It provides an overview of the input data and the tools in deterministic and probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, and discusses the related uncertainties. The course includes the discussion related to Intensity and macroseismic scales, historical seismicity and earthquake catalogues, ground motion parameters used in earthquake engineering, definitions of the seismic source, ground motion attenuation, site effects and microzonation, and the use of numerical tools to estimate ground motion parameters, both in a deterministic and probabilistic sense.
During the course recent earthquakes and their impacts are discussed and related to existing hazard assessments for the areas of interest.
651-4015-00LEarthquakes I: SeismotectonicsO3 KP2GA. P. Rinaldi, I. Molinari, Y. van Dinther
KurzbeschreibungIf you're interested in knowing more about the relationship between seismicity and plate tectonics, this is the course for you. (If you're not that interested, but your program of study requires that you complete this course, this is also the course for you.)
LernzielThe aim of the course is to obtain a basic understanding of the physical process behind earthquakes and their basic mathematical description. By the conclusion of this course, we hope that you will be able to:
- describe the relationship between earthquakes and plate tectonics in a more sophisticated and complete way
- explain earthquake source representations of varying complexity;
- address earthquakes in the context of different tectonic settings;
- explain the statistical behaviour of global earthquakes
- describe and connect the ingredients for a seismotectonic study
InhaltThe course features a series of 14 meetings, in which we review some fundamentals of continuum mechanics and tensor analysis required for a complete understanding of the relation between earthquakes and plate tectonics. Our goal is to help you understand deformation the small scale (fault) to the scale of plate tectonics. We will tell you about several ways to represent an earthquake source; we'll present these in order of increasing sophistication. You will enjoy (at least) a computer/class exercise and a guest lecture.

Topics covered in the course include:
review of stress and deformation in the Earth, stress and strain tensors, rheology and failure criteria, fault stresses, friction and effects of fluids
earthquake focal mechanisms; relationship between stress fields and focal mechanisms;
seismic moment and moment tensors;
crustal deformation from seismic, geologic, and geodetic observations;
earthquake stress drop, scaling, and source parameters;
global earthquake distribution; current global earthquake activity;
different seismotectonic regions; examples of earthquake activity in different tectonic settings.
SkriptCourse notes will be made available on a designated course web site. Most of the topics discussed in the course are available in the book mentioned below.
LiteraturS. Stein and M. Wyssession, An introduction to seismology, earthquakes and earth structure, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, USA, (2003).
Voraussetzungen / BesonderesBasic knowledge of continuum mechanics and rock mechanics, as well as notion of tensor analysis is strongly suggested. We recommend to have taken the course Continuum Mechanics (generally taught during the Fall semester).


This course will be taught in fall 2017 and it will be followed by Earthquakes 2: Source Physics in Spring 2018.

The course will be evaluated in a final written test covering the topics discussed during the lectures.

The course will be worth 3 credit points, and a satisfactory total grade (4 or better) is needed to obtain 3 ECTS.

The course will be given in English.
651-4103-00LEarthquakes II: Source Physics Information
Findet dieses Semester nicht statt.
O3 KP2GS. Wiemer
KurzbeschreibungThis course teaches the fundamental principles to understand physical processes leading to and governing earthquake ruptures. To obtain that understanding we cover topics ranging from friction and fault mechanics to earthquake source descriptions. The acquired in-depth understanding will be applied to a topic of choice to practice research skills.
LernzielThe aim of the course is to gain a fundamental understanding of the physical processes leading to and governing earthquake ruptures. This means that students will be able to:
- describe earthquake sources both conceptually and mathematically,
- explain processes affecting earthquake nucleation, propagation and arrest,
- explain processes affecting inter-, co-, and postseismic,
- differentiate source kinematic and dynamic concepts,
- interpret earthquake source properties from both perspectives,
- derive fundamental equations in elasto-statistics and dynamics,
- interpret earthquake occurrences and put them in perspective,
- address fundamental questions in earthquake physics, and
- critically assess and discuss scientific literature.
InhaltWe will cover a range of topics, including:
- Basics of earthquake mechanics: definitions, faults, elastic rebound theory, and source parameters
- Elastostatics: strain, stress, dislocation theory,
- Elastodynamics: equation of motion,
- Mathematical description of the source: Representation theorem, point and extended sources, source spectra,
- Source dynamics: Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics,
- Fault mechanics and friction laws,
- Seismic cycle: inter-, co-, post- and pre-seismic processes,
- Rupture dynamics: nucleation, propagation and arrest,
- Energy partitioning,
- Source inversion, and
- Earthquake statistics and interaction.

To deepen our understanding their will be larger exercises on laboratory experiments, recurrence models, modeling of dynamic ruptures and seismic cycles and Coulumb stress changes.

After a theoretical understanding has been acquired, we invite students to apply this knowledge to their topic of preference by presenting a group of state-of-the-art and/or classical papers as a final project. This will require them to understand and evaluate current challenges and state-of-the-art practices in earthquake physics. Additionally, this stimulates participants to improve their skills to:
- critically analyze (to be) published papers,
- disseminate knowledge within their own and neighboring research fields,
- formulate their opinion, new ideas and broader implications,
- present their findings to an audience, and
- ask questions and actively participate in discussions on new scientific ideas.
Potential topics can deepen the discussed topics or extend into active fields of research, such as spectra of slow slip, induced seismicity, earthquakes in different tectonics settings, earthquake statistics, stress drop, geodetic seismology, static and dynamic triggering, frictional formulations from laboratory experiments, aftershocks, earthquake early warning, tsunami's, and earthquake forecasting.
SkriptCourse notes will be made available on a designated course web site. An overview of the discussed principles are available in the three books mentioned below.
Literatur- The Mechanics of Earthquakes and Faulting by Ch. Scholz (2002), Cambridge University Press

- Quantitative Seismology by K. Aki and P.G. Richards (2nd edition, 2002), University Science Books.

- Source Mechanisms of Earthquakes, Theory and Practice by Udias, Madariaga and Buforn (2014), Cambridge University Press.
Voraussetzungen / BesonderesThis course will be taught in spring 2018 following Earthquakes 1: seismotectonics in Fall 2017. We recommend to have taken Earthquakes 1: Seismotectonics, although a decent understanding of physics, mathematics (i.e. linear algebra, tensor calculus, and differential equations), seismology, and/or continuum mechanics surely compensates for that.

The course will be evaluated in 2 parts:
- a final exam at the end of the course,
- a presentation discussing a topic of chose based on a group of suggested papers

The course will be worth 3 credit points, and a satisfactory total grade (4 or better) is needed to obtain 3 ECTS. The final writing exam has a weight of 70% and the presentation weighs for 30%.

The course will be given in English.
Earthquake Seismology: Wahlpflichtfächer
Neben den obligatorischen Kursen muss für dieses Modul muss zusätzlich ein frei wählbarer Kurs im Umfang von mind. 3KP nach Absprache mit dem Fachberater gewählt werden (HS oder FS).
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