Geophysics - (2021-2022 Catalog) 1
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Geophysics - (2021-2022 Catalog) 1 95% of CSM’s geophysics graduates have found employment in their Geophysics chosen field within 6 months of graduation. With 12 full-time faculty members and small class sizes, students Degrees Offered receive individualized attention in a close-knit environment. Given • Graduate Certificate (Petroleum Geophysics) the interdisciplinary nature of geophysics, the graduate curriculum requires students to become thoroughly familiar with geology, • Professional Masters (Petroleum Reservoir Systems) physics, mathematics, and computer science, in addition to exploring • Master of Science (Geophysics) (Non-Thesis) the theoretical and practical aspects of the various geophysical • Master of Science (Geophysical Engineering) (Non-Thesis) methodologies. • Master of Science (Geophysics) Research Emphasis • Master of Science (Geophysical Engineering) The Department conducts research in a wide variety of areas that are • Doctor of Philosophy (Geophysics) mostly related, but not restricted, to applied geophysics. Candidates interested in the current research activities of specific faculty members • Doctor of Philosophy (Geophysical Engineering) are encouraged to visit the Department's website and to contact that Program Description faculty member directly. To give prospective candidates an idea of the types of research activities available in geophysics at MINES, a list Founded in 1926, the Department of Geophysics at Colorado School of of the recognized research groups operating within the Department Mines is recognized and respected around the world for its programs in of Geophysics, and information about other research strengths in the applied geophysical research and education. Department, is given below. Geophysics is an interdisciplinary field that blends disciplines such The Center for Wave Phenomena (CWP), led by four faculty members, as geology, physics, mathematics, computer science, and electrical is supported by the petroleum exploration industry and various U.S engineering. Professionals working in geophysics often come from government agencies (e.g. USGS, NASA, DOE). CWP is focused on programs in these allied disciplines, as well as from formal programs in the development of advanced seismic modeling, imaging, and inversion geophysics. methods for realistic heterogeneous, anisotropic media. Among the current CWP research topics are wavefield imaging and tomography, Geophysicists study and explore the interior of the Earth (as well as waveform inversion of reflection and microseismic data, seismic of other planetary bodies) through physical measurements collected interferometry and Marchenko imaging, quantification of uncertainty in at its surface, in boreholes, from aircraft, and from satellites. Using seismic inversion, seismic fracture characterization, data acquisition a combination of mathematics, physics, geology, computer science, using robotics and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and applications hydrology, and chemistry, a geophysicist analyzes these measurements of geophysical technology to space exploration. CWP faculty and to infer properties and processes within Earth’s complex interior. students actively work on large-scale cluster and GPU computing. Further Noninvasive imaging beneath the surface of Earth and other planets by information about CWP can be obtained at https://cwp.mines.edu/. geophysicists is much like the noninvasive imaging of the interior of the human body by medical specialists. The Reservoir Characterization Project (RCP) integrates the acquisition and interpretation of 3D multicomponent time-lapse seismic Earth supplies all materials needed by our society, serves as the reflection and downhole data with geology and petroleum engineering repository of used products, and provides a home to all its inhabitants. information of existing oil fields to solve complex reservoir challenges Therefore, geophysics and geophysical engineering have important roles and to gain improvements in reservoir performance prediction and to play in the solution of challenging problems facing the inhabitants of development optimization. RCP's unique research model emphasizes this planet, such as providing fresh water, food, and energy for Earth’s a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach for practical research. RCP growing population, evaluating sites for underground construction and also focuses on specific research areas such as fiber optics, machine containment of hazardous waste, monitoring noninvasively the aging learning, compressive sensing and EOR in unconventionals. It is infrastructures (natural gas pipelines, water supplies, telecommunication an industry-funded research consortium with faculty and graduate- conduits, transportation networks) of developed nations, mitigating the level students from Geophysics, Petroleum Engineering, and Geology threat of geohazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, avalanches) disciplines. Read more about RCP at http://rcp.mines.edu/. to populated areas, contributing to homeland security (including detection and removal of unexploded ordnance and land mines), evaluating The Center for Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Studies (CGEM) changes in climate and managing humankind’s response to them, and focuses on the quantitative interpretation of gravity, magnetic, electrical exploring Earth and other planets. and electromagnetic, and surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data in applied geophysics. The Center brings together the diverse Energy and mining companies employ geophysicists to explore for expertise of faculty and students in these different geophysical methods hidden resources around the world. Engineering firms hire geophysical and works towards advancing the state of art in geophysical data engineers to assess the Earth’s near-surface properties of sites chosen interpretation for real-world problems. The emphases of CGEM research for large construction projects and waste-management operations. are processing and inversion of applied geophysical data. The primary Environmental organizations use geophysics to conduct groundwater areas of application include petroleum exploration and production, surveys and to track the flow of contaminants. On the global scale, mineral exploration, geothermal, and geotechnical and engineering geophysicists employed by universities and government agencies (such problems. In addition, environmental problems, infrastructure mapping, as the United States Geological Survey and NASA), work to understand archaeology, hydrogeophysics, and crustal studies are also research Earth processes such as heat flow, gravitational, magnetic, electric, areas within the Center. There are currently five major focus areas of thermal, and stress fields within Earth’s interior. For the past decade, 2 Geophysics - (2021-2022 Catalog) research within CGEM: Gravity and Magnetics Research Consortium Geophysics and Geophysical Engineering (GMRC), mineral exploration, geothermal exploration, surface NMR, and Program Objectives hydrogeophysics. Research funding is provided by petroleum and mining industries, ERDC, SERDP, DOE, and other agencies. More information The principal objective for students pursuing the PhD degree in about CGEM is available on the web at: http://cgem.mines.edu/. Geophysics or Geophysical Engineering is: Geophysics PhD graduates will be regarded by their employers as effective educators and/or The Center for Rock and Fluid Multiphysics focuses on fluid innovative researchers in their early-career peer group. In support of this distributions in rocks and how these distributions affect characteristics objective, the PhD programs in the Department of Geophysics are aimed such as wave attenuation, velocity dispersion, and seismic signature. at achieving these student outcomes: The Center uses a range of instrumentation through the Rock Lab in the Green Center, including low-frequency devices, laser optics equipment, • Graduates will command superior knowledge of Geophysics and x-ray computed tomography equipment. The Center manages and fundamental related disciplines. two major research consortia. For more information, visit https:// • Graduates will independently be able to conduct research crusher.mines.edu/. leading to significant new knowledge and Geophysical techniques. The Global and Computational Seismology Group focuses on • Graduates will be able to report their findings orally and in investigating Earth’s interior and other planetary bodies using passive writing. seismic sources, such as quakes and ambient noise. Harnessing the opportunities provided by high-performance computing, ever- The chief objective for students pursuing the MS degree in Geophysics or increasing seismic data, the group analyzes seismic wiggles and Geophysical Engineering is: Geophysics MS graduates will be regarded construct high-resolution CAT scan images of Earth’s interior to interpret by their employers as effective practitioners addressing earth, energy the composition & inner dynamics of our planet, and relate them to and environmental problems with geophysical techniques. In support of surface processes to understand the origin of and the driving forces this objective, the MS programs in the Department of Geophysics aim to behind tectonic activities. These studies also have strong societal impact achieve these student outcomes: including assessment and mitigation of natural hazards related to seismic activity and tsunamis in earthquake-prone regions. The experience • Graduates will command superior knowledge