Department: Geophysics

Code Name Description
GEOPHYS100 Directed Reading (Staff)
GEOPHYS101 Frontiers of Geophysical Research at Stanford Required for new students entering the department and undergraduate majors. Department faculty introduce the frontiers of research problems and methods being employed or developed in the department and unique to department faculty and students: what...
GEOPHYS104 The Water Course The Central Valley of California provides a third of the produce grown in the U.S., but recent droughts and increasing demand have raised concerns about both food and water security. The pathway that water takes from rainfall to the irrigation of fie...
GEOPHYS106 Sustainable and Equitable Water Management California has committed itself to sustainable groundwater management, with passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014, and safe drinking water access for all, with California's Human Right to Water Act in 2012. Yet, groundwater ov...
GEOPHYS108 Tectonics Field Trip What does an earthquake fault look like near Earth's surface? How about the inside of, or beneath, a volcano? Why does California experience earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Learn about thermo-physico-chemical evolution (mass transport, heat trans...
GEOPHYS109 Formation and Dynamics of Planets This course will cover formation of planets within a protoplanetary disk, dynamical evolution of planetary systems (Grand Tack and Nice models, planet migration), condensation chemistry within the solar nebula and meteorite classification, classical...
GEOPHYS110 Introduction to the Foundations of Contemporary Geophysics Introduction to the foundations of contemporary geophysics. Topics drawn from broad themes in: whole Earth geodynamics, geohazards, natural resources, and environment. In each case the focus is on how the interpretation of a variety of geophysical m...
GEOPHYS112 Exploring Geosciences with MATLAB How to use MATLAB as a tool for research and technical computing, including 2-D and 3-D visualization features, numerical capabilities, and toolboxes. Practical skills in areas such as data analysis, regressions, optimization, spectral analysis, diff...
GEOPHYS115 Taking the Pulse of the Planet Grappling with the big questions of sustainability and climate change, requires that we start with a foundational understanding of how Earth works. Tapping into rapid advancements in sensor technology and data science over the past decade, we can now...
GEOPHYS118Y Shaping the Future of the Bay Area The complex urban problems affecting quality of life in the Bay Area, from housing affordability and transportation congestion to economic vitality and social justice, are already perceived by many to be intractable, and will likely be exacerbated by...
GEOPHYS118Z Shaping the Future of the Bay Area Students are placed in small interdisciplinary teams (engineers and non-engineers, undergraduate and graduate level) to work on complex design, engineering, and policy problems presented by external partners in a real urban setting. Multiple projects...
GEOPHYS119 Planetary Surface Processes: Shaping the Landscape of the Solar System The surfaces of planets, moons, and other bodies are shaped and modified by a wide array of physical and chemical processes. Understanding these processes allows us to decipher the history of the Solar System. This course offers a quantitative examin...
GEOPHYS120 Geophysical Mechanics and Dynamics Introductory application of continuum mechanics to ice sheets and glaciers, water waves and tsunamis, and volcanoes. Emphasis on physical processes and mathematical description using balance of mass and momentum, combined with constitutive equations...
GEOPHYS122 Planetary Systems: Dynamics and Origins (Students with a strong background in mathematics and the physical sciences should register for 222.) Motions of planets and smaller bodies, energy transport in planetary systems, composition, structure and dynamics of planetary atmospheres, crateri...
GEOPHYS124 Introduction to Planetary Science This course provides an introduction to planetary science through the exploration of processes that formed and modified planetary bodies within the Solar System and beyond. Each lecture will be given by an expert in a specific subfield of planetary s...
GEOPHYS126 Planetary Science Reading The course will meet once a week to discuss a recent journal article related to the broad field of planetary science, including but not limited to cosmochemistry, planet formation, planetary geology, planetary atmospheres, Earth history, astrobiology...
GEOPHYS128 Modeling Earth Most problems in Earth Science are dazzling and beautifully complex. Abstracting from this natural complexity to identify the essential components and mechanisms of a natural system is perhaps the most important, but commonly overlooked, task for dev...
GEOPHYS130 Introductory Seismology Introduction to seismology including: elasticity and the wave equation, P, S, and surface waves, dispersion, ray theory, reflection and transmission of seismic waves, seismic imaging, large-scale Earth structure, earthquake location, earthquake stati...
GEOPHYS139 Paleomagnetism Introduction to planetary magnetic fields and how they are recorded by rocks on Earth and other solar system bodies. Topics covered will include dynamo magnetic field generation and evolution, magnetization acquisition processes, paleointensity, pale...
GEOPHYS141 Remote Sensing of the Oceans How to observe and interpret physical and biological changes in the oceans using satellite technologies. Topics: principles of satellite remote sensing, classes of satellite remote sensors, converting radiometric data into biological and physical qua...
GEOPHYS162 Laboratory Characterization of Properties of Rocks and Geomaterials Lectures and laboratory experiments. Properties of rocks and geomaterials and how they relate to chemo-mechanical processes in crustal settings, reservoirs, and man-made materials. Focus is on properties such as porosity, permeability, acoustic wave...
GEOPHYS162A Introduction to Laboratory Methods in Geophysics Lectures, indirect reading assignments, and completion of questions regarding laboratory procedures. The course provides an introduction to methods of quantitative laboratory analysis of rocks, minerals, and fluids. Laboratory exercises related to ro...
GEOPHYS165 Ice Penetrating Radar The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the physics, systems, processing, and analysis of ice penetrating radar, preparing students to use it as a quantitative research tool. Target students are graduates or advanced undergraduate...
GEOPHYS181 Fluids and Flow in the Earth: Computational Methods Interdisciplinary problems involving the state and movement of fluids in crustal systems, and computational methods to model these processes. Examples of processes include: nonlinear, time-dependent flow in porous rocks; coupling in porous rocks betw...
GEOPHYS182 Reflection Seismology The principles of seismic reflection profiling, focusing on methods of seismic data acquisition and seismic data processing for hydrocarbon exploration.
GEOPHYS183 Reflection Seismology Interpretation The structural and stratigraphic interpretation of seismic reflection data, emphasizing hydrocarbon traps in two and three dimensions on industry data, including workstation-based interpretation. Lectures only, 1 unit. Prerequisite: 222, or consent o...
GEOPHYS184 Journey to the Center of the Earth The interconnected set of dynamic systems that make up the Earth. Focus is on fundamental geophysical observations of the Earth and the laboratory experiments to understand and interpret them. What earthquakes, volcanoes, gravity, magnetic fields, an...
GEOPHYS188 Basic Earth Imaging Echo seismogram recording geometry, head waves, moveout, velocity estimation, making images of complex shaped reflectors, migration by Fourier and integral methods. Anti-aliasing. Dip moveout. Computer labs. See http://sep.stanford.edu/sep/prof/. Off...
GEOPHYS190 Near-Surface Geophysics: Imaging Groundwater Systems Introduction to geophysical methods that can be used for imaging and characterizing groundwater systems. Recurring periods of drought and flooding in California have led state and local water agencies to search for ways to capture flood water and use...
GEOPHYS196 Undergraduate Research in Geophysics Field-, lab-, or computer-based. Faculty supervision. Written reports.
GEOPHYS197 Senior Thesis in Geophysics For seniors writing a thesis based on Geophysics research in 196 or as a summer research fellow. Seniors defend the results of their research at a public oral presentation.
GEOPHYS198 Honors Program Experimental, observational, or theoretical honors project and thesis in geophysics under supervision of a faculty member. Students who elect to do an honors thesis should begin planning it no later than Winter Quarter of the junior year. Prerequisit...
GEOPHYS199 Senior Seminar: Issues in Earth Sciences Focus is on written and oral communication in a topical context. Topics from current frontiers in earth science research and issues of concern to the public. Readings, oral presentations, written work, and peer review.
GEOPHYS201 Frontiers of Geophysical Research at Stanford Required for new students entering the department and undergraduate majors. Department faculty introduce the frontiers of research problems and methods being employed or developed in the department and unique to department faculty and students: what...
GEOPHYS203 Fluids and Flow in the Earth: Computational Methods Interdisciplinary problems involving the state and movement of fluids in crustal systems, and computational methods to model these processes. Examples of processes include: nonlinear, time-dependent flow in porous rocks; coupling in porous rocks betw...
GEOPHYS204 The Water Course The Central Valley of California provides a third of the produce grown in the U.S., but recent droughts and increasing demand have raised concerns about both food and water security. The pathway that water takes from rainfall to the irrigation of fie...
GEOPHYS205 Effective Scientific Presentation and Public Speaking The ability to present your research in a compelling, concise, and engaging manner will enhance your professional career. I will work to convince you that the best way to capture an audience and leave a lasting impression is to tell a story, do a dem...
GEOPHYS206 Sustainable and Equitable Water Management California has committed itself to sustainable groundwater management, with passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014, and safe drinking water access for all, with California's Human Right to Water Act in 2012. Yet, groundwater ov...
GEOPHYS209 Formation and Dynamics of Planets This course will cover formation of planets within a protoplanetary disk, dynamical evolution of planetary systems (Grand Tack and Nice models, planet migration), condensation chemistry within the solar nebula and meteorite classification, classical...
GEOPHYS20N Predicting Volcanic Eruptions The physics and chemistry of volcanic processes and modern methods of volcano monitoring. Volcanoes as manifestations of the Earth's internal energy and hazards to society. How earth scientists better forecast eruptive activity by monitoring seismic...
GEOPHYS210 Basic Earth Imaging Echo seismogram recording geometry, head waves, moveout, velocity estimation, making images of complex shaped reflectors, migration by Fourier and integral methods. Anti-aliasing. Dip moveout. Computer labs. See http://sep.stanford.edu/sep/prof/. Off...
GEOPHYS211 Environmental Soundings Image Estimation Imaging principles exemplified by means of imaging geophysical data of various uncomplicated types (bathymetry, altimetry, velocity, reflectivity). Adjoints, back projection, conjugate-gradient inversion, preconditioning, multidimensional autoregress...
GEOPHYS214 Tectonics Field Trip What does an earthquake fault look like near Earth's surface? How about the inside of, or beneath, a volcano? Why does California experience earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Learn about thermo-physico-chemical evolution (mass transport, heat trans...
GEOPHYS218Y Shaping the Future of the Bay Area The complex urban problems affecting quality of life in the Bay Area, from housing affordability and transportation congestion to economic vitality and social justice, are already perceived by many to be intractable, and will likely be exacerbated by...
GEOPHYS218Z Shaping the Future of the Bay Area Students are placed in small interdisciplinary teams (engineers and non-engineers, undergraduate and graduate level) to work on complex design, engineering, and policy problems presented by external partners in a real urban setting. Multiple projects...
GEOPHYS219 Planetary Surface Processes: Shaping the Landscape of the Solar System The surfaces of planets, moons, and other bodies are shaped and modified by a wide array of physical and chemical processes. Understanding these processes allows us to decipher the history of the Solar System. This course offers a quantitative examin...
GEOPHYS220 Geophysical Mechanics and Dynamics Introductory application of continuum mechanics to ice sheets and glaciers, water waves and tsunamis, and volcanoes. Emphasis on physical processes and mathematical description using balance of mass and momentum, combined with constitutive equations...
GEOPHYS221 Rivers: The Arteries of Earth's Continents Rivers are the arteries of Earth's continents, conveying water, sediments, and solutes from the headwaters to the oceans. They provide a haven for life and have been at the heart of the world's economy by generating fertile floodplains, human habitat...
GEOPHYS222 Reflection Seismology The principles of seismic reflection profiling, focusing on methods of seismic data acquisition and seismic data processing for hydrocarbon exploration.
GEOPHYS223 Reflection Seismology Interpretation The structural and stratigraphic interpretation of seismic reflection data, emphasizing hydrocarbon traps in two and three dimensions on industry data, including workstation-based interpretation. Lectures only, 1 unit. Prerequisite: 222, or consent o...
GEOPHYS224 Seismic Reflection Processing Workshop in computer processing of 2D and 3D seismic reflection data. Students individually process a seismic reflection profile (of their own choice or instructor-provided) from field recordings to migrated sections and subsurface images, using inte...
GEOPHYS225 Multiphase Instabilities and Extreme Events How fast can ice sheets disintegrate? Why do volcanoes erupt? Which processes govern theoccurrence of landslides? And can we reduce the destructive reach of tsunamis and storm surges?The common denominator of what at first glance might seem like disp...
GEOPHYS226 Planetary Science Reading The course will meet once a week to discuss a recent journal article related to the broad field of planetary science, including but not limited to cosmochemistry, planet formation, planetary geology, planetary atmospheres, Earth history, astrobiology...
GEOPHYS228 Modeling Earth Most problems in Earth Science are dazzling and beautifully complex. Abstracting from this natural complexity to identify the essential components and mechanisms of a natural system is perhaps the most important, but commonly overlooked, task for dev...
GEOPHYS229 Earthquake Rupture Dynamics Physics of earthquakes, including nucleation, propagation, and arrest; slip-weakening and rate-and-state friction laws; thermal pressurization and dynamic weakening mechanisms; off-fault plasticity; dynamic fracture mechanics; earthquake energy balan...
GEOPHYS230 Ice Penetrating Radar The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the physics, systems, processing, and analysis of ice penetrating radar, preparing students to use it as a quantitative research tool. Target students are graduates or advanced undergraduate...
GEOPHYS237 Evolution of Terrestrial Planets Despite forming in the inner solar system from broadly similar starting materials, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the Moon each represent a unique outcome of the planetary formation process. Processes occurring deep inside planets drive the evolut...
GEOPHYS238 Waves in Solids and Fluids Wave propagation and sources in elastic solids and compressible fluids; body, surface, and interface waves in homogeneous and plane layered media; dispersion, phase and group velocities; reflection and transmission; near-field, far-field, and static...
GEOPHYS239 Paleomagnetism Introduction to planetary magnetic fields and how they are recorded by rocks on Earth and other solar system bodies. Topics covered will include dynamo magnetic field generation and evolution, magnetization acquisition processes, paleointensity, pale...
GEOPHYS241A Seismic Reservoir Characterization (Same as GP241) Practical methods for quantitative characterization and uncertainty assessment of subsurface reservoir models integrating well-log and seismic data. Multidisciplinary combination of rock-physics, seismic attributes, sedimentological i...
GEOPHYS254 Sedimentology and Rock Physics of Carbonates Processes of precipitation and sedimentation of carbonate minerals as well as their post-depositional alteration with emphasis on marine systems. Topics include: geographic and bathymetric distribution of carbonates in modern and ancient oceans; gene...
GEOPHYS255 Report on Energy Industry Training On-the-job-training for master's and doctoral degree students under the guidance of on-site supervisors. Students submit a report detailing work activities, problems, assignment, and key results. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: written cons...
GEOPHYS257 Introduction to Computational Earth Sciences Techniques for mapping numerically intensive algorithms to modern high performance computers such as the Center for Computational Earth and Environmental Science's (CEES) . Topics include computer architecture performance analysis, and parallel pro...
GEOPHYS258J Introduction to Radar Remote Sensing Introduction to the principles behind, and applications of, radar as a remote sensing tool. Radar observables and the radar equation, system and subsystem design, signal processing and matched filters, detection problems, radar imaging, range-Dopple...
GEOPHYS259 Laboratory Characterization of Properties of Rocks and Geomaterials Lectures and laboratory experiments. Properties of rocks and geomaterials and how they relate to chemo-mechanical processes in crustal settings, reservoirs, and man-made materials. Focus is on properties such as porosity, permeability, acoustic wave...
GEOPHYS260G Imaging with Incomplete Information Statistical and computational methods for inferring images from incomplete data. Bayesian inference methods are used to combine data and quantify uncertainty in the estimate. Fast linear algebra tools are used to solve problems with many pixels and...
GEOPHYS261 Advanced Rock Physics Topics This course will present advanced topics in elastic effective medium theory, as applied to porous rocks.
GEOPHYS262 Rock Physics Geophysical methods are used to image and characterize regions of the subsurface to explore for, evaluate and manage Earth resources (water and energy). A rock physics relationship is required to transform measured geophysical properties to the mater...
GEOPHYS264 Three-Dimensional Imaging Multidimensional time and frequency representations, generalization of Fourier transform methods to non-Cartesian coordinate systems, Hankel and Abel transforms, line integrals, impulses and sampling, reconstruction tomography, imaging radar. The pro...
GEOPHYS265 Imaging Radar and Applications Radar remote sensing, radar image characteristics, viewing geometry, range coding, synthetic aperture processing, correlation, range migration, range/Doppler algorithms, wave domain algorithms, polar algorithm, polarimetric processing, interferometri...
GEOPHYS270 Electromagnetic Properties of Geological Materials Laboratory observations and theoretical modeling of the electromagnetic properties and nuclear magnetic resonance response of geological material. Relationships between these properties and water-saturated materials properties such as composition, wa...
GEOPHYS274 Journey to the Center of the Earth The interconnected set of dynamic systems that make up the Earth. Focus is on fundamental geophysical observations of the Earth and the laboratory experiments to understand and interpret them. What earthquakes, volcanoes, gravity, magnetic fields, an...
GEOPHYS280 3-D Seismic Imaging The principles of imaging complex structures in the Earth subsurface using 3-D reflection seismology. Emphasis is on processing methodologies and algorithms, with examples of applications to field data. Topics: acquisition geometrics of land and mari...
GEOPHYS281 Geophysical Inverse Problems Concepts of inverse theory, with application to geophysics. Inverses with discrete and continuous models, generalized matrix inverses, resolving kernels, regularization, use of prior information, singular value decomposition, nonlinear inverse proble...
GEOPHYS288A Crustal Deformation Earthquake and volcanic deformation, emphasizing analytical models that can be compared to data from GPS, InSAR, and strain meters. Deformation, stress, and conservation laws. Dislocation models of strike slip and dip slip faults, in 2 and 3 dimensio...
GEOPHYS288B Crustal Deformation Earthquake and volcanic deformation, emphasizing analytical models that can be compared to data from GPS, InSAR, and strain meters. Viscoelasticity, post-seismic rebound, and viscoelastic magma chambers. Effects of surface topography and earth curvat...
GEOPHYS299 Teaching Experience in Geophysics For TAs in Geophysics. Course and lecture design and preparation; lecturing practice in small groups. Classroom teaching practice in a Geophysics course for which the participant is the TA.
GEOPHYS300 Geophysics Department Seminar Required for graduate students in their first two years (six quarters total), and strongly encouraged for all members of the Department. This course consists of a lecture by a different speaker each week, distinguished scientists selected by students...
GEOPHYS304 Effects of Global Change and Agriculture on Hydrology Effects of global change on crop production and fluxes of water across the surface and through the subsurface. Nexus of food, energy, and water through primary literature, and relevant data analyses. Students will be introduced to concepts ranging fr...
GEOPHYS306 Topics in Multiphase Instabilities and Extreme Events This Seminar will explore the role of multiphase instabilities in the onset and evolution of extreme events. We will explore the different types of instabilities that arise in different multiphase aggregates and why they might be critical for underst...
GEOPHYS308 Topics in Disaster Resilience Research This seminar will explore past and current research on disaster risk and resilience, towards the development of new frontiers in resilience engineering science research. Designed for graduate students engaged in the topic of risk and resilience rese...
GEOPHYS30N Designing Science Fiction Planets Science fiction writers craft entire worlds and physical laws with their minds. While planetary formation in the real world is a little different, we can use fantastical places and environments from film, television, and literature as conversation st...
GEOPHYS385A Reflection Seismology Research in reflection seismology and petroleum prospecting. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385B Environmental Geophysics Research on the use of geophysical methods for near-surface environmental problems. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385D Theoretical Geophysics Research on physics and mechanics of earthquakes, volcanoes, ice sheets, and glaciers. Emphasis is on developing theoretical understanding of processes governing natural phenomena.
GEOPHYS385E Tectonics Research on the origin, major structures, and tectonic processes of the Earth's crust. Emphasis is on use of deep seismic reflection and refraction data. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385G Radio Glaciology Research on the acquisition, processing, and analysis of radio geophysical signals in observing the subsurface conditions and physical processes of ice sheets, glaciers, and icy moons.
GEOPHYS385H Subsurface Modeling and Characterization Research on rock physics and geophysical methods for stochastic methods for subsurface modeling
GEOPHYS385K Crustal Mechanics Research in areas of petrophysics, seismology, in situ stress, and subjects related to characterization of the physical properties of rock in situ. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385L Earthquake Seismology, Deformation, and Stress Research on seismic source processes, crustal stress, and deformation associated with faulting and volcanism. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385N Experimental Rock Physics Research on the use of laboratory geophysical methods for the characterization of the physical properties of rocks and their response to earth stresses, temperature, and rock-fluid interactions. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385Q Seismology Research on Source and Structural Seismology of the Earth. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385R Physical Volcanology Research on volcanic processes. May be repeat for credit
GEOPHYS385S Wave Physics Theory, numerical simulation, and experiments on seismic and electromagnetic waves in complex porous media. Applications from Earth imaging and in situ characterization of Earth properties, including subsurface monitoring. Presentations by faculty, r...
GEOPHYS385T Planetary Magnetism Research on the application of paleomagnetism to study planetary processes such as dynamo field generation, geodynamical evolution, and impact cratering. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS385V Poroelasticity Research on the mechanical properties of porous rocks: dynamic problems of seismic velocity, dispersion, and attentuation; and quasi-static problems of faulting, fluid transport, crustal deformation, and loss of porosity. Participants define, investi...
GEOPHYS385W GEOPHYSICAL MULTI-PHASE FLOWS Research on the dynamics of multi-phase systems that are fundamental to many geophysical problems such as ice sheets and volcanoes.
GEOPHYS385Z Radio Remote Sensing Research applications, especially crustal deformation measurements. Recent instrumentation and system advancements. May be repeated for credit.
GEOPHYS400 Research in Geophysics Research in Geophysics
GEOPHYS54N The Space Mission to Europa Jupiter's icy moon Europa is a leading candidate in the search for life in our solar system outside of Earth. NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission would investigate the habitability of the moon using a suite of nine geophysical instruments. In thi...
GEOPHYS60N Man versus Nature: Coping with Disasters Using Space Technology Preference to freshman. Natural hazards, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, and fires, and how they affect people and society; great disasters such as asteroid impacts that periodically obliterate many species of life. Scientific issues, pol...
GEOPHYS801 TGR Project TGR Project
GEOPHYS802 TGR Dissertation TGR Dissertation
GEOPHYS90 Earthquakes and Volcanoes Is the "Big One" overdue in California? What kind of damage would that cause? What can we do to reduce the impact of such hazards in urban environments? Does "fracking" cause earthquakes and are we at risk? Is the United States vulnerable to a giant...