"Policy about course outlines can be found
in Section 23.4(2) of the
University Calendar" (CGF 29 SEP 2003)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEOPHYSICS 620–
Rock Physics and Mechanics
Fall 2011
Class
Schedule
Currently Scheduled for 10:00 AM MWF - But let me know if this does not work and we can find a different time to accomodate the class.
Instructor:Dr. Douglas R. Schmitt
Canada Research Chair in Rock Physics
On the one (view)
there is nothing to be gained by looking into the structure of substances … On
the other view, the nature of things as we know them will depend on the
properties of these atoms of which they are composed …. The latter view turns
out to be far nearer the truth than the former; and for that all may be
grateful who love to enquire into the ways of Nature (Sir William Bragg
as quoted in Rosenthal and Asimow, Introduction to
the Properties of Materials, 1971).
* Course objective: Course overview: Real earth materials are perhaps the
most complex nonliving materials and this makes them very interesting. As well,
geophysical methods are continually improving and the focus of much of applied
geophysics is shifting from geologic interpretation for structure to a more in
depth understanding of buried compositions and processes. For example, there is
little point in carrying out repeated seismic measurements to look for changes
in fluid contents in reservoirs unless one also hopes to make some detailed
predictions about what may actually be occurring in the subsurface. This course
strives to give the students an appreciation of the differing physical
properties of earth materials - it is these properties that the practicing
geophysicist senses by surface and borehole geophysical methods. The differing
properties will be described and methods of determining these properties and
interpreting the results will be presented, especially from the point of view
of the interpretation of geophysical well logs, surface observations, and
laboratory measurements.
Marking
”The
Course Outline –
things we will cover quickly in lectures
Introduction
and Background Fundamentals
Structure of Matter and Basic Forces
Elements &
Periodic Table
Chemical Bonds
Fundamental
Physical Properties - Overview
Mechanical
Electrical
Magnetic
Dielectric
Density
Thermal
Permeability
Piezoelectric
Forms of Matter
Gases
Liquids
PVT relationships
Weird stuff (e.g. gas hydrates)
Solids
Metals
Ceramics
Polymers
Rock Forming
Minerals
– review of silicates, carbonates.
Porous Materials –
first view
Definitions of
porosity and surface area
Packing
Types of pores
Wetting/Capillarity
Porosimetry
Permeability and
viscosity
Permeametry
Rocks - Review
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
Shales/Clays
Sandstones
Carbonates
Evaporites
Soils
Density/Composition/Porosity
Background
- Nuclear Physics
Gamma
Rays
Sources
Logging
Density
Logging
Gamma-Gamma
Logging
Borehole
Gravity
Porosity Logging
Neutron
Physics
Porosity
Logs
Pulsed Neutron
Logging
Proxy logs from
velocity
Mechanical
Properties
Basic elasticity and Hooke’s Law
Elastic Waves
Sonic Logging
Seismic reflectivity
and AVO response
Anisotropy
Crustal Stress and Fracture
Hooke’s Law again.
Elastic waves again
Phenomena of
seismic anisotropy
Viscoelasticity
Attenuation and
Dispersion
Measurement of
attenuation and Dispersion
Mixture theories
Voigt-Reuss and related types of averages
Porous Media
Cracks
Pores
Fluid Filled Media
Other concepts
Strength/Fracture/Plasticity
Stress Measurement
Effective stress
concepts
Time Lapse
Seismology
Electrical
Properties
Basic electrical
conductivity
Conductivity in
earth materials
Archie’s Laws
Electrical Logging
Methods
SP
Galvanic
Resistivity
Induction Logging
Magnetic Properties
Basic magnetism
Magnetic properties
of rocks/minerals
Magnetic Logging
1.Susceptibility
Field Strength
Dielectric
Properties
Basic Dielectric Properties
Dielectric
Properties of Earth Materials/ Frequency Dependence
Ground Penetrating
Radar and Reflectivity
Dielectric Logging
Thermal
Properties
Basic
Thermal Properties
Thermal
Properties of Earth Materials
Geothermal
Gradient
Temperature
Logging
Other
Issues in Rock Properties
Magnetic
Resonance Methods
Borehole
Imaging
Student
Interests
* Grading system information
Grading in Undergraduate Courses:
Descriptor
Letter Grade
Grade Point Value
------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent
A+
4.0
A
4.0
A-
3.7
------------------------------------------------------------
Good
B+
3.3
B
3.0
B-
2.7
------------------------------------------------------------
Satisfactory
C+
2.3
C
2.0
C-
1.7
------------------------------------------------------------
Poor
D+
1.3
Minimal Pass
D
1.0
------------------------------------------------------------
Failure
F
0.0