31259 - Foundations of Geophysics 1

Course contents

Module 1 (M. E. Belardinelli)

Mechanics of continuum media. Stress and strain. Conservation laws.

Thermo-Elastic materials. Elastic and adiabatic moduli.
Isotropic elastic media. Constraints on elastic moduli. Equations of motion (Cauchy-Navier). Elastic waves: polarization, boundary conditions at a free surface, a compositional interface, a solid-fluid interface.

Stress within the Earth, uniaxial and plane configurations, tectonic environments, theories of faulting. Elastostatic plane problems in a half-space: the Airy stress function.

Potentials in the theory of elasticity. Solution of elastostatic problems: pressurized spherical shell, response to a point force in a full space (Somigliana tensor).
Elastic dislocations and their representation.

Module 2 (M. Nespoli)

Elementary dislocations.

Darcy's law and poroelasticity.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes (Proff. Maurizio Bonafede, M.E. Belardinelli) which will be available online (on Virtuale platform).

Teaching methods

Classroom lectures using slides.

Assessment methods

Oral examination: typically 3 questions are proposed to assess the student's theoretical knowledge of the Mechanics of elastic solids and its application to the study of the interior of the Earth.

The duration of the examination is about 1 hour. The candidate is likely to be requested both to prove the main theoretical results and to estimate some of the physical parameters of the Earth's interior.

The mark is calculated from the arithmetical average of the marks for each of the three questions.

18 - 23 Preparation on a rather limited to limited number of the topics covered, which emerges only with the support of the instructor;

24 - 27 Preparation on most of the topics covered and fair to good command of the basic tools;

28 - 30L Comprehensive preparation on the topics covered, good to excellent command of the basic tools, and good to excellent ability to argue and make connections in complex problems.

Teaching tools

Lesson slides will be available online (on Virtuale platform).

Students with DSA or temporary or permanent disabilities: it is recommended to contact the responsible University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it): it will be their responsibility to propose any adaptations to the students concerned, which must however be submitted, 15 days in advance, to the approval of the teacher, who will evaluate the opportunity also in relation to the educational objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Elina Belardinelli

See the website of Massimo Nespoli