| Unit name | Geophysical Surveying and Remote Sensing |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC20054 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Wookey |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Successful completion of a Year 1 Earth Sciences programme. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
Geophysical Surveying and Remote Sensing introduces you to techniques used to solve applied problems related to monitoring Earth’s surface and shallow subsurface. Geophysics provides a range of approaches to image parts of the subsurface that are otherwise inaccessible. Such methods are used extensively in civil engineering and resource-related industries, and for environmental investigation and monitoring. Remote sensing is a complementary technique for monitoring the Earth’s surface through time using satellite-based and airborne sensors. Remote sensing is used in global hazard and risk analysis, environmental monitoring, sustainable resource management, defence and logistics. The unit teaches you the concepts underlying geophysical surveying and remote sensing methods, and gives you hands-on experience of how they can be used to solve real-world problems.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Geophysical surveying can be used to study subsurface structure including lithology, rock-hosted fluids and minerals, as well as built infrastructure. Remote sensing can be used to measure the ground surface position and infer its coverage. The power of remote sensing is its ability to measure surface observables over the whole of Earth’s surface through time. Both geophysical surveying and remote sensing are therefore relevant to many other geological and environmental units across the programme. The principles underlying geophysical and remote sensing methods draw on fundamental mathematics, physics and coding skills from study in year 1, and directly informs later units including those focussed on projects and fieldwork.
An overview of content
The unit will cover geophysical surveying and remote sensing techniques for studying the Earth's surface and subsurface for environmental, hazard, industrial and research purposes. Example geophysical techniques covered include gravity, magnetic, seismic, electrical and electromagnetic surveying. Example remote sensing techniques include space-borne optical sensors, satellite radar (SAR), LiDAR, photogrammetry, drone surveying and atmospheric gas sensors.
For each technique the basic underlying theory, relevant (sub)surface properties, targets, instrumentation, acquisition, data processing and interpretation will be explained. Several case studies for each demonstrating the technique’s utility will be provided, spanning application areas including natural hazards, natural resources, and engineering and archaeological site investigations. Practical work will include processing and interpreting real-world geophysical and remote sensing data.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
As well as gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of geophysics and remote sensing, and their place in modern geosciences and related industries, you will have had practice applying mathematical, data analysis and coding skills. The teamworking element of the assessment will teach critical collaboration and negotiation skills.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
The unit is taught via a combination of lectures and practicals. Practicals predominantly comprise computational data analysis and interpretation, both demonstrating the utility of the techniques discussed in the lectures, and providing practice for the final coursework. Demonstrators are on hand during practicals to help students who get stuck. Worked solutions will be provided for all practicals and students are strongly encouraged to work through the these independently. Opportunities (through office hours and in practical sessions) are provided to discuss questions about practical work. The final practical element of the unit is focussed on the coursework, enabling students to easily access support with beginning the data processing elements of the exercise.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Practical work will provide opportunities to practice and explore the processing and analysis skills necessary to complete the summative coursework. Feedback on the practicals will be provided through worked solutions, and directly by the course leader and demonstrators during the sessions. There will be a formative, small-group meeting mid-way through the course to practice interpretation of multiple datasets. Attendance at this meeting and practical sessions is also mandatory in order to gain credit points for the unit.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
100% coursework comprising a geophysical and remote sensing survey report which will contain both group-based and individual elements. Each student's final mark will be a combination of the quality of the overall report, and the individual section they wrote.
Word and/or page limits and strict formatting will apply to the report, details of which will be made available on Blackboard. Penalties for exceeding the specific word and/or page limit will be applied.
When assessment does not go to plan
The University's Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes outline the requirements for progression on and completion of degree programmes. Students who miss an exam and self-certify their absence may complete a supplementary assessment for an uncapped mark as if taken for the first time. Resit and supplementary exams are habitually taken during the reassessment period later in the summer. As far as is practicable and appropriate, resit and supplementary assessments will be in the same form as the original assessment but will always test the same intended learning outcomes as the initial missed or failed assessment. In the case of group work, failure by a whole group would result in an appropriate group task being set and reassessed for all group members. If a single student fails a group assessment or is unable to participate for an evidenced reason, an individual reassessment will be set.
There are rigorous and fair procedures in place to support students who are ill or whose studies and assessments are affected by exceptional circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC20054).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
