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Geology and Geophysics
Geology is the study of the solid earth. Geologists use many different methods to understand how the earth works and how it has changed throughout its history, from studies of landforms in various stages of development to probing of earth's interior using a variety of instruments. By studying the materials of earth such as rock and minerals, processes such as volcanic eruptions, floods, weathering, erosion, and sedimentation, structures such as sedimentary layers and folded mountain ranges, and the occurrence and changes in fossils in the layers of rock from ancient eras, geologists learn about the earth.
Geophysics is the term applied to indirect studies of the properties of earth materials. Primarily it is the analysis of earthquakes, natural and human-made that allows us to figure out the composition and structure of the earth deep inside where no drill holes have reached and likely ever will. Remote sensing from satellites has allowed us to study earth using technology developed for studying other planets.
Course Descriptions
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