The course aims at training the students on more advanced methods of analysis and interpretation of seismological data. The students will learn practical notions, elaborating waveforms from raw data to tomographic models using python libraries.
Curriculum
teacher profile teaching materials
Part I – Review of Theoretical Foundations
1.1 Fundamentals of Elastic Wave Propagation
1.2 Equations of Motion and Constitutive Relations
1.3 Elastic Parameters and Seismic Wave Velocities
1.4 Wave Interaction with Heterogeneities and Layered Earth Structure
1.5 Attenuation and the Quality Factor (Q)
1.6 Standing Waves and the Earth's Normal Modes
1.7 First-Order Structure of the Earth
1.8 The Seismic Source
1.8.1 Scalar Seismic Moment
1.8.2 Seismic Moment Tensor
Part II – Practical Tools and Scientific Programming
2.1 Software Installation and Code Management
2.1.1 Windows
2.1.2 macOS and Linux
2.1.3 Setting up a Working Environment
2.2 Python Programming (Basic Review)
2.3 Python Libraries for Seismology
2.4 Python Development Environments: Jupyter Notebook and Spyder
2.4.1 Jupyter Notebook
2.4.2 Spyder
2.5 Practical Tutorials
2.5.1 Tutorial 1: Frequency-Domain Analysis
2.5.2 Tutorial 2: Basic Processing of Seismological Data Using ObsPy
2.5.3 Tutorial 3: Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Mapping Using SeisLib
2.5.4 Tutorial 4: Bayesian Inversion
2.5.5 Tutorial 5: Inverse Problems—Theoretical Aspects and the CIDER Tutorial
Part III – Critical Reading and Scientific Discussion
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Course Format
3.3 Selected Research Topics
3.3.1 Topic 1: Introduction to the Mantle Plume Debate (Wolfe et al., 2009, and related papers)
3.3.2 Topic 2: Thickness of the Continental Lithosphere (Gung et al., 2003; Forte & Perry, 2000; and related papers)
3.3.3 Topic 3: The Nature of the D″ Layer (Cobden & Thomas, 2012, and related papers)
3.3.4 Topic 4: Average Mantle Composition and Temperature (Cammarano et al., 2011, and related papers)
3.4 Student Presentations and Assignments
Appendix A. From Waveforms to Seismic Observables
A.1 Dispersion Curves from Ambient Noise
A.2 Dispersion Curves from Teleseismic Earthquakes: The Two-Station Method
A.3 Seismic Phase Picking
A.4 Receiver Functions (RF)
A.5 Conclusions: Implicit Theory and the Nature of Seismic Observables
Appendix B. Inverse Problems in Observational Seismology
B.1 Introduction
B.2 The Relationship Between Observables and the Earth Model
B.3 Discrete Linear Formulation
B.4 Solutions and the Generalized Inverse
B.5 Regularization
B.6 Uncertainty Quantification
B.7 Resolution Analysis
B.8 Model Space, Data Space, and the Physical Meaning of the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)
B.9 Nonlinear and Bayesian Approaches
B.9.1 Bayes' Theorem and the Logic of Statistical Inference
B.9.2 Likelihood and Prior Information in Inverse Problems
B.9.3 Sampling the Posterior Distribution: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
B.9.4 Trans-dimensional and Hierarchical MCMC
B.9.5 BayesBay: A General Framework for Bayesian Inversion
B.9.6 Advantages and Practical Limitations
Appendix C. Receiver Functions: Theory, Methodology, and Applications
C.1 Problem Geometry and Three-Dimensional Coordinate Rotations (NEZ → RTZ → LQT)
C.1.1 Horizontal Rotation (NEZ → RTZ)
C.1.2 Vertical Rotation (RTZ → LQT)
C.2 Modeling the Earth's Response
C.3 Definition of Receiver Functions
C.4 Deconvolution Methods
C.5 Interpretation of Receiver Functions
C.6 Moveout Correction
C.7 Stacking and Common Conversion Point (CCP) Migration
C.7.1 Brief Introduction to Seismic Interferometry
C.7.2 Assumptions and Limitations
C.8 Estimation of Crustal Thickness (H) and Vp/Vs Ratio (κ) Using the Zhu & Kanamori (2000) Stacking Method
C.8.1 The Stacking Function
C.8.2 Trade-off Between H and κ
C.8.3 Advantages of the H–κ Method
C.8.4 Method Limitations
C.9 General Conclusions
Appendix D. Array Seismology and Beamforming Analysis
D.1 Slowness Geometry
D.2 Beamforming
D.3 Slant Stacking and Vespagrams
D.4 Frequency–Wavenumber (f–k) Analysis
D.5 Applications to Deep Earth Structure: Reflections from the D″ Layer
D.6 Advantages and Limitations
The course material is based on multiple sources, including: Stein& Wysession; An introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes and Earth strucuture, Blackwell Publishing
Programme
1. Course StructurePart I – Review of Theoretical Foundations
1.1 Fundamentals of Elastic Wave Propagation
1.2 Equations of Motion and Constitutive Relations
1.3 Elastic Parameters and Seismic Wave Velocities
1.4 Wave Interaction with Heterogeneities and Layered Earth Structure
1.5 Attenuation and the Quality Factor (Q)
1.6 Standing Waves and the Earth's Normal Modes
1.7 First-Order Structure of the Earth
1.8 The Seismic Source
1.8.1 Scalar Seismic Moment
1.8.2 Seismic Moment Tensor
Part II – Practical Tools and Scientific Programming
2.1 Software Installation and Code Management
2.1.1 Windows
2.1.2 macOS and Linux
2.1.3 Setting up a Working Environment
2.2 Python Programming (Basic Review)
2.3 Python Libraries for Seismology
2.4 Python Development Environments: Jupyter Notebook and Spyder
2.4.1 Jupyter Notebook
2.4.2 Spyder
2.5 Practical Tutorials
2.5.1 Tutorial 1: Frequency-Domain Analysis
2.5.2 Tutorial 2: Basic Processing of Seismological Data Using ObsPy
2.5.3 Tutorial 3: Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Mapping Using SeisLib
2.5.4 Tutorial 4: Bayesian Inversion
2.5.5 Tutorial 5: Inverse Problems—Theoretical Aspects and the CIDER Tutorial
Part III – Critical Reading and Scientific Discussion
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Course Format
3.3 Selected Research Topics
3.3.1 Topic 1: Introduction to the Mantle Plume Debate (Wolfe et al., 2009, and related papers)
3.3.2 Topic 2: Thickness of the Continental Lithosphere (Gung et al., 2003; Forte & Perry, 2000; and related papers)
3.3.3 Topic 3: The Nature of the D″ Layer (Cobden & Thomas, 2012, and related papers)
3.3.4 Topic 4: Average Mantle Composition and Temperature (Cammarano et al., 2011, and related papers)
3.4 Student Presentations and Assignments
Appendix A. From Waveforms to Seismic Observables
A.1 Dispersion Curves from Ambient Noise
A.2 Dispersion Curves from Teleseismic Earthquakes: The Two-Station Method
A.3 Seismic Phase Picking
A.4 Receiver Functions (RF)
A.5 Conclusions: Implicit Theory and the Nature of Seismic Observables
Appendix B. Inverse Problems in Observational Seismology
B.1 Introduction
B.2 The Relationship Between Observables and the Earth Model
B.3 Discrete Linear Formulation
B.4 Solutions and the Generalized Inverse
B.5 Regularization
B.6 Uncertainty Quantification
B.7 Resolution Analysis
B.8 Model Space, Data Space, and the Physical Meaning of the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)
B.9 Nonlinear and Bayesian Approaches
B.9.1 Bayes' Theorem and the Logic of Statistical Inference
B.9.2 Likelihood and Prior Information in Inverse Problems
B.9.3 Sampling the Posterior Distribution: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
B.9.4 Trans-dimensional and Hierarchical MCMC
B.9.5 BayesBay: A General Framework for Bayesian Inversion
B.9.6 Advantages and Practical Limitations
Appendix C. Receiver Functions: Theory, Methodology, and Applications
C.1 Problem Geometry and Three-Dimensional Coordinate Rotations (NEZ → RTZ → LQT)
C.1.1 Horizontal Rotation (NEZ → RTZ)
C.1.2 Vertical Rotation (RTZ → LQT)
C.2 Modeling the Earth's Response
C.3 Definition of Receiver Functions
C.4 Deconvolution Methods
C.5 Interpretation of Receiver Functions
C.6 Moveout Correction
C.7 Stacking and Common Conversion Point (CCP) Migration
C.7.1 Brief Introduction to Seismic Interferometry
C.7.2 Assumptions and Limitations
C.8 Estimation of Crustal Thickness (H) and Vp/Vs Ratio (κ) Using the Zhu & Kanamori (2000) Stacking Method
C.8.1 The Stacking Function
C.8.2 Trade-off Between H and κ
C.8.3 Advantages of the H–κ Method
C.8.4 Method Limitations
C.9 General Conclusions
Appendix D. Array Seismology and Beamforming Analysis
D.1 Slowness Geometry
D.2 Beamforming
D.3 Slant Stacking and Vespagrams
D.4 Frequency–Wavenumber (f–k) Analysis
D.5 Applications to Deep Earth Structure: Reflections from the D″ Layer
D.6 Advantages and Limitations
Core Documentation
- Lecture notes and presentation slides will be provided at the beginning of the courseThe course material is based on multiple sources, including: Stein& Wysession; An introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes and Earth strucuture, Blackwell Publishing
Type of evaluation
Students may choose a scientific paper from those discussed during the course or select another paper of their interest, subject to the instructor's approval. The oral examination will consist of a presentation and critical discussion of the selected paper, followed by questions on other topics covered during the course. teacher profile teaching materials
Part I – Review of Theoretical Foundations
1.1 Fundamentals of Elastic Wave Propagation
1.2 Equations of Motion and Constitutive Relations
1.3 Elastic Parameters and Seismic Wave Velocities
1.4 Wave Interaction with Heterogeneities and Layered Earth Structure
1.5 Attenuation and the Quality Factor (Q)
1.6 Standing Waves and the Earth's Normal Modes
1.7 First-Order Structure of the Earth
1.8 The Seismic Source
1.8.1 Scalar Seismic Moment
1.8.2 Seismic Moment Tensor
Part II – Practical Tools and Scientific Programming
2.1 Software Installation and Code Management
2.1.1 Windows
2.1.2 macOS and Linux
2.1.3 Setting up a Working Environment
2.2 Python Programming (Basic Review)
2.3 Python Libraries for Seismology
2.4 Python Development Environments: Jupyter Notebook and Spyder
2.4.1 Jupyter Notebook
2.4.2 Spyder
2.5 Practical Tutorials
2.5.1 Tutorial 1: Frequency-Domain Analysis
2.5.2 Tutorial 2: Basic Processing of Seismological Data Using ObsPy
2.5.3 Tutorial 3: Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Mapping Using SeisLib
2.5.4 Tutorial 4: Bayesian Inversion
2.5.5 Tutorial 5: Inverse Problems—Theoretical Aspects and the CIDER Tutorial
Part III – Critical Reading and Scientific Discussion
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Course Format
3.3 Selected Research Topics
3.3.1 Topic 1: Introduction to the Mantle Plume Debate (Wolfe et al., 2009, and related papers)
3.3.2 Topic 2: Thickness of the Continental Lithosphere (Gung et al., 2003; Forte & Perry, 2000; and related papers)
3.3.3 Topic 3: The Nature of the D″ Layer (Cobden & Thomas, 2012, and related papers)
3.3.4 Topic 4: Average Mantle Composition and Temperature (Cammarano et al., 2011, and related papers)
3.4 Student Presentations and Assignments
Appendix A. From Waveforms to Seismic Observables
A.1 Dispersion Curves from Ambient Noise
A.2 Dispersion Curves from Teleseismic Earthquakes: The Two-Station Method
A.3 Seismic Phase Picking
A.4 Receiver Functions (RF)
A.5 Conclusions: Implicit Theory and the Nature of Seismic Observables
Appendix B. Inverse Problems in Observational Seismology
B.1 Introduction
B.2 The Relationship Between Observables and the Earth Model
B.3 Discrete Linear Formulation
B.4 Solutions and the Generalized Inverse
B.5 Regularization
B.6 Uncertainty Quantification
B.7 Resolution Analysis
B.8 Model Space, Data Space, and the Physical Meaning of the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)
B.9 Nonlinear and Bayesian Approaches
B.9.1 Bayes' Theorem and the Logic of Statistical Inference
B.9.2 Likelihood and Prior Information in Inverse Problems
B.9.3 Sampling the Posterior Distribution: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
B.9.4 Trans-dimensional and Hierarchical MCMC
B.9.5 BayesBay: A General Framework for Bayesian Inversion
B.9.6 Advantages and Practical Limitations
Appendix C. Receiver Functions: Theory, Methodology, and Applications
C.1 Problem Geometry and Three-Dimensional Coordinate Rotations (NEZ → RTZ → LQT)
C.1.1 Horizontal Rotation (NEZ → RTZ)
C.1.2 Vertical Rotation (RTZ → LQT)
C.2 Modeling the Earth's Response
C.3 Definition of Receiver Functions
C.4 Deconvolution Methods
C.5 Interpretation of Receiver Functions
C.6 Moveout Correction
C.7 Stacking and Common Conversion Point (CCP) Migration
C.7.1 Brief Introduction to Seismic Interferometry
C.7.2 Assumptions and Limitations
C.8 Estimation of Crustal Thickness (H) and Vp/Vs Ratio (κ) Using the Zhu & Kanamori (2000) Stacking Method
C.8.1 The Stacking Function
C.8.2 Trade-off Between H and κ
C.8.3 Advantages of the H–κ Method
C.8.4 Method Limitations
C.9 General Conclusions
Appendix D. Array Seismology and Beamforming Analysis
D.1 Slowness Geometry
D.2 Beamforming
D.3 Slant Stacking and Vespagrams
D.4 Frequency–Wavenumber (f–k) Analysis
D.5 Applications to Deep Earth Structure: Reflections from the D″ Layer
D.6 Advantages and Limitations
The course material is based on multiple sources, including: Stein& Wysession; An introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes and Earth strucuture, Blackwell Publishing
Programme
1. Course StructurePart I – Review of Theoretical Foundations
1.1 Fundamentals of Elastic Wave Propagation
1.2 Equations of Motion and Constitutive Relations
1.3 Elastic Parameters and Seismic Wave Velocities
1.4 Wave Interaction with Heterogeneities and Layered Earth Structure
1.5 Attenuation and the Quality Factor (Q)
1.6 Standing Waves and the Earth's Normal Modes
1.7 First-Order Structure of the Earth
1.8 The Seismic Source
1.8.1 Scalar Seismic Moment
1.8.2 Seismic Moment Tensor
Part II – Practical Tools and Scientific Programming
2.1 Software Installation and Code Management
2.1.1 Windows
2.1.2 macOS and Linux
2.1.3 Setting up a Working Environment
2.2 Python Programming (Basic Review)
2.3 Python Libraries for Seismology
2.4 Python Development Environments: Jupyter Notebook and Spyder
2.4.1 Jupyter Notebook
2.4.2 Spyder
2.5 Practical Tutorials
2.5.1 Tutorial 1: Frequency-Domain Analysis
2.5.2 Tutorial 2: Basic Processing of Seismological Data Using ObsPy
2.5.3 Tutorial 3: Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Mapping Using SeisLib
2.5.4 Tutorial 4: Bayesian Inversion
2.5.5 Tutorial 5: Inverse Problems—Theoretical Aspects and the CIDER Tutorial
Part III – Critical Reading and Scientific Discussion
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Course Format
3.3 Selected Research Topics
3.3.1 Topic 1: Introduction to the Mantle Plume Debate (Wolfe et al., 2009, and related papers)
3.3.2 Topic 2: Thickness of the Continental Lithosphere (Gung et al., 2003; Forte & Perry, 2000; and related papers)
3.3.3 Topic 3: The Nature of the D″ Layer (Cobden & Thomas, 2012, and related papers)
3.3.4 Topic 4: Average Mantle Composition and Temperature (Cammarano et al., 2011, and related papers)
3.4 Student Presentations and Assignments
Appendix A. From Waveforms to Seismic Observables
A.1 Dispersion Curves from Ambient Noise
A.2 Dispersion Curves from Teleseismic Earthquakes: The Two-Station Method
A.3 Seismic Phase Picking
A.4 Receiver Functions (RF)
A.5 Conclusions: Implicit Theory and the Nature of Seismic Observables
Appendix B. Inverse Problems in Observational Seismology
B.1 Introduction
B.2 The Relationship Between Observables and the Earth Model
B.3 Discrete Linear Formulation
B.4 Solutions and the Generalized Inverse
B.5 Regularization
B.6 Uncertainty Quantification
B.7 Resolution Analysis
B.8 Model Space, Data Space, and the Physical Meaning of the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)
B.9 Nonlinear and Bayesian Approaches
B.9.1 Bayes' Theorem and the Logic of Statistical Inference
B.9.2 Likelihood and Prior Information in Inverse Problems
B.9.3 Sampling the Posterior Distribution: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
B.9.4 Trans-dimensional and Hierarchical MCMC
B.9.5 BayesBay: A General Framework for Bayesian Inversion
B.9.6 Advantages and Practical Limitations
Appendix C. Receiver Functions: Theory, Methodology, and Applications
C.1 Problem Geometry and Three-Dimensional Coordinate Rotations (NEZ → RTZ → LQT)
C.1.1 Horizontal Rotation (NEZ → RTZ)
C.1.2 Vertical Rotation (RTZ → LQT)
C.2 Modeling the Earth's Response
C.3 Definition of Receiver Functions
C.4 Deconvolution Methods
C.5 Interpretation of Receiver Functions
C.6 Moveout Correction
C.7 Stacking and Common Conversion Point (CCP) Migration
C.7.1 Brief Introduction to Seismic Interferometry
C.7.2 Assumptions and Limitations
C.8 Estimation of Crustal Thickness (H) and Vp/Vs Ratio (κ) Using the Zhu & Kanamori (2000) Stacking Method
C.8.1 The Stacking Function
C.8.2 Trade-off Between H and κ
C.8.3 Advantages of the H–κ Method
C.8.4 Method Limitations
C.9 General Conclusions
Appendix D. Array Seismology and Beamforming Analysis
D.1 Slowness Geometry
D.2 Beamforming
D.3 Slant Stacking and Vespagrams
D.4 Frequency–Wavenumber (f–k) Analysis
D.5 Applications to Deep Earth Structure: Reflections from the D″ Layer
D.6 Advantages and Limitations
Core Documentation
- Lecture notes and presentation slides will be provided at the beginning of the courseThe course material is based on multiple sources, including: Stein& Wysession; An introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes and Earth strucuture, Blackwell Publishing
Type of evaluation
Students may choose a scientific paper from those discussed during the course or select another paper of their interest, subject to the instructor's approval. The oral examination will consist of a presentation and critical discussion of the selected paper, followed by questions on other topics covered during the course.