Teaching
Xiaobing Zhou, Assistant Professor of Geophysics

Fall Semester:

GEOP 3020 -- Elements of Geophysics (Fall 05-08)
Principles of physics applied to geology, earth and environmental sciences, with emphasis on exploration of the shallow subsurface (~500 m). Topics include seismic method, electrical resistivity and electrical method, gravity, magnetic method, ground penetrating radar, and remote sensing. Geophysical instrumentation, data acquisition and analysis, and geologic interpretation of geophysical data. This course is for students who want to be practicing civil engineers, geologists, archaeologists, and environmental practitioners, geohydrologist, and/or scientists who need knowledge and skills of modern geophysical methods relevant to their disciplines. (Prerequisites: PHYS 2076, PHYS 2086; MATH 2236 or permission of instructor.)
 
PHYS 3036 -- Elementary Electronics (Fall 05-08)
This course will introduce you the basic concepts and physical principles of electronic elements and elementary circuits, and circuits design in electronics. Emphasis is on analog circuit analysis; semiconductors; diode theory, diodes, and diode circuits; transistor fundamentals, transistors, BJTs, FFETs, MOSFETs; amplifiers, op-amps; logic gates; and integrated circuits. The objectives are to understand how electronic elements and circuits work and to develop capability and skills in analyzing circuits and designing functional circuits from integrated circuit building blocks.

PHYS 2086 -- General Physics III - Electricity, Magnetism, & Wave Motion (Fall 06-08)
This is the third course in the calculus-based physics sequence. Basic physical concepts, laws, properties, nature, and implication for modern sciences of electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic waves are covered. The development of problem-solving skills fundamental to all branches of engineering will be emphasized.   (Prerequisites: Math 2510 (Calculus III), Phys 1046 (General Physics - Mechanics). Corequisite: Math 2236 (Differential Equations)). Textbook: Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6th Edition, Serway & Jewett (Thomson-Brooks/Cole publishers, 2004).

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Spring Semetser:

GEOP 4120 -- Gravity and Magnetic Exploration (Spring 06, 07, 08)
The theory of gravity and magnetic fields of the earth, the principles of field instrumentation and application, the techniques for data acquisition, data reduction and mining, and field data interpretation will be discussed. The emphasis will be on potential theory as applied to the calculation of gravity and magnetic effects, the use of modeling in data interpretation, continuation of potential fields, and processing of field data. Exercises will be devoted to field surveys, data reduction, processing and interpretation. [Prerequisites: PHYS 2086 or PHYS 4056 (Electricity & Magnetism); MATH 3226 (Vector Calculus); MATH 2236(Differential Equations)].
Textbook: Potential Theory in Gravity & Magnetic Applications by Dr Richard J. Blakely (Cambridge University Press, 1995). Main reference book: Applied Geophysics, 2nd Edition, Chapters 2-3, W. M. Telford, L. P. Geldart, and R. E. Sheri (Cambridge University Press, 2nd Ed., 1990). Instrumentation and field survey: handout.

GEOP 5090 -- Problems in Gravity & Magnetic Prospecting (Spring 06, 07, 08)
This course is for graduate students and upper level undergraduates. Topics will be selected based on the interests of the class members, but generally will cover topics in potential theory, gravity and magnetic surveys at various scales - from space based satellite gravity, gradiometry, and magnetic measurement, airborne gravity and magnetic surveys, to exploration scale (mining and oil exploration) and reservoir scale (hydrocarbon development), forward modeling and inversion, instrumentation, data reduction and interpretation, or any other topics that class members are interested. (Prerequisites: GEOP 4120 or Consent of instructor).

PHYS 2086 -- General Physics III - Electricity, Magnetism, & Wave Motion (Spring 06, 07, 08)
This is the third course in the calculus-based physics sequence. Basic physical concepts, laws, properties, nature, and implication for modern sciences of electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic waves are covered. The development of problem-solving skills fundamental to all branches of engineering will be emphasized.   (Prerequisites: Math 2510 (Calculus III), Phys 1046 (General Physics - Mechanics). Corequisite: Math 2236 (Differential Equations)). Textbook: Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6th Edition, Serway & Jewett (Thomson-Brooks/Cole publishers, 2004).

PHYS 4056 -- Electromagnetics (Spring 07, 08)
This is an advanced course on electricity and magnetism for upper level and graduate students. Calculus of vector and field will be introduced or reviewed. Focus will be on basic concepts and laws of electrostatics and magnetostatics; boundary value problems; derivation of capacitance and inductance; non-time varying Maxwell's equations; relationship between force, charge, and motion in electric and magnetic fields; time-varying electric and magnetic fields; time varying Maxwell's equations; derivations of the wave equations for time harmonic fields; plane wave solution of the wave equations; interaction of plane electromagnetic waves to dielectric boundaries, perfect conducting boundaries, and lossy media boundaries. Prerequisites: PHYS 2086; MATH 2236(Differential Equations); PHYS 4536(Methods of Theoretical Physics)  or MATH 4056(Advanced Engineering Mathematics).

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Summer Session:

GEOP 4210 -- Field Geology & Geophysics (Co-teach, Summer 06, 07, 08)
This is a summer field course for six weeks. The first three week will consist of measurement and description of rock units, mapping on aerial photos and topographic maps, and detailed outcrop mapping of a mining prospect. The rest three weeks will be devoted to geophysical surveys using electrical, gravity, magnetic, and seismic reflection and refraction methods. Focus will be on data collection, analysis using geophysical softwares, and interpretation. These methods will be applied mostly to problems identified during the geologic mapping. The map area contains mineral deposits and complex structures of Montana's over-thrust belt. ( Prerequisite: GEOP 3020). Valuable text: Field Geophysics, 3nd Edition, by John Milsom, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., May 2003.

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Teaching Resources