GEO 463 - Applied Geophysical Imaging Credits: 3

This course familiarizes students with the concepts and field implementation of shallow subsurface geophysical techniques applicable to environmental studies. This course will be taught from a practical, environmental perspective rather than an engineering perspective and is field intensive. We will apply multiple geophysical methods in the field to detect and map underground geologic and artificially buried features at selected sites in and around Shippensburg. The course covers the basics of five critical geophysical methods: Electrical Resistivity, Ground-penetrating Radar, Electromagnetic Induction, Gravity, and Seismic methods, with emphases on the basic principles, applications, strengths and the limitations of each method. Field exposure will involve the first three of the five methods, for which the department maintains equipment. Students will map several underground features in the field, including groundwater-bearing zones as well as contaminated sites around landfills, buried man-made features, sinkholes, caves, saltwater/freshwater interfaces, etc.