GEO-DEEP9501 ¨C Special Topics on Dynamics and Evolution of the Earth and Planets: Earth Magnetism and Paleogeography

Course content

The course provides a comprehensive overview of the Earth magnetism at the present time (geomagnetism) and in the geologic past (paleomagnetism). The main focus of the course is applications of paleomagnetism to paleogeographic reconstructions and motions of lithospheric plates. We will also discuss recent advances in our understanding of the evolution of geomagnetic field in the context of the Earth dynamics at the planetary scale.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, you will be able to

• explain the origin and fundamental characteristics of the Earth magnetic field and describe how it has changed throughout the geologic history.
• perform practical laboratory work for collecting magnetic data from geological samples and master statistical methods for the analysis of paleomagnetic data
• define positions of paleomagnetic poles and analyze records of the geomagnetic field provided by paleomagnetic data
• produce paleogeographic reconstructions of lithospheric blocks using computer software (GPlates)
• gain experience in presenting, discussing and evaluating the contents of research articles and in communicating results of your own research

Admission to the course

The course is open to PhD candidates enrolled in the Norwegian Research School for Dynamics and Evolution of Earth and Planets (DEEP). PhD candidates who are admitted to other education institutions than the University of Oslo must at the same time apply for visiting PhD status.?They must submit the same documentation as regular visiting status applicants, but the application and documentation is to be delivered together with the online application form.?DEEP can be?contacted for questions. Applicants must be able to present original documentation on request.

Registration is done by filling out an online application form. Please note that the application deadline is 15 September 2023.

Master's students at UiO and other DEEP-participating institutions are welcome to register for the course as well, but?you must?talk to?your home university regarding getting the course credit.

There is an upper limit of 12 participants for the course; participants will be admitted on a first-come-first-served basis.

The course has no participation fee. All national DEEP members will get their travel and accommodation costs covered.

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge of geology, physics (esp. electromagnetism) and vector calculus.

Overlapping courses

• 5 credits overlap with GEO-DEEP9500 ¨C Special Topics on Dynamics and Evolution of the Earth and Planets.

Teaching

The one-week course (ca. 40 hours) will be held in Oslo and will include eight 1.5-hour lectures, laboratory exercises and software training sessions. Course literature will be pre-selected and accessible to course participants in due time prior to the course.

During the course week, each student will be required to give a short oral presentation (ca. 10-15 minutes) on one of the topics discussed in class. The topics will be assigned and literature will be provided by the instructors. The presentation will be followed by a group discussion and will count towards the final grade.

The laboratory work and software training sessions are designed to give course participants hands-on experience with paleomagnetic analyses and plate reconstructions, so that working as a group, they will complete a small research project that involves performing magnetic measurements in the laboratory, processing them to collect paleomagnetic data and producing a paleogeographic reconstruction using these data. Students will be required to present the preliminary results of the project in class on the last day of the course week and submit a final report describing the outcomes within a month after the course week.

Obligatory activities:

• Research project
• Group presentation of preliminary results of the research project

Examination

The examination includes an oral presentation on an assigned topic and a home examination. Both parts must be passed separately in order to pass the course.

Home examination occurs after the course week. As a home exam, each student will be required to write a report on the completed research project. Note that while students will work in a group on the research project during the course week, and the collected data will be shared among them, the reports must be written individually and submitted within one month after the course week and within the semester.

The obligatory activities, which include a research project and a group presentation of the preliminary results of this project (see the "Teaching" above), must be approved before a student can take the home exam.

When writing your exercises, make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for use of sources and citations. Breach of these rules may lead to suspicion of attempted cheating.

It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for the following course:

• GEO-DEEP9500 version 1

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.