| Unit name | Physical Volcanology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC30062 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6) |
| Unit director | Professor. Rust |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Undergraduates: Successful completion of years 1 and 2 of the Environmental Geoscience, Geology or Geophysics degree programme curriculum MSc Volcanology students: none |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
n/a |
| Units you may not take alongside this one | |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
This unit explores how volcanoes work. The overall aim is to develop an understanding of the physics of volcanic processes and apply this knowledge to understanding volcanic eruptions and the geology of volcanoes.
Topics such as the properties of magma and the kinetics of crystallization and vesiculation will be linked to the dynamics of various styles of volcanic eruptions. Students will learn how models built with basic physics, chemistry and fluid dynamics provide insights into how and why volcanoes erupt. They will also learn how to infer processes that occurred during volcanic eruptions from studying eruption products.
Finally, the field of volcanology will be related to other fields including climatology, petrology, engineering, natural resources and hazards.
Worked solutions and general feedback on practical assignments will be posted on Blackboard. Analogue experiments will be done in groups and formative feedback on the design, analysis and interpretation of the experiments will provided through small-group discussions with the unit director.
Students should be able to:
The unit will be taught through a combination of
Students who either begin or continue their studies in an online mode may be required to complete laboratory work, or alternative activities, in person, either during the academic year 2020/21 or subsequently, in order to meet the intended learning outcomes for the unit, prepare them for subsequent units or to satisfy accreditation requirements.
End-of-unit timed open-book examination (100%)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC30062).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
