GEOL 420 Field Geophysics
Syllabus and Schedule. Fall Semester 2026. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
The Cuyama Valley SuperStingers in search of a fault and a fold in the Upper Morales Formation (GEOL 4420 Fall 2026).
Primary Course Topics
General notes about the topics we study (not to take the place of textbook reading). Other related methods may appear as sub-bullets.
Electrical Resistivity → so-called Direct-current Electrical Resistivity.
Seismic Refraction → the classical methods of seismic refraction.
Additional Methods in Near-surface Geophysics
We may get to cover some of these as time permits: Seismic Reflection 🙂 ; Streaming Potential; Induced Polarization; TDEM; MT; MASW; HVSR ...
Course Log
The Course Log maintain a running log of comments, links to daily course materials, and other relevant items from our class and lab meetings, as well as any other items that may come up outside of class (e.g. during office hours or other informal conversations). It is kind of a day-to-day recap, rather than the broad outline the course schedule spreadsheet provides.
Assessments
Problem sets - not collected. Updated as we go.
Quizzes. Guess what? The above practice questions are good preparation ... along with our class discussions and field exercises.
Exams. Guess what? The above practice questions and quizzes are good preparation ... along with our class discussions and field exercises.
Field Sites
Fall 2026:
The Dog Leg alluvial aquifer. An old favorite 😀.
Cuyama Valley - faults and hydrgeology of the Upper Morales Formation at Lee's Pistachio Farm 😀 .
Lockshaw Ranch: "Hydrogeolophys" of the Salinian Block Granite. A new favorite 😀.
Poly Canyon Gate 3 fault and landslide. For the geotechs among us 😀.
Case Studies
Fall 2026:
...
Data Library
GEOL 420 Data Library link.
Maps
Software
In progress ... Software
Everything Else I
✨ Textbook reading resources. This is being redistributed to the topical pages above, but it may still be active ...
Writing in GEOL 420 - Using LaTeX, Overleaf, and Reference Management.
Geophysical data interpretation - be careful.
Selected books and journals in near-surface and exploration geophysics; and related areas.
Podcast and video links.
Miscellaneous documents, figures, and links
AGI. - Makers of the Mighty SuperSting electrical resistivity meter. Very helpful links to read about ERI - electrical resistivity imaging.
CUAHSI - Water Science
external: Free geology textbooks
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