Quantitative Methods for Earth Scientists
Period: first semester
Course unit contents:
- Initial review of basic concepts: single variable functions and multivariate functions; derivatives and partial derivatives; integrals; the study of functions, vectors and matrices; basic notions of probability and statistics with applications.
- Methods for data analysis: Probabilistic treatment of geophysical data; Frequency and probability functions; Using statistics to describe and summarize datasets; Fitting a probability distribution of actual data; Probability distributions for relevant variables for earth scientists; Regression analysis (covariance and correlation, correlation coefficient, linear and non-linear regression).
- Time series analysis.
- Analysis of spatial data: Different interpolations methods; Application to actual data.
- Basics of numerical methods and applications: Resolution of linear systems; Introduction to the numerical solution of ordinary and partial differential equations; Finite difference and finite element methods.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods: Lectures complemented by tutorials, assignments, exercises and laboratory activities. Students are required to work on computer implementation of the techniques developed during the course lectures to solve practical problems suggested by the lecturer (Matlab is suggested but other programming languages such as e.g. Python can be used by students).
Frontal lectures (4 CFU = 32h)
Class laboratories (2 CFU = 16h)