Global Geophysics and Geodesy

LE/ENG 3020 3.0)

Lecture 1
Introduction
Jianguo Wang, Dr.-Ing., P. Eng., FEC

Geomatics Science and Engineering

York University
Winter 2022
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Course Overview
 General Information
 Time Table
 Assignments
 Marks
 Textbooks/Lecture Notes
 The course outline has been made available for the
students under ESSE3020 Global Geophysics and
Geodesy 2018-2019 on moodle.info. yorku.ca
 It is your responsibility as a student to know the course
policies in details
 Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to
contact the course instructor and/or the TA
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
 Lecture 1: Introduction
Geophysics and Geodesy?
 Geophysical Geodesy (University of Nevada)

 Geodeformatics, a. k. a. Crustal Deformation Surveying, or

Crustal Deformation Geodesy (Wuhan University),
What is Geophysics?
 A subject of natural science concerned with the physical
processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding
space environment and the usage of quantitative methods for their
analysis.
 The application of methods of physics to the study of the
Earth.

ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics
A BRIEF HISTORY
• The first compasses made of lodestone, a naturally magnetized
ore of iron (300 – 200BC, Han Dynasty, China)
• The first seismograph invented in 132 A.D. by Chang Heng

Model of a Han Dynasty (206 BC–

220 AD) south-indicating ladle
Seismograph
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics
A BRIEF HISTORY (cont’d)
• Isaac Newton (1643-1727) applied his theory of mechanics to
the tides and the precession of the equinox; and instruments
were developed to measure the Earth's shape, density and
gravity field, as well as the components of the water cycle
• Recognized as a separate discipline in the 19th century
• Geophysical methods were developed for remote exploration
of the solid Earth and the ocean, and geophysics played an
essential role in the development of the theory of plate
tectonics in the 20th century.

ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics
Referring to the geological applications:
• Earth's shape;
• its gravitational and magnetic fields;
• Its internal structure and composition;
• its dynamics and
• their surface expression in plate tectonics, the generation of
magmas, volcanism and rock formation.

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics
Modern geophysics:
• The water cycle including snow and ice;
• Fluid dynamics of the oceans and the atmosphere;
• Electricity and magnetism in the ionosphere and
magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial relations; and
• Analogous problems associated with the Moon and other
planets
• Applied to societal needs (mineral resources, mitigation of
natural hazards and environmental protection).
• Geophysical survey data  analyze potential petroleum
reservoirs and mineral deposits, locate groundwater, find
archaeological relics, determine the thickness (glaciers/soils),
and assess sites for environmental remediation.
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
 Lecture 1: Introduction

 Geodesy
 From the Ancient Greek word γεωδαισία (geodaisia) (literally,
"division of the Earth")
- originally: (ordinary) surveying
- extended to be geodesy[E]/géodésie[Fr]/Geodäsie[G]
 A branch of applied mathematics and earth sciences
 The scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and
representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in
a three-dimensional time-varying space.
 Geodesists: studying geodynamical phenomena such as crustal
motion, tides, and polar motion
 Primarily concerned with positioning within the temporally
varying gravity field (tasks)
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geodesy - the traditional definition
“The science of measuring and portraying the earth’s surface"
[Helmert, 1880].
The science concerned with the determination of size, shape and
gravity field of the Earth as well as positioning of objects near the
Earth.

b
Geoid
a
MSL ? Ellipsoid
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geodesy - the extended definition
Partially extend the definition from Helmert:
“Science for the determination and representation of the figure,
shape, size of the Earth and of other celestial (cosmic) bodies
along with their external gravity field as function of time”
[Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics, page 317, Harsh Gupta]
and determination of the mean of the Earth’s ellipsoid from
parameters observed on and beyond the Earth’s surface
 agreed to Irene Fischer’s definition in 1970s

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geodesy
ANOTHER DEFINITION:
The science of accurately measuring and understanding
(1) the geometric size, shape, and orientation of the Earth,
(2) its gravitational field, and
(3) the variations of these quantities over time
[Torge, 2001; Herring, 2010]
Three pillars of geodesy:
(1) Geokinematics,
(2) Earth rotation and
(3) the gravity field
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang

 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geodesy
The three pillars of geodesy
 provide the conceptual and observational basis for the
reference frames required for Earth observation.
 are intrinsically linked to each other as they relate to the same
unique Earth system processes.

Today, the observations of modern

space-geodetic techniques provide
the basis to determine the geodetic
reference frames with high
accuracy, spatial resolution and
temporal stability.

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction

 Geodesy - its branches

Traditional Geodesy
Geometric Geodesy:
describing locations in terms of geometry
Physical Geodesy:
determining gravity field and geoid/heights
Modern Geodesy
Space Geodesy (VLBI and Satellite Geodesy)
Dynamic Geodesy
Ocean Geodesy
Applied Geodesy (Engineering Surveying)
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction

 Geodesy: Mathematics and Geodesy

(end of the nineteenth century and the whole twentieth
century)
The concept of gravitational potential function – the math
base of Earth’s gravity field (Legendre, 1785)
Least-Squares (Legendre, 1809; Gauss, 1794, 1809)
Geodetic/Mathematical problems on ellipsoid -
calculations on ellipsoid and map projections

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geodesy: tasks (implied by the definition)
1) Determine the shape of the Earth and its external gravity field
as well as their changes with time, to study the crust
deformation, and observe the polar motion and monitoring the
ocean surface.
2) Set up the geodetic coordinate system and maintain the
national horizontal geodetic control network and the vertical
leveling network.
3) Study the observation methods for geodetic instruments such
as total stations, levels, GPS, VLBI etc. and perform the data
processing for distances, directions, height differences, GPS
baselines.
4) Describe the mathematic models for the geodetic calculation
on the Earth ellipsoidal surface and the map projection from
ellipsoid surface to plane
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics and Geodesy
1) about knowledge of the Earth system, its space environment,
and the dynamical processes causing change
2) Geophysical Geodesy: The Study of the Slow Deformations of
the Earth  Geodeformatics

IUGG Movie (8:32min)

IUGG: International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
 the international organization dedicated to advancing,
promoting, and communicating knowledge of the Earth
system, its space environment, and the dynamical
processes causing change (www.iugg.org)

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
 Lecture 1: Introduction
 Geophysics and Geodesy
Their Difference explained - Example: Gravity anomaly
 Anomalies in the Earth’s gravitational field play important
roles in both geodesy and geophysics.
 In geodesy, gravity anomalies are used to define the figure of
the Earth, notably the geoid (the equipotential surface of the
Earth’s gravity field that corresponds most closely to mean sea
level).
 In geophysics, gravity anomalies are used to deduce variations
in mass-density and hence subsurface geological structure for
a wide variety of applications.
 the geophysicist’s aim is to remove gravity effects that mask
the local anomalies that are of interest, whereas the geodesist
is interested in using a gravity anomaly that preserves the
mass of the Earth
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction

 How important/essential to have knowledge of

Geophysics?

Emphasized through
Earthquakes and other natural disasters

The following slides may be reviewed in class or leave to

students to go over them after class!

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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang
Lecture 1: Introduction
Topics covered:
 Tensors and Fields
 Global Earth Structure
 Isostacy
 Seismic Tomography
 Spherical Harmonics
 Gravity and Geoid
 Earth Rotation and VLBI
 Geothermal Heat Flow
Mon Landing (its dark side?!) [3:26min]
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ESSE3020 G. Geophysics and Geodesy, J. Wang