GEO4620 – Seismic Waves and Seismology

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

The course has changed semester to spring, but will not be taught in the spring semester of 2026.

Course content

This course gives a basis for understanding how elastic waves, generated by earthquakes or controlled sources, propagate through the Earth and thus provide information about its interior.

Learning outcome

When you have completed this course, you will be able to

  • explain how elastic waves propagate through the Earth
  • quantify how interfaces reflect, refract and convert seismic waves
  • quantify how elastic properties like attenuation and anisotropy affect the waveforms
  • use numerical modelling to simulate wave propagation
  • use ray theory and discuss its strengths and limitations
  • explain the basic principles of seismic tomography
  • read and present recent publications on wave propagation

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

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