- Project Background:
For two summers I attended the
Mathematical Geophysics Summer
School
sponsored by
Stanford University, the National Science Foundation, and various oil
companies.
The purpose of this summer school is to introduce applied
mathematicians to some of the mathematical issues related to
geophysics.
The 1998 session focused on seismic imaging, while the 1999 session
was devoted to tomography.
Most of the participants are from research institutions, private
mathematical consulting companies, or oil
exploration companies.
Most have access to real seismic data or the facilities for collecting
their own data.
It is doubtful that Millersville University will enter into the oil
exploration business soon, but access to even simulated data could be
of great help for understanding some of the mathematical principles
involved in seismic imaging and geophysical tomography.
- Project Description:
An interested student (or students) would develop a numerical software
package for simulating the seismic reflections of acoustic waves off of
bodies within the earth's crust.
The software would provide facilities for user-specified reflector
geometries and source/receiver locations.
The mathematical basis of the simulation would be the wave equation of
partial differential equations.
- Desired Student Qualifications:
Ability to program in a high level language, preferably C/C++,
FORTRAN, Mathematica, etc., and mathematical knowledge at the
level of MATH 467 Partial Differential Equations.