SCP : The Geophysics Section
Address: Geophysics Section, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 5 Merrion Square, Dublin, 2 Ireland
Head of Section: Professor Alan G. Jones; Email: alan@cp.dias.ie; Tel: +353-1-653-5147 x224
Secretary: Anna Sewielska; Email: geosecretary@cp.dias.ie; Tel: +353-1-653-5147 x212; Fax: +353-1-443-0575
The Geophysics Section studies the physical and geological structure of the Earth. Major areas of research include seismology, electromagnetic imaging and the Earth's gravity field.
The Section now has a growing theoretical and numerical competency through CosmoGrid scholars and students. The areas of interest being studied are electromagnetism (forward and inverse 3-D modeling), and geodynamic modeling (forward modeling).
In addition to geophysical research, the Geophysics Section maintains the Irish Seismic
Network, which presently comprise three short period (1 Hz) seismometers situated in the east
of Ireland. DIAS also provides logistical support and help to GFZ Potsdam to run the Geofon
broadband station near Dublin (DSB) and Met Eireann
who run the station at Valentia, (VAL)
Co. Kerry. Both of these stations were installed by DIAS. The locations of the current
seismometers in Ireland can be viewed by clicking on the map to the left and you can view
the "live" seismograms from the DSB broadband seismic station by clicking on the image on
the right. (The data is normally available within an hour of the event). Waveform data
availability for the other Irish seismometers can be found here. The Mallet Professorship of Seismology in the Geophysics Section is named after a very
famous Irish scientist Robert Mallet 1810-1881, also known as the "father of controlled source seismology".
What's new in the Geophysics Section
Earthquake swarm in Co. Donegal, January 2010
An earthquake occured near Bridge End, Co. Donegal on the evening of Thursday 7th January 2010 at 7:30pm. It was a magnitude ML 1.6. Two more earthquakes also occured on 26th January at 8:47pm, magnitude ML 1.5, and on 27th January at 7:51am, magnitude ML 1.7. These were located near the village of Burnfoot. A number of local people felt the tremors. If you felt any of these earthquake please fill out our questionnaire. Here are a list of related news articles:
- The Irish Times - January 9, 2010
- Inishowen News - January 12, 2010
- RTE - January 27, 2010
- Irish Independent - January 28, 2010
- BBC - January 28, 2010
- Donegal Democrat - January 28, 2010
BBC Coast Program - Recreating Killiney Beach experiment by Robert Mallet
The BBC Coast Program invited the Geophysics Section to provide technical seismological support for the recreation of the Killiney Beach experiments that were carried out by Robert Mallet in October 1849. The programme includes a recording of the detonation of a small charge on the beach and its resulting shock wave registered by the DIAS data recorder. The programme can be found on the BBC website. For more information click here.
Seismology in Schools (Seismeolaíocht sa Scoil) Pilot Programme
For the official Seismology in Schools website, please click here.
DIAS Geophysics Section is promoting the "Seismology in School (Seismeolaíocht sa Scoil) Pilot Programme" in response to the increasing interest by students in earthquakes and Earth science in general.
The seismometer used is a Lehman pattern horizontal motion seismometer using a "garden gate" offset suspension pendulum.
DIAS is happy to announce a major success by one of the participating schools in the Seismology in Schools Pilot Programme - Scoil Chonglais Baltinglass, County Wicklow - at the BT Young Scientist of the Year 2009 Competition. Congratulations and well done to Denis, Shane and their Physics Teacher, Dr Stephen Gammell. Two awards were received: "International Year of Planet Earth Award" and the "Category Award: Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences". Senior: Denis Patterson, Shane Curry, Seismic Activity in the British Isles and the Wider World, Scoil Chonglais Baltinglass, County Wicklow. |
Contact: Thomas Blake, (Experimental Officer), Geophysics Section, School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 5 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Tel: 353-1-6535147 x 223, email: tb@cp.dias.ie
Short Course on Magnetotellurics
Professor Alan Jones, Head of the Geophysics Section of the School of Cosmic Physics, gave a Short Course on Magnetotellurics to over 40 participants. The two-day Short Course was held in Johannesburg on 6-7 March at the request of the President of the Southern African Geophysical Association (SAGA). Profits from the Course will start a special fund for financial assistance to southern African students wishing to attend SAGA meetings.
Workshop on Three-Dimensional Inversion of Magnetotelluric Data
The Geophysics Section of the School of Cosmic Physics held its 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Geophysical Workshop on 12-14 March in Merrion Square. Twenty-seven participants from around the globe came to consider in depth how to derive Earth structure from surface-based magnetotelluric responses. One innovation was to make the workshop accessible to the world through webcasting it. Statistics show that there were a total of 65 unique visitors, who accessed the video/audio stream. Some were watching virtually constantly. This means that the workshop was attended by in total 92 people - 27 physically and 65 virtually. The video streams have been saved, and are available for viewing at the Workshop's website.
Geophysics Vacancies
There are a number of vacancies within the Geophysics Section. Please check our vacancies page for more information.
DIAS wins Griffith Geoscience Research Award for the Irish Geoscience
Graduate Programme
Under funding from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Professor Alan Jones, of the Geophysics Section, School of Cosmic Physics, was successful under the Griffith Geoscience Research Awards scheme to secure funding for seven years to establish the Irish Geoscience Graduate programme. Under this programme, graduate students from across the whole of Ireland will attend Short Courses presented at the University or Research Institute by academics specialising in the topic. For more information please email Prof. Alan Jones. |
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Professor Alan Jones received the 2006 J. Tuzo Wilson Medal of the Canadian Geophysical
Union on 17th May 2006 at the CGU meeting in Banff. Click on the medal to list past
recipients of this award.
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