Computational geophysics

The generation of geophysical models are a key component of computational geophysics. Geophysical models are defined as "physical-mathematical descriptions of temporal and/or spatial changes in important geological variables, as derived from accepted laws, theories, and empirical relationships."{{Cite book|title=Mathematical modeling of Earth's dynamical systems : a primer|last=Slingerland, Rudy.|date=2011|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=9780691145136|oclc=857968920}}  Geophysical models are frequently used by researchers in all disciplines of environmental science.

In climate science, atmospheric, oceanic, and general circulation models are a crucial standby for researchers. Although remote sensing has been steadily providing more and more in-situ measurements of geophysical variables, nothing comes close to the temporal and geospatial resolution of data provided by models. Although data can be subject to accuracy issues due to the extrapolation techniques used, the usage of modeled data is a commonly accepted practice in climate and meteorological sciences. Oftentimes, these models will be used in concert with in-situ measurements.

A few well-known models are

1. NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project, an atmospheric model {{Cite web|url=https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/gridded/data.ncep.reanalysis.html|title=ESRL : PSD : NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis 1|website=www.esrl.noaa.gov|access-date=2019-11-20}}
2. Global Forecast System, a numerical weather prediction model {{Cite web|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/model-data/model-datasets/global-forcast-system-gfs|title=Global Forecast System (GFS) {{!}} National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) formerly known as National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)|website=www.ncdc.noaa.gov|access-date=2019-11-20}}
3. HYCOM, a general ocean circulation model {{Cite web|url=https://www.hycom.org/|title=HYCOM|website=www.hycom.org|access-date=2019-11-20}}

Geological system models are frequently used in research, but have less public data availability than climatic and meteorological models. There is a wide range of software available that allows for geomodelling.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines remote sensing as the measurement of some property by transmitting some type of radiation at a distance, and measuring the emitted and reflected radiation. Remote sensing can involve satellites, cameras, and sound wave emission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-remote-sensing-and-what-it-used?qt-news_science_products=3#qt-news_science_products|title=What is remote sensing and what is it used for?|website=www.usgs.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}} Remote sensing is inherently a type of indirect measurement, meaning that some type of computation must be completed in order to obtain a measurement of the property of interest. For some applications, these computations can be highly complex. In addition, the analysis of these data products can be classified as computational geophysics.

In Canada, computational geophysics is offered as a university major in the form of a BSc (Hon.) with co-op at Carleton University.{{Cite web|url=https://www3.carleton.ca/cu0506uc/programs/computationalsciences.html#cgbsh|title=Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar 2005-2006 Web Edition|website=www3.carleton.ca|access-date=2019-11-20}}

Elsewhere, Rice University has a Center for Computational Geophysics,{{Cite web|url=https://earthscience.rice.edu/research/facilities/computing-facilities-2/|title=Rice Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences {{!}} Earth Science Center for Computing (ESCC)|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-20}} while Princeton University,{{Cite web|url=https://tromp.princeton.edu/|title=Home Page {{!}} Theoretical & Computational Seismology|website=tromp.princeton.edu|access-date=2019-11-20}}  the University of Texas,  and California Institute of Technology{{Cite web|url=http://seismolab.caltech.edu/theoretical.html|title=Computational Geophysics - Caltech Seismological Laboratory|website=seismolab.caltech.edu|access-date=2019-11-20}} have similar research centers. Experts, laboratories, projects, internships, undergraduate programs, graduate programs and/or facilities in the program exist at the University of Queensland, Wyoming University, Boston University, Stanford University, Uppsala University, Kansas State University, Kingston University, Australian National University, University of California, San Diego, University of Washington, Nanyang Technological University, ETH Zurich, University of Sydney, Appalachian State University, University of Minnesota, University of Tasmania, Bahria University, Boise State University, University of Michigan, University of Oulu, University of Utah, and others.

Federal organizations that study or apply computational geophysics include

1. Earth System Research Laboratories at NOAA {{Cite web|url=https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/|title=NOAA Earth System Research Laboratories|website=www.esrl.noaa.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}}
2. Earth Sciences Division at NASA{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/open/researchaccess/earth-sciences-division|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821125836/http://www.nasa.gov/open/researchaccess/earth-sciences-division/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-08-21|title=Earth Sciences Division|last=Kovo|first=Yael|date=2016-08-09|website=NASA|access-date=2019-11-20}}
3. [https://computational-geophysics-lab.github.io/cgl.github.io/ Computational Geophysics Lab] at the Earth Observatory of Singapore {{Cite web|url=https://computational-geophysics-lab.github.io/cgl.github.io/|title=Computational Geophysics Lab|website=Earth Observatory of Singapore|language=en|access-date=2024-07-20}}

• Computational fluid dynamics
• History of geophysics
• List of ocean circulation models
• Meteorological reanalysis
• Numerical weather prediction

{{Computational science}}

Category:Computational science

Category:Geophysics

Category:Computational fields of study