Undergraduate Course: Computational Modelling for Geosciences (EASC09035)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Computational methods and modelling are widely used in Geosciences to interpret data and understand parts of the Earth System. Many scientists use interpreted languages with integrated plotting tools which allow them to be very productive. Students will learn and use Python and some additional libraries which is an interpreted language with plotting and data manipulation tools.
The latter 6 weeks of the course teach numerical methods. These methods would use the Python taught in the first part of the course and be applied to simple Geoscience modelling problems. The numerical methods part of the course has three aims.
1) Develop student's knowledge of numerical methods.
2) Give the students an environment in which to develop their software skills.
3) Give students an appreciation of computational modelling.
Each 3 hour session will generally be broken down into:
Lecture / theoretical material
Class coding exercises
Student led working through the tutorial exercises
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| Course description |
Weeks 1-4: three sessions on Python, Numpy and Matplotlib.
Weeks 5-6: two sessions on numerical methods for Linear Algebra.
Weeks 7-9: three sessions on numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations.
Week 10: One session on numerical methods for solving Partial Differential Equations.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- An ability to use interpreted language (Python and Numpy & matplotlib libraries) to apply numerical methods to problems in Geosciences.
- 2. An ability to use interpreted language (Python and extensions) to visualise Geoscience data.
- An understanding of basic numerical methods, including linear algebra, methods for solving one dimensional ordinary differential equations; andan introduction to methods for solving two dimensional differential equations.
- A basic understanding of numerical stability, accuracy, convergence and computational complexity in numerical methods
- A knowledge of how to apply the techniques of computational modelling to simple Geoscience modelling problems.
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Reading List
Numerical Methods
Otto and Denier: An Introduction to Programming and Numerical Methods in Matlab
Python
Downey: Think Python: an introduction to Python and some software engineering ideas.
A Hands-On Introduction to Using Python in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. (This is more of an advanced text rather than a text to learn Python from as it assumes some existing programming knowledge).
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Comp_Mod |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Mark Naylor
Tel: (0131 6)50 4918
Email: Cinzia.Discolo@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Casey Hollway
Tel: (0131 6)50 8510
Email: |
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