Earth and Planetary Physics - Specialization

Specialization: Earth and Planetary Physics

Learn how to map, model and understand the shallow-to-deep interior of the Earth and other planets using satellite-, air- and drone-based methods.

Processes in Earth's interior control the nature and evolution of the Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere. Understanding these processes, including the underlying physical structures and dynamics is, therefore, of fundamental importance to humanity. Comparisons with other planets can provide crucial insights here; it is a subject where much remains to be discovered.

A wide range of modern technologies today also rely on geophysical methods. Mapping and understanding structures near the surface of the Earth are critical to industries within offshore wind, geothermal energy, hazardous waste removal, large-scale construction (e.g. bridges and tunnels), and raw materials in general.

The study line 'Earth and Planetary Physics' (EPP) encompasses a range of science disciplines and applications dedicated to understanding the Earth's interior, from the near-surface to the core and on both local and global scales.

Mapping the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields from satellites, aircrafts, drones, or ground provides a key to the Earth's interior. Students following the study line EPP are involved in developing and applying new tools and technologies such as drone-borne magnetometer systems, field work in various settings, and advanced data analysis methods, including computational modelling, inverse theory, and machine learning to study processes in the Earth's interior. This EPP study line will teach graduates to engage in industry-standard near-surface physical methods and/or fundamental scientific problems relating to physical processes in the Earth's crust, mantle and core.

Student projects in EPP will focus on satellite, aircraft, drone and ground-based data, mainly gravity and/or magnetic data, as well as computational modelling, inverse and machine learning methods for data analysis. Projects may include data from related disciplines, such as electromagnetic induction and topographic mapping by Lidar or photogrammetry if desired.

Academic focus

The academic focus of this study line is the development and use of instrumentation, observation techniques, and computational modelling and inversion algorithms for investigating structures and processes in the Earth's interior.

The relevant geophysical methods will employ mainly magnetic and gravity as well as electromagnetic, Lidar, Multispectral measurements from satellites, aircraft or drone-based campaigns. Computational methods and techniques such as numerical modelling, inversion, and the analysis and treatment of temporal and spatial data series are included in the study line.

Possible specialization

Within the study line 'Earth and Planetary Physics' it is possible through the choice of specialization courses to further specialise primarily in one of the following areas:

• Instrumentation (No specialization courses, only project work!)
• Data processing, e.g. within Inverse problems and Machine Learning
• Physical and mathematical modelling, e.g. within Earth and Planetary Magnetism

It is also possible to choose a specialization through the synthesis and/or master projects. 

Requirements for the specialization

If you - in addition to the general requirements for the education - meet the following more strict requirements for the selection of courses, the title of the study line 'Earth and Planetary Physics' will be on the diploma in addition to the title of the general programme: 'Earth and Space Physics and Engineering'.

To obtain the MSc degree in Earth and Space Physics and Engineering with the study line in 'Earth and Planetary Physics', you must fulfil the following requirements:

• Have passed the Polytechnic Foundation courses (10 ECTS) and the Programme-specific Innovation and Core Competence courses adding up to 20 ECTS
• Have passed Technological specialization Courses in 2 categories adding up to 30 ECTS :
  • Programme-specific courses in Measurement Technology adding up to at least 15 ECTS
  • Programme-specific courses in Physical Large Scale Structures and Processes adding up to at least 15 ECTS
• Have performed a Master's Thesis of either 30, 32½ or 35 ECTS ECTS within the field of the program 
• Have passed a sufficient number of elective courses – and preferably selected from the study line’s list of recommended elective courses  - to bring the total number of ECTS points of the entire study up to 120.

Courses
The specialization have all the same requirements as the general curriculum regarding the Polytechnic Foundation and Programme-specific Core competences, including ”Innovation course II”. Each study line only varies from the general curriculum by the specific lists of programme-specific courses and Recommended Elective Courses.

Programme-specific courses in Measurement Technology

To meet the requirements for the programme-specific courses in Measurement Technology for the study line 'Earth and Planetary Physics' a student must achieve at least 15 ECTS from the following list of courses:

Programme-specific courses in Physical Large Scale Structures and Processes

To meet the requirements for the programme-specific courses in Physical Large Scale Structures and Processes for the study line 'Earth and Planetary Physics', a student must choose courses corresponding to at least 15 ECTS from the following list:

Programme-specific courses beyond 30 ECTS will count as elective courses.

Recommended Elective Courses

Any course classified as MSc course in DTU's course base may be taken for credit as an elective course. This includes programme-specific courses in excess of the minimal requirements. Master students may choose as much as 10 credit points among the bachelor courses at DTU and courses at an equivalent level from other higher institutions.

We recommend that you use some of your ECTS points for elective courses on either more of the above-mentioned programme-specific courses or some of the courses mentioned in the list below, as these courses are particularly relevant to the study line:

You may be able to find other relevant elective online courses in the EuroTeQ Partner Universities' course catalogue

Topic of the mandatory project in ESPE and Master's Thesis

Both the mandatory project in Earth and Space Physics and the Master thesis must be within the specialization.

Specializations are merely recommended ways of choosing the courses in the curriculum. Applicants are not admitted to a specialization but to the programme and it is possible to choose among all the courses in the curriculum following the directions given. However, if a specialization has been fulfilled the title of the specialization may be added to the diploma.