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Master Sciences pour l'environnement parcours Géosciences et géophysique du littoral (MSC ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES - COASTAL GEOSCIENCES AND GEOPHYSICS )

Type
Master (ISCED 2011 level 7)
Language

English

Duration 4 semesters
Entry level Bachelor
Cost 243€

Do you have a background in sciences (mathematics, physics or earth sciences) and a sensitivity for the coast?
The Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences teaches you to understand complex research or social issues related to the integrated management of natural and coastal areas in particular.

The Coastal Geosciences and Geophysics (GGL) course provides you with fundamental theoretical and practical skills in terrestrial and marine geophysics, geodesy, marine geology and coastal oceanography.
You will be trained in the deployment of geophysical instruments on land and at sea, data acquisition, scientific calculation, modelling and digital data processing to provide answers to a problem in the coastal physical environment.

This course trains you to a rigorous reasoning, based on a state of current knowledge about the coastline. You will be able to carry out an interdisciplinary reflection, establish a diagnosis and propose and/or simulate possible evolutions in order to meet societal demands in the coastal domain.

Programme

Semester 1

Major courses

 Coastal hydrodynamics & morphodynamics 

 Complément DroneEduc_M1 GGL 

 Instrumentation in marine geology & coastal oceanography 

 Tools in data processing for Geophysics 

Minor courses

 The environment in a computer 

 Ecology and Management of Mobile Marine Species 1 

 Geomatics 

 Governance and consultation 

Cross-curricular courses

 Transverse unit 1 

Semester 2

Major courses

 Data analysis for Geosciences 

 Geodynamics & Coastal sedimentary dynamics 

 Instrumentation & terrestrial geophysics 

 Internship 

Minor courses

 From data to information 

 Ecology and Management of Mobile Marine Species 2 

 Governance and consultation 2 

 Image processing, spatial analysis and web services 

Cross-curricular courses

 Tranverse unit 2 

Semester 3

Major courses

 Complément DroneEduc_M2 GGL 

 Extreme sea levels and coastal risks 

 Instrumentation & geodetic methods 

 Modelling coastal hydrodynamics & morphodynamics 

Minor courses

 Geolocalized web programming 

 Advanced processing and realization of a geomatics project 

 Ecology and Management of Mobile Marine Species 3 

 Governance and consultation 3 

Cross-curricular courses

 Langue vivante étrangère 1 

 Transverse unit 3

Semester 4

Cross-curricular courses

 Cross-curricular courses 

Structural components
Practical/Field work
Language training

Application procedure

In the 1st year of the Master’s degree, the selection of candidates is made on the basis of their application documents.
How to apply to the 1st year of the Master’s
How to apply to the 2nd year of the Master’s

Learning outcomes

  • Know, understand and apply the fundamentals, both theoretical and practical, in terrestrial and marine geophysics of surface and subsurface, geodesy, marine geology and coastal oceanography.
    • Describe the operating principles of marine geology and geophysics, and coastal oceanography tools.
    • Mobilize this theoretical knowledge (operation of marine geology and geophysics tools, and coastal oceanography) to carry out measurements at sea.
    • Explain and experiment the constraints of measurements at sea (in marine geology and geophysics, and coastal oceanography).
    • Analyze the processed data (positioning, bathymetry, side-scan sonar, seismic reflection, current measurement, agitation, sediment transport, turbidity).
    • Evaluate the performance of the various marine geology and coastal oceanography tools to determine their limitations and advantages.
    • Explain the principles of numerical modelling in hydrodynamics, sedimentary dynamics and morphodynamics
    • Understand the basic concepts of digital schematics and evaluate their performance (accuracy, convergence, stability, dissipation and digital dispersion) by applying them to simple problems of morphodynamics, wave propagation and tracer transport in coastal environments.
    • Identify the different components of a chain of acquisition of a measuring instrument (geophysics)
    • Adapt the sampling mesh of the measurement collection to the question asked
    • Analyze radar (geophysical) prospecting data
    • Select the geophysical prospecting method best suited to the study issue
    • Review the results of a geophysical study in a coastal environment
    • Explain the main concepts about sediment recordings of sea level variations, climate change and human activities in coastal sedimentary environments
    • Observe, recognize and analyze sedimentary successions in a core sampling
    • Observe, recognize and analyze the architecture of a sedimentary fill (incised valleys, sand bank, coastal barrier) from seismic and radar data
    • Observe, recognize and analyze coastal geomorphological changes based on bathymetric, topographic, aerial and satellite data
    • Explain the deformation modes of the Earth's crust (concept of lithospheric rheology, stress/deformation) and the causes of this deformation
    • Present the concept of plate tectonics and its consequences in terms of vertical and horizontal deformation on the surface of the globe, and in particular on the coastline
    • Explain the concept of the seismic cycle
    • Explain the mechanisms of formation, propagation, amplification of a tsunami
    • Put a coastline in its global context, in particular geodynamic context, in order to determine, as a first approximation, the natural hazards to which it is exposed
    • Detail the principles of measurement and processing in tide gauging, satellite radar altimetry, GPS and gravimetry
    • Describe the realization of terrestrial landmarks, in particular ITRS, based on fundamental techniques (VLBI, SLR, GNSS and DORIS), and explain their interest and performance
    • Understand the physical processes controlling the hydro-sedimentary dynamics of beaches (wave-induced circulation, infragravity waves, etc.) and coasts subjected to waves and tides (estuaries, sandy bays, etc.)
    • Use modern software (TELEMAC, BlueKenue) to simulate tides, waves and transport in coastal environments using bathymetric data and atmospheric and tidal forcings
    • Explain the processes that cause sea level variations, particularly extreme levels (tides, weather surges, seasonal effects, long-term elevation), and their historical evidence
    • Calculate tidal constituents from tide gauge observations (harmonic analysis), analyze the quality of results, predict the tide and determine marine surges
    • Determine the different types of sedimentary recording of extreme sea levels related to storms and tsunamis
    • Explain how flood risk prevention plans and the legal principles of associated liability are established
  • Deploy geophysical instruments on land and at sea, collect and structure measurement results.
    • Describe the operating principles of marine geology and geophysics, and coastal oceanography tools.
    • Mobilize theoretical knowledge (operation of marine geology and geophysics tools, and coastal oceanography) to carry out measurements at sea.
    • Explain and experiment the constraints of measurements at sea (in marine geology and geophysics, and coastal oceanography).
    • Collect measurement results (in marine geology and geophysics, and coastal oceanography), analyse their quality, carry out relevant treatments
    • Analyze the processed data (location, bathymetry, side-scan sonar, seismic reflection, current measurement, agitation, sediment transport and turbidity).
    • Evaluate the performance of the various marine geology and coastal oceanography tools to determine their limitations and advantages
    • Import digital data from geoscience disciplines written in any format, ASCII and NetCDF, for computer processing
    • Write a simple algorithm including the basic structures: test, loop, I/O, assignment with application to geoscience case studies
    • Explain how a geophysical measurement is converted into a series of digitized data
    • Explain the problems associated with a Fourier transform of a series of digitized data, and identify its effects in an example of a geophysical study
    • Identify the different components of a chain of acquisition of a measuring instrument (geophysics)
    • Adapt the sampling mesh of the measurement collection to the question asked
    • Use a radar (geophysical) prospecting device
    • Collect field measurements, process them, evaluate their quality, critique the results of a study and interpret them in geodetic and geophysical terms
  • Apply scientific computation, modelling and numerical data processing methods to studies in coastal geosciences and geophysics.
    • Collect measurement results (instrumentation in marine geology and coastal oceanography), analyse their quality, carry out relevant treatments
    • Solve, by the finite difference method, a problem described by a simple differential equation (coastal erosion, dune migration...)
    • Understand the basic concepts of digital schematics and evaluate their performance (accuracy, convergence, stability, dissipation and digital dispersion) by applying them to simple problems of morphodynamics, wave propagation and tracer transport in coastal environments.
    • Select the software best suited to a specific hydrodynamic and morphodynamic simulation
    • Build a simplified model to simulate: (1) the transport of passive tracers and (2) wave propagation in coastal environments
    • Understand the basics of algorithmics and implement them on a simple geoscience problem
    • Interpret a simple algorithm written in Python
    • Write a simple algorithm including the basic structures: test, loop, I/O, assignment with application to geoscience case studies
    • Import digital data from geoscience disciplines written in any format, ASCII and NetCDF, for computer processing
    • Explain how a geophysical measurement is converted into a series of digitized data
    • Explain what a Fourier transform is and give its properties
    • Write a code that calculates the Fourier transform and represents it from standard library (Numpy) with application to geophysical case studies
    • Explain the problems associated with a Fourier transform of a series of digitized data, and identify its effects in an example of a geophysical study
    • Explain what a filter is, the different types of filters, and their actions on data with the application of geoscience case studies
    • Write a program that filters a series of data with application to geosciences
    • Define mean, variance, probability law, normal variable
    • Demonstrate the central boundary theorem and explain its application in geoscience case studies
    • Compare two means by one or more Student tests by one ANO-VA test with application to geoscience case studies
    • Calculate and test the correlation between two data sets with application to geoscience case studies
    • Explain the value of non-parametric statistical methods in geoscience studies
    • Implement simple non-parametric tests on geoscience data by writing the python code that reads the data, performs the test, and gives the results
    • Interpret the results of non-parametric tests applied to geoscience studies
    • Write a least square parameter adjustment code applied to geoscience case studies (trends, seasonal cycles)
    • Explain the assumptions underlying the least squares method
    • Test the significance of the least squares model, and determine the correlation and confidence intervals on the parameters estimated in geoscience case studies
    • Constraining a least squares problem by linear methods with application to geoscience case studies
    • Analyze radar (geophysical) prospecting data
    • Collect field measurements, process them, evaluate their quality, critique the results of a study and interpret them in geodetic and geophysical terms
    • Construct time series (geodesics), evaluate the quality of estimated observations and parameters, express results in geodetic or hydrographic references relevant to the study issue, interpret their content (signal)
    • Process data from in situ measurements (water levels, waves, currents, etc.) relevant to hydrodynamic models
    • Generate a mesh on a finite element grid suitable for the study of hydrodynamics
    • Select and implement boundary conditions in a hydrodynamic model
    • Use tidal and atmospheric forcing
    • Calibrate and validate a model against observational data
    • Objectively analyze and criticize numerical results of a study in hydrodynamics and sediment transport
    • Calculate tidal constituents from tide gauge observations (harmonic analysis), analyze the quality of results, predict the tide and determine marine surges
    • Describe the distributions of extreme levels and estimate the statistical parameters of the associated laws
  • Understand coastal issues, make critical judgments and apply rigorous reasoning, based on the current state of knowledge in coastal geosciences and geophysics.
    • Explain the value of non-parametric statistical methods in geoscience studies
    • Test the significance of the least squares model, and determine the correlation and confidence intervals on the parameters estimated in geoscience case studies
    • Select the geophysical prospecting method best suited to the study issue
    • Critique the results of a geophysical study in a coastal environment
    • Explain the main concepts about sediment recordings of sea level variations, climate change and human activities in coastal sedimentary environments
    • Put a coastline in its global context, in particular geodynamic context, in order to determine, as a first approximation, the natural hazards to which it is exposed
    • Observe, recognize and analyze sedimentary successions in a core sampling
    • Observe, recognize and analyze the architecture of a sedimentary fill (incised valleys, sand bank, coastal barrier) from seismic and radar data
    • Observe, recognize and analyze coastal geomorphological changes based on bathymetric, topographic, aerial and satellite data
    • Implement a numerical model (boundary condition definitions, choice of forcings, calibration, validation) to analyze a hydrodynamic or sedimentary problem. Critique numerical results and their limitations objectively
    • Collect field measurements, process them, evaluate their quality, critique the results of a study and interpret them in geodetic and geophysical terms
  • Conduct interdisciplinary reflection, manage complexity, establish a diagnosis and propose and/or simulate possible evolutions of physical objects in the coastal environment to meet societal demands
    • Understand the basic concepts of digital schematics and evaluate their performance (accuracy, convergence, stability, dissipation and digital dispersion) by applying them to simple morphodyna-mic, wave propagation and tracer transport problems in coastal environments.
    • Criticize the results of a geophysical study in a coastal environment
    • Explain the main concepts about sediment recordings of sea level variations, climate change and human activities in coastal sedimentary environments
    • Compare and classify the different types of incised valleys, sand banks and coastal barriers
    • Observe, recognize and analyze coastal geomorphological changes based on bathymetric, topographic, aerial and satellite data
    • Put a coastline in its global context, in particular geodynamic context, in order to determine, as a first approximation, the natural hazards to which it is exposed
    • Objectively analyze and criticize numerical results of a study in hydrodynamics and sediment transport
    • Explain the processes that cause sea level variations, particularly extreme levels (tides, weather surges, seasonal effects, long-term elevation), and their historical evidence

Prerequisites

You have a Bac+3, Bac+4 or equivalent (minimum 180 ECTS): you must have completed a course in geosciences, physical sciences or applied mathematics.

ISCED Categories

Ecology
Marine Geology
Physical and chemical oceanography
Scientific modelling
Bioinformatics