Tectonics Personal Statement

The Earth is the only known planet to support life; the reasons behind this fascinate me. Complex processes such as geochemical weathering created an atmosphere where life can thrive. Heliophysical aspects such as the Earth being the only planet in the solar system, which is also in the habitable zone, show the delicate nature of life itself. I want to study geophysics as it combines my capacity for mathematics and physics, with my predilection for learning about the Earth and the physical processes, which take place within it.
My favourite area of geophysics is tectonic movement. Whilst visiting the Himalayan mountain range in 2015 I had first-hand experience of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in the Gilgit area of Pakistan. This harrowing experience sparked my interest in the formation of the mountain range and the challenges of measuring tectonic movement using a variety of techniques, including GPS from satellites to track rock movements and seismometers to record seismic activity below the ground. My knowledge of Young’s Modulus from A-level Physics is useful in explaining the snapping of rocks at points of high tension when being pushed into each other.
Why does earth’s magnetic poles flip? It is questions like these,
I enjoyed these lectures as it quantified my current understanding of how the planets interact with each other through gravity. The lectures also gave me in depth knowledge of how I could conduct scientific research. While carrying out fieldwork research for my AS geography exam, I used different sampling techniques to collect my data. This taught me about the limitations of the equipment and tools used, and I analysed the data using mathematical skills. I believe I am equipped with the correct skills to handle the practical aspects of the geophysics course having already had experience with