Dr. Peter Betts

Qualifications B.Sc.(Hons) Mon., Ph.D. Mon. Research Interests Proterozoic plate reconstructions. Proterozoic orogenic processes and plate tectonics. Regional geophysical responses of crustal-scale fault systems. Interpretation and processing of aeromagnetic and gravity datasets. Integration of geological and potential field datasets. Evolution of Proterozoic crust and associated metallogenic systems. Evolution of the Australian Lithosphere with an emphasis on crustal processes. Field structural geology and tectonics. Contact Peter p: +61 3 9905 4150 f: +61 3 9905 4903 e: Peter Betts

Senior Lecturer Research | Publications | Other

Geoscience units

Undergraduate teaching

• ESC1011 - Plate tectonic theory: involves developing and teaching introductory lectures in plate tectonic theory, movement of the earth, and plate tectonic history (3 lectures). Interior structure of the Earth: Developed and lectured introductory to the physical and chemical structure of the Earth. Earthquakes and seismicity: Developed and taught introductory lectures on earthquakes and seismic waves.
• ESC1022 - Structural geology: involves teaching and developing basic structural geology lectures, including fundamentals of structural geology (e.g., stress and strain, folding, faulting, and simple microstructure). Geological Evolution of Australia and Victoria (2 lectures):  These background lectures utline the geology of Australia and Victoria through time and provide a framework for future courses.  Resource Geology (3 lectures): These lectures provide basic proniples of resource geology with an emphasis on the mineral systems.  Remote Sensing (1 lecture):  Introduction to magnetic and gravity datasets  Satellite and airbourne data are used o illustrate how these datasets can be utilized for environmental and geological purposes.
• ESC3180 - Broken Hill Field camp: I am the course coordinator of three week field course in the Broken Hill Block, western New South Wales. The course involves teaching advanced mapping techniques in greenschist and amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks in a region that is poly-deformed and characterised by complex fold interference patterns and the development of several generations of high-temperature and retrograde shear zones.  Integrated with the mapping are elective subjects in Advancd structural geology metamorphism and melting, geophysical data collection and processing, and regolith studies.  This subject is taught in collaboration with University of Melbourne .
• ESC3311 - Regional mapping: I teach geological interpretation of regional potential field datasets as part of a larger course on potential field theory with Professor Jim Cull. This involves teaching about the collection and processing of aeromagnetic and gravity datasets, what can be gleaned from the processed datasets, potential field interpretation techniques, and geophysical response of various geological settings. The course caters for geology students that are interested in geophysical interpretation, or geophysics students that need to know the geological significance of their dataset.
• ESC3332 - Global Geodynamics and crustal evolution: I teach plate tectonic theory as part of a 3rd year course on global dynamics with Professor Louis Moresi. Lectures include plate tectonic history, subduction processes, orogenic belts, extensional and strike-slip terranes. Practical classes involve reviewing critically controversial papers in Geodynamics, including topics about secular changes in the evolution of the Earth and initiation of subduction zones.

Postgraduate teaching (VIEPS)

• Geology from Geophysics (MTEC course): This one week VIEPS course taught under the umbrella of the nation wide Minerals Tertiary Education Council (MTEC).  The course is taught in collaboration with Dr Laurent Ailleres. This course is designed to introduce geologist and geophysicists to commonly used geophysical software, including Oasis Montaj, ERmapper, GM-SYS, and to develop strategies to interpret geophysical data with geological eyes.  The course is set out as a mini-project in which the end product is a geological interpretation of a regional geophysical dataset.

Phd Students

MSc Students