Resources:  
Teaching and learning with UBC-GIF modelling and inversion codes

The IAG Learning Resource Package

We have produced a learning resources package called Inversion for Applied Geophysics (IAG). This is a learning facility about geophysical inversion. It is structured like a text book but includes educational versions of UBC-GIF programs, data sets, interactive self-test facilities, and exercises for use by individuals or classes. See the IAG outline page for details about contents and instructions for obtaining a copy - it is free to download from flintbox , a global intellectual property exchange.

Obtaining codes

We are allowed to supply individual, single-seat licenses for one user, for use in academic research or for teaching, to an accredited academic institution. The licensee must be a professor in that institution, not a student or associate. Of course there must be no commercial use of the codes whatsoever.

We are required to follow these procedures because licenses for these programs must be purchased from third parties if they will be used for commercial or government work. Therefore, our University’s Office of Industry Liaison requires that we keep careful track of every copy that is provided strictly for academic use.

If you are interested in obtaining a license for any of the UBC-GIF inversion codes, please have the professor in charge send us a note by email explaining exactly what each program will be used for.  Then  this professor must fill out one license form for each code package and sign those forms. Once forms are received at UBC, we will prepare a CD- ROM with programs, test data, and manuals.

Which codes to use for teaching and learning?

First we usually advise most users to acquire only one or two codes at once because they take some time learn how best to apply each program for specific purposes.

We do NOT advise acquiring DCIP3D for teaching purposes because it is difficult and time consuming to use. There is no graphical user interface for DCIP3D, and it takes a very long time for computations to complete. This 3D code should be used only when surveys are truely three dimensional (which is rare), and when there is significant computing power and memory available. We run DCIP3D on a 16-node parallel computing system, and most inversions take several hours to several days to compute. Of course the 3D code may well be necessary for solving research problems, and then we are happy to supply a single seat license to a professor in a university.

Teaching how to successfully apply inversion can be done quite effectively with DCIP2D because forward modelling and inversion
can both be done from within a graphical user interface, and both forward and inverse computations (with reasonable data sets and meshs) usually converge within a few minutes.

Regarding MAG3D and GRAV3D, we have found that MAG3D is the most reliable option if first time users (students) are going to invert field data because gravity data require some care and processing (including upward continutation) if inversion results are to be optimal. If exercises involve forward modelling and inversion of synthetic data then either of the two codes are useful. However, owing to their similarities, we find it efficient to introduce only one of the codes in any given course. 

EM1DFM involves understanding some of the compexities of electromagnetics, and we have found the students get bogged down in the details of using a specific code, rather than learning about essentials of how EM works and how the many forms can be applied (even in a 4th year applied electromagnetics course). There are no plans yet to make EM1DFM available for installation in a teaching lab.

See the FAQ page and other resources via the ubc-gif software help page for more details.

Use in lab situations

Please note that each academic license is a single seat license. That means that you are not supposed to distribute codes for students to use. However, by summer 2005, we should be releasing restricted versions of the codes that can be used for learning, but which will be unsuitable for inverting large data sets that researchers or commercial users need. These will be available for distribution to students so they can practice using inversion. Please watch our website for an announcement regarding the release of educational versions of the codes.

As noted above, DCIP3D is a rather difficult code to use and we do not recommend using it for teaching, therefore we will not be releasing an educational version of this code.

Also as noted above, there are no plans yet to make EM1DFM available for installation in a teaching lab.

Other teaching and learning facilities

Please see Tutorials, Case histories, and Program and Utilities documentation for material that has been produced in support of learning about inversion, and applications to applied geophysics problems. The UBC-GIF outreach program is described on it's own page, with announcements about upcoming workshops, etc.