An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics
2nd ed.
Reynolds, John M.
Summary: “The book covers a range of applications including mineral and hydrocarbon exploration but the greatest emphasis is on the use of geophysics in
civil engineering, and in environmental and groundwater investigations”
In the broadest sense, the science of geophysics is the application of physics to investigations of the Earth, Moon and planets. The subject is thus related to astronomy. Normally, however, the definition of geophysics is used in a more restricted way, being applied solely to the Earth. Even then, the term includes such subjects as meteorology and ionospheric physics, and other aspects of atmospheric sciences.
To avoid confusion, the use of physics to study the interior of the Earth, from land surface to the inner core, is known as solid earth geophysics. This can be subdivided further into global geophysics, or alternatively pure geophysics, which is the study of the whole or substantial parts of the planet, and applied geophysics, which is concerned with investigating the Earth’s crust and near-surface to achieve a practical and, more often than not, an economic aim.
Applied geophysics covers everything from experiments to determine the thickness of the crust (which is important in hydrocarbon exploration) to studies of shallow structures for engineering site investigations, exploring for groundwater and for minerals and other economic resources, to trying to locate narrow mine shafts or other forms of buried cavities, or the mapping of archaeological remains, or locating buried pipes and cables but where in general the total depth of investigation is usually less than 100 m. The same scientific principles and technical challenges apply as much to shallow geophysical investigations as to pure geophysics.
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