An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics

TLDR

The book surveys geophysical applications in mineral, hydrocarbon, groundwater exploration, civil engineering, and environmental investigations. The revised edition expands the original text with new case histories and previously omitted geophysical techniques. The text presents concepts qualitatively, supplemented by boxed equations, extensive illustrations, and references, while introducing new methods such as magnetic resonance sounding, controlled‑source EM, shear‑wave refraction, airborne gravity and EM, radioactivity surveying, down‑hole techniques, hydrographic and sub‑bottom profiling, unexploded ordnance detection, and applications in forensic, archaeological, glaciological, agricultural, and biogeophysical contexts.

Abstract

The book covers a range of applications including mineral, hydrocarbon and groundwater exploration, and emphasises the use of geophysics in civil engineering and in environmental investigations. Following on from the international popularity of the first edition, this new, revised, and much expanded edition contains additional case histories, and descriptions of geophysical techniques not previously included in such textbooks. The level of mathematics and physics is deliberately kept to a minimum but is described qualitatively within the text. Relevant mathematical expressions are separated into boxes to supplement the text. The book is profusely illustrated with many figures, photographs and line drawings, many never previously published. Key source literature is provided in an extensive reference section; a list of web addresses for key organisations is also given in an appendix as a valuable additional resource. Covers new techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Sounding, Controlled- Source EM, shear-wave seismic refraction, and airborne gravity and EM techniques -- Now includes radioactivity surveying and more discussions of down-hole geophysical methods; hydrographic and Sub-Bottom Profiling surveying; and Unexploded Ordnance detection -- Expanded to include more forensic, archaeological, glaciological, agricultural and bio-geophysical applications -- Includes more information on physio-chemical properties of geological, engineering and environmental materials.