Geophysics

thumb|The , Hoba meteorite in [[Namibia is the largest known intact meteorite.]]

Geophysics () is a physical science concerned with the processes and properties of Earth and its surrounding space environment, studied using quantitative and observational methods. It focuses primarily on Earth’s shape and its gravitational, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields. It also studies internal structure, composition, and dynamics, and their surface expression in tectonics, volcanism, and rock formation. Geophysics also encompasses a broader Earth-system and planetary perspective, including the oceans, atmosphere, cryosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere, as well as solar–terrestrial in

thumb|upright=1.05|A modern instrument for geodetic measurements using satellites

inner structure of the planet Earth, consisting of several concentric spherical layers

magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind

measure of earthquake size, in terms of the energy released

period of international collaboration in the Earth sciences (1957-58)

There are several conflicting usages of geosphere, variously defined.

Geodynamics is a subfield of geophysics dealing with dynamics of the Earth. It applies physics, chemistry and mathematics to the understanding of how mantle convection leads to plate tectonics and geologic phenomena such as seafloor spreading, mountain building, volcanoes, earthquakes, or faulting. It also attempts to probe the internal activity by measuring magnetic fields, gravity, and seismic waves, as well as the mineralogy of rocks and their isotopic composition. Methods of geodynamics are also applied to exploration of other planets.

change of direction of Earth magnetic field

peaks in the Earth's electromagnetic field spectrum, named for Winifred Otto Schumann

mathematical descriptions of Earth's complex shape

region of a planet or moon's crust that contains a large positive gravitational anomaly

any of several measures of the occurrence of different chemical elements

geochemical classification grouping the chemical elements according to their preferred host phases

cylindrical section of a naturally occurring substance, usually obtained by drilling into it with special drills

discontinuity where the bottom of the planet's mantle meets the outer layer of the core

hypothesis

A micrometeorite is a micrometeoroid that has survived entry through the Earth's atmosphere. Usually found on Earth's surface, micrometeorites differ from meteorites in that they are smaller in size, more abundant, and different in composition. The IAU officially defines meteoroids as 30 micrometers to 1 meter; micrometeorites are the small end of the range (~submillimeter). They are a subset of cosmic dust, which also includes the smaller interplanetary dust particles (IDPs).

displacement of the solid earth's surface caused by the gravity of the Moon and Sun

Tectonophysics, a branch of geophysics, is the study of the physical processes that underlie tectonic deformation. This includes measurement or calculation of the stress- and strain fields on Earth’s surface and the rheologies of the crust, mantle, lithosphere and asthenosphere.

natural electric current in the Earth's crust

instrument for detecting variations in the Earth's magnetic field

applied branch of geophysics and economic geology

subfield of geology focused on the study of natural variations in the relative abundances of isotopes of various elements

type of seismic wave

high-pressure device used in scientific experiments

powerful burst of cosmic rays

fluid dynamics of naturally occurring flows, such as lava flows, oceans, and planetary atmospheres, on Earth and other planets

deviation of seismic waves by rock or soil layers to characterize subsurface geologic structures

atmospheric effect in a planet's magnetosphere

aspect of history

geological structures of the Earth's mantle

a gravity anomaly

theory in geography

geodetic reference ellipsoid

earthquake with a hypocenter depth exceeding 300 km

predicts density vs depth in Earth

thumb|250px|Distortion seismometer A strainmeter is an instrument used by geophysicists to measure the deformation of the Earth. Linear strainmeters measure the changes in the distance between two points, using either a solid piece of material (over a short distance) or a laser interferometer (over a long distance, up to several hundred meters).

process

stress imposed on soil or rock by overlying material

thumb|upright=1.4|AGM2015: A worldwide v̄e flux map combining geoneutrinos from natural Uranium-238 and [[Thorium-232 decay in the Earth's crust and mantle as well as manmade reactor-v̄e emitted by power reactors worldwide.]] In nuclear and particle physics, a geoneutrino is a neutrino or antineutrino emitted during the decay of naturally occurring radionuclides in the Earth. Neutrinos, the lightest of the known subatomic particles, lack measurable electromagnetic properties and interact only via the weak nuclear force (when ignoring gravity). Matter is virtually transparent to neutrinos and c

Form of shear stress

study of the physical properties of the Earth's gravity field as part of Higher Geodesy

A persisting deviation

study of magnetism in rocks

first key scientific test of the seafloor spreading theory of continental drift and plate tectonics.

spatial distribution of mass within a solid body

law in rheology

global research program designed to transform understanding of carbon's role in Earth

vibration measurement using boreholes

Branch of solar physics and aeronomy

geophysics of first tens of meters below surface

Mathematical model of Earth's gravity

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use of geophysics tools in forensic science

Polflucht (from German, flight from the poles) is a geophysical concept invoked in 1922 by Alfred Wegener to explain his ideas of continental drift.