Talk:Geophysics

Suggestions

Some suggestions: - Include Teluric (MT, AMT,...) as an EM method into pure geophysics of the solid earth. - I think mineral physics should read minerals/rock physics and is also part of "pure" geophysics

In general I think we should say good-bye to the split between pure(theoretical) and applied geophysics. Some of the applied methods use more theoretical background than the classic/pure geophysicist can handle...

I also think oceanography and meteorology should be mentioned but have their own "main page".

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In my opinion meteorology and oceanography are treated as independent subjects, closely related to, but not part of geophysics. Knowledge and research have become so immense, that they warrant a discipline of their own.

Yes and no. The theoretical side of atmospheric science is treated as a classic example of geophysical fluid dynamics- i.e. the application of the physics of fluids to the Earth system. In that sense, the theoretical side of meteorology is very much a branch of geophysics. However, meteorology and oceanograpy are also independent subjects and should (and do) have their own entries.

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I suggest the following scheme:

Geophysics, the study of the earth by quantitative physical methods.

- Geophysics of the Atmosphere (Meteorology, climatology, upper air physics)

   o Atmospheric electricity and terrestrial magnetism (including ionosphere
      and Van Allen belt) 
   o Meteorology and Climatology, which both involve studies of the weather. 
   o Aeronomy, the study of the physical structure and chemistry of the 
      atmosphere.

- Geophysics of the oceans

   o Physical Oceanography

- Geophysics of the solid Earth

   + Pure Geophysics 
     o Seismology (earthquakes and elastic waves) 
     o Gravity and geodesy (the earth's gravitational field and the size and 
        form of the earth)
     o Geomagnetism (diurnal variations, dynamo theories) 
     o Geothermometry (heating of the earth, heat flow, volcanology, 
        and hot springs) 
     o Hydrology and glaciology (ground water, surface water and ice) 
     o Tectonophysics (dynamic processes in the earth) 
   + Applied geophysics (exploration and engineering geophysics)
     o Seismics
     o electrical and electromagnetic methods 
     o gravity exploration 
     o magnetic exploration
     o radioactivity
     o Geophysical Engineering
     o geomatics (applied geodesy)
     o mineral physics 

(Hans Erren 12:53, 31 August 2006 (UTC))

Other fields and related disciplines

I see that someone has been adding to this section and would like to share my thoughts on how I'd like this page to develop. I added the sections Physical Phenomena and Regions of the Earth with the following goals in mind:

1. In Physical Phenomena, emphasize the physics to show what makes it geophysics.
2. In Regions of the Earth, describe applications to the solid Earth, hydrosphere, cryosphere, etc. (still a lot to do here!)
3. Pack in as many links to relevant pages as possible.

I reorganized the old material, putting most of it in The magnetosphere, Other fields and related disciplines and Methods of geophysics. I have been tempted to phase out Other fields and related disciplines as the material gets covered in other sections. But perhaps it might be useful to keep it as a description of how geophysics is organized in societies like AGU and IUGG. I'd be interested to hear what other editors think of my overall plan. RockMagnetist (talk) 13:52, 9 December 2010 (UTC)