Earth Science Stack Exchange
Earth Science Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [geophysics]

Geophysics is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment.

Geophysics is a broad subject that studies many properties of the Earth, such as its shape, gravity, magnetic field, internal structure and dynamics. It also includes fluid dynamics of external envelopes (hydrosphere and atmosphere) and the study of similar problems on other planets.

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What's the distance between the center of mass and geometrical center of Earth (CM-CF offset)?

I asked the same question on Physics StackExchange site. I now know that there are several types of "center" and I can tell, I'm interested in the CM-CF offset (CM = geocenter, CF = center of figure). Wu, Ray, and van Dam, "Geocenter motion and its…
balping
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Does a mountain top have higher gravity than a nearby sea-level surface?

Regardless the latitude and centrifugial 'force' is the gravity on mountains higher or lower than at sealevel? Gravity is depending on the radius to the centre and the mass. Now if you are on a mountain you are further from centre but it looks like…
Marijn
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Books for learning applied seismic geophysics

I am a software developer trying to learn applied geophysics. Specifically I am interested in seismic attributes. I have a strong background in mathematics and signal processing and therefore grasp the theory quite easily. However the geology and…
Andy
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Why is the lithostatic pressure gradient 1 psi/ft? How is it derived from density?

Why is the geostatic (or is it the lithostatic?) gradient 1 psi/ft? How is that derived from g/cc? Thanks.
Armadillo
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What is the total Earth's interior energy budget?

What is the total Earth's interior energy budget? What is the heat flux per m2 that warms the Earth surface because of the Earthy's internal heat. How much of that heat is replenished from the radioactive decay? How much of that heat is…
Irigi
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How did Great-Britain separate from France?

Looking at continental plates both France and GB lie on the Earasian plate. Now those plates moves and created our continents of today out of Pangea. But a lot of pictures shows that France and GB were once stuck together. Also their shapes looks…
Marijn
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petrophysical crossplots

I recently developed a computer program that generates some petrophysical and elastic parameters from well logs such as water saturation and hydrocarbon saturation, bulk volume, irreducible water saturation, porosity, permeability, shear impedance,…
Taiwo
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How much does the electric current within the Earth' core depend on the axis of the Earth's orbit?

I always thought that the movement of the iron core was caused by the axis of orbit of the Earth. Probably that isn't quite as true as I read, because in the core the iron material undergoes types of swirls. I read that there exists about 6 or 7…
Marijn
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Why is the density of Earth higher at the core

If gravitation decreases as we approach the core and if density is a function of gravity we should expect a void core. Unless the accretion disk was formed starting with the objects of highest mass available first. But as soon as the whole planet…
andrei peri
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How high do you need to be to see Los Angeles from Washington DC?

If you were to stand on a tall building in Washington, DC and looked west, how tall would the building need to be to see Los Angeles? I would like answers based on if the world was flat and if the world was round. The distance is 2300 miles from…
Christian Sirolli
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Thermal expansion of Earth

Matter tends to change its volume in response to changes in temperature--or, hot things tend to be expanded. Is the thermal expansion of Earth significant? That is, is it significant when compared against a cooler or perhaps internally-inert Earth?
BMF
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Temperature differences in sand

Sand is granular in nature, which allows air columns to trap in between them. As we know that air is an insulator of heat. So here are my questions: Does sand maintain its temperatures close to its surface? (Like a conducting shell distributes…
Sam G.
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What is the origin of oil?

Most people may believe that oil comes from dead plants and animals, but there are alternative theories that are known as Abiogenic Petroleum Origin. If oil in generated in this manner it could mean we could find oil on other planets or moons as…
D. Wade
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Construction of a drift curve in the well tie calibration and how to interpret it?. Sonic calibration vs checkshot calibration

Good afternoon. Inside the creation of the synthetic seismogram some softwares have the option to run what is called "sonic calibration" or "checkshot calibration". I have some questions: 1)why some softwares consider that the sonic should be…
reed_adkins86
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Aspiring Geophysicist

I am interested in becoming a geophysicist. I am currently doing my undergraduate degree in the UK but have not chosen a specialisation. Is it better to specialise in Earth Sciences as an undergrad or go with Physics? I like quantitative fields but…
Ryan
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