Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods

Geophysical and geoelectrical methods use physical signals—electrical currents, electromagnetic waves, and seismic vibrations—to image what lies beneath Earth's surface without digging or drilling. By measuring how rocks, fluids, and sediments resist, polarize, or transmit these signals, researchers can map groundwater systems, detect contaminants, probe fault zones, and characterize seafloor geology at depths that would otherwise be inaccessible. A central challenge is the inversion problem: translating raw field measurements back into reliable models of subsurface structure, where many different geological configurations can produce nearly identical signals. Active research is pushing toward higher-resolution imaging in complex environments, better ways to distinguish fluid types from electrical signatures alone, and the integration of multiple methods to reduce the ambiguity inherent in any single technique.

Works

187,671

Total citations

880,168

Keywords

Electrical Resistivity TomographyMagnetotelluric ImagingGeophysical InversionHydrogeophysical CharacterizationMarine Electromagnetic MethodsSpectral Induced Polarization