Geophysics for Practicing Geoscientists (GPG),
A resource package for learning about applied geophysics.

Introduction

The GPG package of resources is a teaching and learning facility for students and professionals in the geosciences who need to learn about the application of geophysical methods to practical geoscience problems

The most commonly used methods are covered in more or less detail, but because of the origin of the package, the majority of material is about potential fields methods (gravity and magnetics), DC resistivity and induced polarization.

Objectives and outline

The objective is to provide all reading and active learning resources necessary to become familiar with how geophysics is applied go geoscience problems. The eight chapters are organized as follows:

  1. Welcome, Foreword, Getting Started, etc.
  2. Foundations: Introductions to essential concepts underlying applied geophysics, including a generally applicable framework for applying geophysics, and sections about physical properties.
  3. Geophysical survey methods: Geophysical surveys (magnetics, gravity, DC resistivity and Induced Polarization, seismic refraction, GPR, and basics of terrain conductivity).
  4. Inversion concepts: Explains what inversion is, how it works (minimal mathematics), and outlines how to judge whether a problem might benefit from the use of geophysical inversion.
  5. Exercises: (Details) A collection of exercises providing opportunities for students to practice using codes, or aspects of inversion. Where appropriate, the activities include data, models, programs, and real scenarios.
  6. Case Histories: Examples showing how geophysical inversion has contributed to many mineral exploration and engineering / environmental applications.
  7. Software and manuals: (Details) Access to educational versions of forward modelling and inversion codes (MAG3D, GRAV3D, DCIP2D), utility codes, applets, and all relevant documentation.
  8. Resources: Other facilities including a FLASH™-based Learning Object about applied geophysics (TAGFLO), a glossary, references, and others.