Geophysics

Last updated:7 June 2023

Scientists at Geoscience Australia use the following geophysical methodologies and physical parameters:

Airborne electromagnetics - Airborne electromagnetic data are gathered by transmitting an electromagnetic signal from a system attached to a plane or helicopter. A secondary field is induced in electrically conductive rocks and measured from the same aircraft platform.

Gravity - The ability to measure small changes in gravity due to changes in the density of the rocks which make up the Earth provides a method which makes it possible to remotely map the distribution of different rock types and the structure of the rocks.

Magnetics - The magnetic method is a non-invasive geophysical method which measures perturbations in the earth’s magnetic field caused by magnetic minerals in crustal rocks.

Magnetotellurics - Magnetotellurics (MT) is a passive geophysical method which uses natural time variations of the Earth's magnetic and electric fields to measure the electrical resistivity of the sub-surface.

Radiometrics - The radiometric, or gamma-ray spectrometric method is a passive geophysical process used to estimate concentrations of the earth’s natural radioelements of potassium, uranium and thorium. The method measures the gamma-rays which the radioactive isotopes of these elements emit during radioactive decay.

Rock properties - Rock properties provide the vital link between observed geophysical data and interpreted geology. Geoscience Australia has periodically made measurements of rock properties to support various investigations into the composition and structure of the subsurface.

Seismic - The seismic survey technique includes refraction, reflection, and passive seismic methods and is the principal geophysical method used in Australia to acquire images of the Earth's crust at depth which provides data on its structure and its resources.