The chief goals of Solid Earth Geophysics are to define and quantify the internal structure and processes of the Earth in terms of physical principles, and to provide an essential framework that allied disciplines can employ for more focused investigations.

Geophysics is a term that might discourage any but the most inquisitive Earth Scientist but, simply put, it is the study of the Physics of the Earth. A key aspect of the book, as befits a scientist whose working life has been devoted to Applied Geophysics, is a clear detailing of the application of Geophysics to practical matters. While geophysics plays a crucial role in surveying for hydrocarbon and mineral resources; it is also a fundamental environmental tool to look for hidden dangers beneath the surface, such as caves and old mine workings; for managing pollution and environmental hazards; and, most recently, for looking for and monitoring safe and secure places to store our manifold wastes, such as Carbon Dioxide and spent nuclear material. Readers will soon appreciate that the popular perceptions of practical geophysics as used in archaeology or forensics is merely a glimmer of the many crucial applications of this science to all our lives.