Customer Reviews

An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The book covers the most important methods of applied and environmental geophysics as used nowadays. The descriptions of the classical methods is similar to the descriptions found in the classical textbooks. The major value of this title is the new material and the case histories which have never been published before, especially the ones focused on GPR.

This book is the best overview of near surface geophysics that is currenty available. It is very light on theory, but is excellent for a first course in near surface geophysics or for a non-geophysicist who would like to expand their knowledge. I have read the book cover to cover over the last year as well as rereading some relevant chapters. There are some errors in the few derivations that are actually in the book. I have purchased six copies for co-workers who do not have geophysics degrees but work in the field. If you would like a deeper, more theoretical background get a copy of Applied Geophysics by Telford. With those two books you will be well grounded in near surface geophysics.

The book often does a poor job of explaining geophysical methods in a way that benefits the introductory student. At times it is very vague, especially when it comes to explaining the mathematics behind a certain method. I'm sure there are better books to use for an introductory geophysics course.

I was kind of disappointed with what I got. The print edition that I got was a very longitudinal narrow book. This shape to me was inconvenience. Another issue was the ending of sentences on the left pages were very close to the center of the book and the same with the starting of the sentences on the right page. I could have returned it and asked for the other regular version that my friend bought just a short while before me, but the semester already has begun and homeworks started to rain on me, so I didn't. The book is also written in the UK English the units system was totally different from the US one. I also noticed that the author had also altered the UK units system, like using Megagrams equivalent to Kilograms.

This book presents, in a quite simple manner, the main aspects of the most usual geophysical techniques used around the globe to give answer to a significant number of situations and problems. In this edition, a special chapter about GPR is particularly well written and documented. A must have!

If you would like a book that gives you a very vague overview of geophysical techniques, that doesn't explain how the physics is applied to the problem this is the book for you. It goes through various geophysical techniques but lacks the explaination that goes along with the technique. Very few equations for the application of the material, and when equations are introduced the author regrets to explain their meaning or how it applys to the situation. This book is terrible for the geophysicist student/professor but may be good for a person who is mathematically challenged and read about techniques but have no clue how to apply them to real world situations. Would have given this book 0 stars if it was an option.