Featured items

There are no featured items on this page

Return to page navigation menu

Geophysicist - Tasks and specialisations

Kaimātai Pūtaiao Whenua

Tasks & duties

Geophysicists may do some or all of the following:

study the physical properties of the Earth, including geological layers, oceans and atmosphere
study the upper atmosphere and meteorology (weather systems)
carry out earthquake research and experiments
carry out volcanic research and experiments
measure gravity, earthquakes, electrical fields and magnetic fields
process data and measurements taken from a global positioning system (GPS)
develop computer models of the Earth's crust
study the physical properties of rocks
study properties of the ocean and its circulation
study the physical properties of other planets
look for oil, gas, groundwater and mineral deposits
write research papers and reports based on the results of their studies
present papers at conferences
review other scientists' work
teach at universities and supervise student research projects.

Gillian Turner and a male student talking in a lab.

Gillian Turner and a student determining the magnetic minerals in rock samples

Tony Hurst carrying out fieldwork on White Island

Specialisations

Geophysics is a broad subject and there are many different areas in which to specialise. However, there are three main categories into which geophysics can be divided:

Exploration geophysics: This deals with searching for resources like oil and gas and includes: seismic exploration, seismic interpretation, mineral exploration and engineering geophysics.
Global geophysics: This area of geophysics studies the earth as a whole, focusing on earthquakes and magnetic fields. Some areas of specialisation within this group are: seismology, magnetic exploration and environmental or groundwater systems.
Computer technology: Geophysicists can also specialise in software development and computer processing.

"There are unlimited things to study and research. You can go very, very broad or you can specialise in something niche, or you can try and research combining different areas together."

Hai Zhu - Geophysicist

Previous page - This job summary

Next page - Personal requirements

Updated September 2009

Return to page navigation menu