geofyzice

Geofyzika (geophysics) is the branch of Earth sciences that uses physical measurements to study the Earth's structure, composition and dynamics. It applies methods that probe gravity, magnetic fields, seismic waves, electrical and electromagnetic properties, and heat flow to infer properties of rocks, fluids and the crust and mantle.

Major subdisciplines include seismology, which analyzes seismic waves from earthquakes and artificial sources to image the interior; gravimetry, which measures variations in the gravitational field to map density contrasts; geomagnetism, which studies the Earth's magnetic field and its temporal changes; and electrical and electromagnetic methods (for example resistivity, induced polarization, magnetotellurics) used to characterize subsurface conductivity. Thermal geophysics investigates heat flow and thermal properties.

Geophysical data are collected by ground-based, borehole, airborne, or marine surveys and interpreted through inverse modeling and numerical simulations. The field is interdisciplinary, combining geology, physics, mathematics, and computer science, and is often integrated with geological mapping and geochemical data.

Applications include resource exploration (oil, gas, minerals), hydrogeology and groundwater assessment, environmental monitoring, and engineering geophysics for infrastructure and mining projects. Geophysics also supports natural hazard assessment and monitoring, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanism and landslides, as well as planetary geophysics, which studies the structure of other planets and moons.

Geofyzika has a long history dating to gravity and magnetic measurements in the 19th century and the development of seismology in the 20th, with rapid growth in the computer era enabling complex imaging and modeling. In Czech contexts, it is taught in universities and used by research institutions and industry.