---
title: Geophysics
description: This discipline applies physical principles to study the Earth's structure, composition, and dynamic processes. Learners will understand seismic wave propagation, gravity and magnetic fields, and how to image the subsurface for resource exploration.
category: sciences
subcategory: earth-and-environmental-science
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/geophysics
---

# Geophysics

This discipline applies physical principles to study the Earth's structure, composition, and dynamic processes. Learners will understand seismic wave propagation, gravity and magnetic fields, and how to image the subsurface for resource exploration.

## Available Resources

3 Courses • 5 Websites

## Websites

### 1. USGS Geophysics

USGS topic hub gathering the agency's geophysics work: gravity, magnetic, electromagnetic, and seismic surveys used to map subsurface structure, mineral and groundwater resources, and hazards. Links to datasets, publications, and active research projects.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.usgs.gov/science/science-explorer/geophysics

**Tags:** geophysics, usgs, geophysical-surveys, subsurface-imaging, earth-science

### 2. IRIS - Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology

NSF-funded university consortium that operated global seismic networks and an open data center; the site offers free waveform archives, data-request tools, and classroom animations and lessons on earthquakes and Earth structure. Now part of EarthScope Consortium.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.iris.edu/hq/

**Tags:** seismology, seismic-data, earthquakes, open-data, geophysics

### 3. seg.org

SEG.org is the official site of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, serving as a hub for geophysics education, research, and industry resources. It offers information on membership, events, and publications, plus access to technical papers, journals, webinars, and career resources for exploration geophysicists.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://seg.org

**Tags:** websites, science-research, earth-science

### 4. American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Home of the American Geophysical Union, the main professional society for Earth and space science. It hosts AGU journals, the annual Fall Meeting, Eos science news, and career and education resources, giving learners access to current geophysics research and its community.

**Difficulty:** Advanced | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://agu.org

**Tags:** geophysics, earth-science, space-science, scientific-journals

### 5. iris.edu

IRIS is a collaborative seismology network that provides real-time seismic data, earthquake catalogs and analysis tools, plus extensive education resources and teaching materials for geology and plate tectonics.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://iris.edu

**Tags:** websites, science-research, earth-science

## Courses

### 1. Essentials of Geophysics (MIT 12.201)

**Author:** Robert Van Der Hilst

A survey of geodesy, gravity, geomagnetism, seismology and geodynamics, including how they apply to other planets. Lecture notes and problem sets give learners comfortable with vector calculus and classical mechanics a working grasp of how physics reveals Earth's interior.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/12-201-essentials-of-geophysics-fall-2004/

**Tags:** geodesy, gravity, geomagnetism, seismology, geodynamics

### 2. Introduction to Geophysics

Learn the fundamentals of geophysics with Prof. Seshadri's introductory course! Explore Earth's structure, properties, and processes.

**Difficulty:** Advanced | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105105029

**Tags:** geophysics, earth-science, earth-structure, seismology, nptel

### 3. The Environment of the Earth's Surface (MIT 12.090)

**Author:** John Southard

Surface processes drawing on geology, climatology, hydrology and soil science: production and movement of surficial materials, soils and erosion, precipitation, streams and lakes, groundwater flow, and glaciers. The page provides the full open textbook and exams, grounding practical management of the physical environment.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/12-090-the-environment-of-the-earths-surface-spring-2007/

**Tags:** geomorphology, earth-surface-processes, soil-erosion, hydrology, groundwater, glaciers

---

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