Introduction to Geophysics. Global physical fields and processes in the Earth / Введение в геофизику. Глобальные физические поля и процессы на Земле

This book discusses how—by analysis of the physical felds and processes within and on the Earth—we learn how old the Earth is, about its internal structure and external form, and about the causes and properties of its magnetic and temperature felds. What will not be discussed are the geophysical survey methods for characterizing the upper crust that are used to explore for mineral ore deposits and hydrocarbon reservoirs; specialized textbooks should be consulted for these.
Most of the geophysics topics discussed in this book are of special interest because they have a direct relationship to our immediate environment. Although these are topics of physics that are described by mathematics, they require considerably less abstraction for your understanding than some of the other felds of physics.
At the present time there is an increased interest at universities across the world for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses in geophysics. This feld promises answers to the enormous global challenges brought on by climate change, as well as for energy, raw materials and water supply—to name only a few. It can provide options for minimizing the increasing vulnerability of an increasing global population to storm surges, earthquakes, and drought. In view of this, a current presentation of the physics of the Earth seems useful. Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs are being offered in this feld in English in many non-English-speaking countries. For this reason, this text, originally written in German, has been translated for the international community <...>