Earthquake seismology volume 4




Preface

Geophysics is the physics of the Earth, the science that studies the Earth by measuring the physical consequences

of its presence and activity. It is a science of extraordinary breadth, requiring 10 volumes of this

treatise for its description. Only a treatise can present a science with the breadth of geophysics if, in addition to

completeness of the subject matter, it is intended to discuss the material in great depth. Thus, while there are

many books on geophysics dealing with its many subdivisions, a single book cannot give more than an

introductory flavor of each topic. At the other extreme, a single book can cover one aspect of geophysics in

great detail, as is done in each of the volumes of this treatise, but the treatise has the unique advantage of having

been designed as an integrated series, an important feature of an interdisciplinary science such as geophysics.

From the outset, the treatise was planned to cover each area of geophysics from the basics to the cutting edge so

that the beginning student could learn the subject and the advanced researcher could have an up-to-date and

thorough exposition of the state of the field. The planning of the contents of each volume was carried out with

the active participation of the editors of all the volumes to insure that each subject area of the treatise benefited

from the multitude of connections to other areas.


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