Geophysics Lab
Geophysics Simulation – Earth's Interior Structure
Geophysics uses physical principles to probe what lies beneath Earth's surface—from crust to inner core. This simulation draws on real geophysical methods, including seismic tomography, gravity surveys, and magnetometry, to reveal the layered interior of our planet. Manipulate virtual instruments to detect density contrasts, map subsurface structures, and understand why Earth behaves like a giant magnet.
What you can do in this simulation
- Send refracted and reflected seismic waves through model Earth layers and measure travel times to infer layer thicknesses
- Run a gravity survey over simulated density anomalies such as ore bodies or salt domes and interpret Bouguer anomaly maps
- Visualize Earth's magnetic field lines and explore how the outer liquid core generates the geodynamo
- Examine how heat flow varies between oceanic and continental crust
- Adjust core composition and rotation to see effects on paleomagnetic field reversals
Concepts covered
seismic tomography · gravity anomaly · geodynamo · Earth's interior layers · heat flow · paleomagnetism
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