Annals of Library Science and Documentation 1986,33(3),117-125 DEVELOPrvtENT OF EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS AND ITS I'NFORMATION ACTIVITIES DAVENDRA K. GUPTA Department of Library Studies University of Ibadan lbadan Nigeria Traces the development of exploration geo- societies and associations, their activities for the physics as a scientific discipline and discusses promotion and progress ofthe discipline, publi- the factors responsible for its development. cation of journals,' state-Of-art reports of geo- Recent trends in geophysical research are dis- physical data and other forms of literature and cussed briefly. Details of professional societies information would be considered later. Here, I and their role in controlliny the information would like to discuss the aspects of development activites are given. Publication trends of two of the subject as an independent discipline and leading journals in exploration geophysics are factors responsible for the growth of data and presented in tabular and graphical forms. information in exploration geophysics. INTRODUCTION HISTORICAL :PEVELOPMENT Earth sciences have a large data base and rich Methods of geophysical prospecting in a way literature. Since geological information retains as we see them today started about 1923 for its value for a considerable period of time, mineral exploration and since then they have the data and information are stored in a variety become increasingly important because of oil of forms as permanent record for future con- exploration. Mediunin [6 J has given a good sultation, correlation and utilization for further historical account of the development of geo- studies. Like other sciences, earth sciences have physics and has argued that exploration has been accumulating a vast amount of data and emerged as an independent scientific discipline. the process is exponential since last three De Golyer[3] has reviewed the development decades. of gravity and seismic methods in early thirties Geophysics has contributed a major pro- of this century. Heiland[5J 'and Rust[7J des- portion of data to earth sciences. Exploration cribed some of the early attempts to employ geophysics is still a very young scientific dis- electrical methods. Eckhardt [4J a pioneer in cipline, but has been developing very fast since the field has given,an excellent historical account last two decades. The growth uf data and in- of instruments and techniques used in gravita- formation has accelerated of late because of new tional methods. Schriever [8J recounts the ventures in offshore prospecting and availability experimental work attempting to develop the of technology. reflection seismic methods in early 1920s. Weatherby [9 J has given a general historical DEVELOPMENT OF EXPLORATION GEO- account of seismic methods. The early de- PHYSICS AS A SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE velopments in the methods of exploration geophysics have been described by these autho- Before the information activities are discussed, rities. Later developments have been reviewed it would be helpful to discuss the various aspects by the experts in the various issue of pro- of development in exploration geophysics as the fessional journals of exploration geophysics. development of exploration geophysics as a The most interesting review articles appeared scientific discipline is directly related with the in Geophysics in the years 1955 to 1958. development of information activities in this Although these articles are addressed to the field. The points like formation of professional scientists but they are equally important and Vol 33 No 3 September 1986 117 GUPTA interesting fot the librarians and documenta- the ages, this interaction has been growing lists to prepare state-of-art reports on various ever more deep and diversified. Through this topics in exploration geophysics. The fourth diversity two important tendencies can be in the above mentioned series is one by traced: firstly, the utilization of natural re- White[10] who has reviewed technological sources, and secondly, reasonable consideration developments in exploration geophysics. An- and utilization of the properties of the natural other paper of Born [1] highlights the develop- environment affecting man's activity. ments of geophysical instrumentation. The progress of the development of geophysical Utilization of natural resources methods - instrumentation, data processing Utilization of the total resources of useful and interpretation, achievements in exploring 0 more oil fields etc. are reviewed in one of the minerals in industry is rapidly increasing; issues of Geophysics every year. o Energy consumption by human society is The most interesting thing to note from increasing in leaps and bounds; all these reviews is that the development of geophysical prospecting methods was steady 0 Accelerating productive forces for econo- upto 1940 and thereafter it started accelerating mic development; at a faster rate and this rate has been very Transforming the nature in the interest of fast during the last twenty years. Another 0 man. point of interest to note is that every geo- physical method has had its period of initial Importance of the properties of the natural trial, followed by its peak commercial appli- environment cation over a period of few years. As areas amenable to a particular method have been Man's environment - the terrain, mineral re- studied and covered, the popularity or appli- sources, climate etc. greatly influence his acti- cation of the method decreased and it was vity and sometimes determines various aspects replaced by other methods. The succession of of it. one method after another sometimes followed Geophysics among earth sciences and rapidly. At other times there has been con- applied geophysics have contributed their share siderable lapse of time between peak applica- for these causes in general and several other tions of various methods. Each method has factors in particular. A few factors for, the had a limited period of maximum commercial progress of exploration geophysics and related utility and activity because r; either eventually information activities are discussed as below: covered the most amenable areas, or else was succeeded by a narrower technique (modified/ 1. Chiefly due to stiff commercial competi- refined) having economic advantages. A nice tion, exploration geophysics is a dynamic and detailed description regarding the dis- art continually changing and increasing; coveries of new fields and relationship with development of new ideas and method is given 2. The main incentive to modern exploration in the Bulletin of American Association of geophysics was the search and its success Petroleum Geologists in 1958 in its fourth for oil during the early years of this cen- issue. tury. An increased demand of oil and the inadequacy of the haphazard methods of FACfORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DE- the early "wild catter" in meeting the VELOPMENT OF EXPLORATION GEO- demand forced the development of the new PHYSICS science of petroleum geology and with it the effective tools of geophysical explora- Important characteristics of modern sciences tion; in their development is their utilitarianism. Today, earth sciences are of tremendous im- 3. Geophysical methods have been success- portance providing the minerals as raw ma- ful in the search for oil primarily because terials for industry. The data of earth sciences of their ability to determine the geologic help to ensure the most profitable and expedient structures and mapping conditions favour- interaction of human society and nature. Over able for oil accumulation; 118 Ann Lib Sci Doc DEVELOPMENT OF EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS 4. In its struggle to keep up with ever in- In short, it could be said that the science creasing demand for its products, the oil and art of exploration has in general kept pace industry is expending great effort and with the advance of civilization and the improve- enormous sums of money to find new oil ment in methods for refining and conserving and gas resources - directly or indirectly mineral resources. The development of explo- invested in the development of exploration ration geophysics is global and it is expected geophysics; that the present trend would. continue even at a faster rate in the coming years. 5. Developments in physics, electronics, and other scientific disciplines have directly in- fluenced the development of exploration RECENT RESEARCH TRENDS IN EXPLO- geophysics; RATION GEOPHYSICS 6. Development in modern technology, to The combination of the future development, mention a few, computer technology, differentiation of sciences and the development satellite communication, aviation and ship- of geophysics led to an independent scientific ping transport means; discipline, namely Exploration Geophysics ~hich is characterised as a particular research subject 7. Geophysical instrumentation depended and a set of particular techniques; Now the upon the development of electronics and future development in the methods of explora- mechanical engineering, designing, develop- tion geophysics, improvement and development ing and construction of instruments was of new instruments, new·techniques of measure- largely influenced by the development of ment, processing and interpretation are not these fields; conceivable without further expansion and use of theory of exploration geophysics and corres- 8. Techniques of recording were improved ponding physical and geological principles. Therefore, there is a shift in thinking from the with the improved quality and means