Ground-based remote sensing of the shallow subsurface: geophysical methods for environmental applications

Noninvasive methods for the characterization of shallow subsurface have been used routinely for some 20–30 years. The growth in these methods has been driven by a variety of breakthroughs in the use of electrical, electromagnetic, and seismic methods, to mention only the most common techniques. Increasing field capabilities and computational power have yet to yield all their potential fruits. In this chapter, we introduce readers to the basic concepts of shallow subsurface methods. We guide them through some of the physical details and present a number of application examples all derived from our own experience, concerning both structural characterization and (fluid)-dynamic understanding of the shallow subsurface. Finally, we propose ideas concerning the future development of this wide and exciting discipline.