Harsh K. Gupta – författare

In the 21st century the importance of earth sciences in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the planet on which we live, has increased tremendously. Above all, they address the challenge of enriching human lives with the bounties of nature, while preserving the planet for future generations. The chief goals of Solid Earth Geophysics are to define and quantify the internal structure and processes of the Earth in terms of physical principles, and to provide an essential framework that allied disciplines can employ for more focused investigations.

The earliest version of The Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics was released by Van Nostrand Reinhold publishing company in 1989. More than two decades later, a completely revised and updated version, edited by Prof. Harsh K. Gupta, was published in 2011. Including over 200 articles authored by specialists from all over the world, it was very well received.

Reflecting the rapid advances in Solid Earth Geophysics over the past decade and the global need for an authentic update, this new edition of the Encyclopedia presents over 250 articles covering established and new concepts in Geophysics across various sub-disciplines such as Gravity, Geodesy, Geomagnetism, Seismology, Seismics, Deep Earth Processes, Plate Tectonics, Thermal Domains, Computational Methods, etc. in a systematic and consistent format. 

Offering an authoritative and current up-to-date reference source with extraordinary scope and gathering expert contributions by more than 300 authors around the globe, the new edition will serve as a valuable and cherished source of information for current and future generations of professionals.

Review from the first edition:

This book captures the essence of one of the most remarkable journeys of a professional who prevailed over numerous challenges and adverse situations that appeared before him from nowhere and how he emerged victorious to be hailed at a global forum of the American Geophysical Union in 2008. The author reflects upon the circumstances and times in post-independent India that threw him out of the comforts of a well-to-do family into the real world. He traces back his entry into the field of earthquake science and dwells at length upon the scope and freedom it offered for innovative thinking in the field with limitless opportunities.

Mishaps and accidents paved the way to remarkable discoveries and achievements including the creation of the world record for establishing and populating India’s first permanent base station in Antarctica in a record time of one Antarctic summer despite having a near-fatal helicopter crash on 4th day after reaching Antarctica. Stressing the need to live safely with earthquakes as their short-term prediction is not a possibility yet, the author advocates a two-prong strategy of directly looking into the earthquake source region deep inside the earth and developing an earthquake-resilient society, simultaneously. He cites the success story of the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System that is operational in the Indian Ocean, today. The book inspires young professionals with a flair for challenges and a burning desire to achieve results at any cost.

This book provides important information in a nutshell about artificial water reservoir triggered earthquakes, India’s building of the Dakshin Gangotri all-weather station in Antarctica, Indian Ocean Tsunami warning set-up, Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination, etc. The main objective of the book is to inspire a generation of young minds through a narration of scientific achievements that did not come easily to him. The aim is to tell them the difference between a reaction and a response to a given situation, the former being impulsive and irrational and the latter responsible and rational.

The past few decades have witnessed the growth of the Earth Sciences in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the planet that we live on. This development addresses the challenging endeavor to enrich human lives with the bounties of Nature as well as to preserve the planet for the generations to come. Solid Earth Geophysics aspires to define and quantify the internal structure and processes of the Earth in terms of the principles of physics and forms the intrinsic framework, which other allied disciplines utilize for more specific investigations.

The first edition of the Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics was published in 1989 by Van Nostrand Reinhold publishing company. More than two decades later, this new volume, edited by Prof. Harsh K. Gupta, represents a thoroughly revised and expanded reference work. It brings together more than 200 articles covering established and new concepts of Geophysics across the various sub-disciplines such as Gravity, Geodesy, Geomagnetism, Seismology, Seismics, Deep Earth Processes, Plate Tectonics, Thermal Domains, Computational Methods, etc. in a systematic and consistent format and standard. It is an authoritative and current reference source with extraordinary width of scope. It draws its unique strength from the expert contributions of editors and authors across the globe. It is designed  to serve as a valuable and cherished source of information for current and future generations of professionals.