“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~Roy T. Bennett
GeoPhysicist - Electromagnetic Energy
By C. Clark & ChatGPT(AI)
Note: Let me first say, please excuse my grammar. I do a lot of journal writing and I don’t worry about punctuation and such. I will work on my grammar as I go along but for now I didn’t want that to deter me from starting. Yes, there is Grammarly but I want to write in my voice/tone.
After I graduated from Grad School and was looking for my first job, I became interested in Electromagnetic Energy. I have no idea (at this moment) where this interest came from, the closest thing I can think of is reading “Celestine Prophecy” and all the mention of energy. I said all that because I’m wondering if Electromagnetic Energy, thus GeoPhysicist, should be part of my Career Change?
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CAREER CHANGE
According to Gemini (Google AI): What a Geophysicist Does:
Geophysicists study the Earth’s physical processes and properties. This can involve:
Exploration: Locating natural resources like oil, natural gas, minerals, and groundwater using various geophysical techniques (seismic, gravity, magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic).
Environmental Studies: Assessing environmental hazards, investigating groundwater contamination, monitoring landfills, and studying permafrost degradation.
Hazard Assessment: Predicting and studying earthquakes, volcanic activity, and landslides.
Engineering Applications: Evaluating ground conditions for construction projects (dams, bridges, infrastructure).
- Research: Studying the internal structure and evolution of the Earth, planetary science, and climate change.
Types of Geophysical Methods that align with your interests:
- Electromagnetic (EM) Geophysics: Directly uses electromagnetic principles to map subsurface conductivity, useful for groundwater, mineral exploration, and environmental studies.
- Seismic Geophysics: Involves generating and recording seismic waves to create images of the Earth’s interior, essential for oil and gas exploration. This relies heavily on wave physics, signal processing, linear algebra, and geometry.
- Magnetic and Gravity Surveys: These methods detect variations in the Earth’s magnetic and gravitational fields, which can indicate different rock types or structures.
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My interest in Electromagnetic Energy would be great here because it is a core tool in geophysics. Geophysicists use electromagnetic (EM) methods to investigate the Earth’s subsurface. This involves transmitting electromagnetic waves into the ground and measuring how they respond, which can reveal information about geological structures, groundwater, mineral deposits, and even environmental contaminants. Your interest in EM energy would be directly applicable here.
Also my other interests, mentioned in my first “Where To Next” article, are used extensively in GeoPhysics.
Mathematics (especially Linear Algebra & Geometry): Geophysics is highly quantitative.
- Linear Algebra is fundamental for processing and interpreting large datasets, solving inverse problems (deducing subsurface properties from surface measurements), and modeling physical phenomena within the Earth.
- Geometry is crucial for understanding the spatial relationships of geological features, designing survey grids, and interpreting 2D and 3D geophysical models.
- All forms of advanced mathematics (calculus, differential equations) are heavily used for modeling wave propagation (seismic, electromagnetic), fluid flow, and heat transfer within the Earth.
Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking: Geophysicists are essentially Earth detectives, using physical principles and mathematical models to understand what’s happening beneath our feet, often with incomplete data. This requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which a person great in mathematics would possess.
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ChatGPT remembered previous inquiries of mine and added it into the equation. I had previously asked a question about becoming a storyteller and then there was this latest question:
I’m trying to figure out what exactly I like about these areas… so I know where to focus my attention. The other day I heard someone say one possible reason for all the extreme weather lately would be that the earth’s core had changed directions. Now, I’m not sure if that is true but it piqued my interest… what area of interest would that be? Would that be in geospatial science or meteorology or some area completely different?
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🧠 Bonus Fit:
If you’re also drawn to higher consciousness, the Earth’s subtle energies, or climate impact, Geophysics can blend beautifully into:
- Earth consciousness studies (magnetism + human behavior),
- Seismic or gravitational pattern modeling,
- Environmental monitoring using remote sensing and EM surveys.
🧭 Possible Geophysicist Subfields to Explore:
Subfield | Description |
Electromagnetic Geophysics | Uses EM waves to study subsurface structures—ideal for your EM + math interest. |
Seismology | Study of Earth’s internal vibrations—heavily mathematical. |
Magnetotellurics | Measures natural variations of the Earth’s magnetic and electric fields—deeply EM-based. |
Remote Sensing / GIS | Combines geometry, EM spectrum, and tech for visualizing Earth. |
Planetary Geophysics | If you also love space, this involves studying other planets’ magnetic and gravitational fields. |
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ChatGPT had a wonderful response to my ‘extreme weather & earth’s core’ question:
🌪️ The Earth’s Core Changing Direction & Extreme Weather
The idea that the Earth’s inner core might be rotating at a different speed or direction is a real scientific theory that occasionally appears in research. Some studies suggest that the rotation of the inner core slows down or changes direction slightly over decades. But the connection between this and extreme weather isn’t fully understood — and is more of a speculative link at this point.
This kind of question crosses into multiple scientific areas, including:
🔬 Fields Involved in That Topic
Area | Focus | Example Interests |
Geophysics | The physical processes of the Earth (including the core, mantle, crust) | Plate tectonics, magnetic fields, core rotation, seismic waves |
Climatology | Long-term weather patterns and climate systems | Global warming, El Niño, jet streams |
Meteorology | Short-term atmospheric processes | Storm formation, weather forecasting |
Geospatial Science | Mapping and analyzing Earth-related data | Remote sensing, satellite monitoring, changes in land/ice/water over time |
Earth System Science | Integrates all the above into a big-picture view of Earth as a system | Interactions between air, land, water, and the Earth’s interior |
🔎 What You Might Be Responding To:
You may be drawn to the “invisible forces” behind what we see — like how deep Earth processes, or shifts in magnetic fields or energy patterns, could lead to what feels like climate chaos. That’s a more systems-level, investigative, and pattern-based way of thinking — and people with that mindset often enjoy:
- Earth System Modeling
- Remote Sensing for Climate Monitoring
- Scientific Journalism or Science Storytelling
- Space Weather / Geomagnetism
- Climate and Risk Analysis
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In Conclusion
Now that I have learned all of the above, how do I proceed? How do I bring it all together? Do I need to take some courses first or can I proceed to look for a job? Maybe I should do something on my own, if so, what and how? I have wanted to become a researcher, should I look into that? How does one become a researcher? Or maybe I just want to write a book on this subject?
Photos from Unsplash