Yogyakarta – Geophysics is getting more important in exploring natural resources such as oil and natural gas and mining which is located 10 km under soil surface. The application of this method means big capital and technology which also needs high mastery of technology and information as well as skilled, honest and responsible human resources who have high competence to deliver accurate information.
“Therefore, actually Geophysics is similar to learning and translating natural message delivered through physic language such as vibration, electromagnetic, resistivity, gravitation, magnetic, temperature and radiometry to human language,” Prof. Dr. Sismanto, M.Si said in professor’s inaugural speech in Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences UGM at Senate Hall, Tuesday (28/2).
Information of under earth contents is measured by using measuring tools that fit to the parameters that will be observed. Each measurement uses physic measurement and all earth medium influences are put into measuring tools to be processed accurately. “The object that will be observed is signal,” said the man born in Sleman, 5 February 1960.
A geophysician, according to Sismanto, only listens and records what nature says through physic language. If he/she can listen and record it, process and understand the meaning of the message, he/she will get much information from nature. However, to be able to listen and translate nature’s message through physic language, Sismanto said, needs the right device and technology so that the accuracy of the message can be translated accurately. “All needs to be mastered, from censor and instrumentation of recording that receives the signal to modeling and interpretation to translate,” he said.
In the field, a geophysician applies many geophysic methods to know natural resources’ contents that include, first, geo-electrics to know resistivity variation of stones, and second, magnetic method to know variation of magnetic vulnerability of stones.
Third, using gravitation method to get variation of wave speed in stores, and fourth, using thermometric method to know variation of heat conductivity of stones. The last is radioactivity method to know the radioactive materials in stones. “Result of analysis and data interpretation of physic methods can be used to explain structure and character of medium under earth surface,” he concluded.