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

Non-invasive methods for the characterization of the shallow subsurface have been used routinely for some twenty to thirty years. The growth in these methods have 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 the readers to the basic concepts, 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.