noun
- A sensitive instrument that detects and records vibrations or seismic waves in the ground, used in seismic surveys and oil exploration.
Usage: technical; geology/geophysics
Examples
- Geologists deployed geophones across the survey area to map underground rock layers.
- The geophone detected subtle vibrations from the controlled explosion used in seismic testing.
- Oil companies use networks of geophones to identify potential petroleum deposits.
- Each geophone in the array recorded ground motion data for analysis.
- The sensitivity of the geophone allowed researchers to measure even small seismic events.