• Name : Prof. C.V Naidu
  • Designation : I/C Head of the Department
  • Phone : 0891-2844619, 4618, 2731440
  • Email: head.geophysics@andhrauniversity.edu.in
PROFILE

The idea of introducing Geophysics as a subject of study in Andhra University was conceived during 1946, and the Department of Geophysics was started in 1949 to train students in two branches viz. (1) Meteorology and Oceanography and (2) Physics of Earth. It is not a mere coincidence that the Geological Survey of India had commenced extensive geophysical surveys for oil in the cambay basin a couple of years later in 1948. It signifies the vision of successive Vice-Chancellor of the university to initiate new courses to provide trained man power to cater to the new needs of the nation although Banaras Hindu University (BHU, Varanasi) has the credit of starting for the first time in the country a full fledged M.Sc Course in Geophysics. Consistent with the healthy practices that the university had followed, the department was initially headed, in succession, for proper orientation and direction by retired directors of India Meteorological Department, Dr. N. K. Sur and Dr. S. R. Savier, and later by Prof M.S.Krishnan, the renowned geologist and retired Director of Geological Survey of India. The erstwhile Department of Geophysics was bifurcated into Department of Geophysics and Department of Meteorology and Oceanography in 1962. Prof. C.Mahadevan headed the department in 1962 for short time and later Prof.B.S.R.Rao, who was deputed and trained at the Imperial College, London for the purpose, was appointed as Head of the Department of Geophysics in 1962. Prof. B.S.R.Rao developed the Department in his long tenure from 1962-1975. He was succeeded by savants like Prof.V. Bhaskar Rao, Prof. V. V. J. Sarma,Prof. P. Sitapathi Rao, Prof. I. V. Radhakrishna Murthy, Prof. T.K. S. Prakasa Rao,Prof. P.Rajendra Prasad, Prof. M. Gangadhara Rao, Prof. C. Visweswara Rao, Prof. C. Subba Rao, Prof. A. Lakshmipathi Raju, Prof. D. Bhaskara Rao, Prof. NVVBS Prasad, Prof K. V. V. Satyanarayana, Prof. P.Rama Rao, Sri M.R.S. Sampath Kumar, and Prof. SK.Kareemunisa Begum acted as Heads of the Department and under their stewardship the Department achieved National and International recognition in research field and also developed rich traditions, new techniques of teaching to the students. At present Prof. C. V. Naidu is acting as Incharge Head of the Department.

The curriculum of the Geophysics course has always been balanced blend of topics concerning structure and composition of the earth and exploration methods for locating oil, minerals and water. When a compromise had to be made, the tilt was always towards the latter. When it has been increasingly released that root cause for the dynamics of the earth's crust lies with the oceans, the University was prompt in introducing the 2 year M.Sc course in Marine Geophysics in 1976, again for the first time in India.

Hydrology has always been a part of the syllabus of the Geophysics course. Frequent failures of monsoon increased dependency on groundwater for agriculture and unpredicted cyclone every year brought out the need for a better management of water resources and identification of groundwater at larger depths. A part-time PG diploma course in "Hydrology and Groundwater Exploration" was started during 1980, and later it was upgraded to 2 year M.Sc course in Hydrology in the year 1985. This course ran up to the year 2014 successfully.This course maybe restored within short time with the permissions of University authorities.

Well qualified and highly experienced faculty manages the academic programs of the Department.Almost all the faculty have been trained at National Laboratories and habit to present papers in National and International conferences in their specialized fields.

The Association of Hydrologists of India (AHI) was initiated in 1981 with senior faculty of Department of Geophysics. The senior faculty of Department of Geophysics were responsible for a research center named as Center for Studies on Bay of Bengal in Andhra University.



NAAC PRESENTATION

PROGRAMS
Sl.No Name of the Program
PG Programmes
1 M.Sc. Marine Geophysics
1 M.Sc (Tech) Geophysics
Doctoral Programmes
1 Ph.D. (Geophysics)

Name Designation Qualification Specialization
Prof. C.V. Naidu Professor & Head of the Department (I/C) MSc., PhD., PGDAS Tropical Meteorology,Monsoon dynamics, climate change
Prof. P. Suneetha Professor & Chairperson, PG Board of Studies MSc., MTech., PhD. Air Sea Interaction, Modelling studies
Prof. Shaik Kareemunnisa Begum Professor M.Sc.(Tech), Ph.D Magneto Tellurics
Dr. Y. Israel Assistant Professor M.Sc., Ph.D. ground water
Sri. K.Prahlad Assistant Professor M.Sc.(Tech) ground water
Sri. Anandagajapthi Raju Assistant Professor M.Sc. Remote Sensing and GIS, Ground water Geo Physics
Dr. M. Jyothi Prakash Assistant Professor (C) M.Sc., Ph.D. Gravity and Magnetic data interpretation
Prof.G. Srinivasa Rao Professor (Adjunct) M.Sc.(Tech), Ph.D Magnetic Properties of Materials & their applications.
Prof. P. Trinadha Rao Professor (Adjunct) M.Sc.(Tech), Ph.D Geophysics, Hydrology, Electrical methods.
Prof P. Rajendra Prasad Professor (Honorary Emeritus Professor) M.Sc.(Tech), Ph.D Geophysics, Hydrology, Electrical methods.
Prof M.Jagannadha Rao Professor (Honorary Emeritus Professor) M.Sc.(Tech), MS Engg (USA) ,Ph.D Coastal Sediments, Fuels, Deltas, Mineral Beneficiation, Regional Geology
Equipped with six laboratories, computation facilities, classrooms and faculty offices in the department are spread over a two storied building with a plinth area of 2160sq.m. Based on the expertise and infrastructure available in the department, an amount of Rupees Fifty Lakhs has been sanctioned to the department by the Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi.

Field equipments:

  1. Gravimeter
  2. Magnetometers
  3. Electrical resistivity meters, String-r 1 resistivity meter
  4. DGPS/GPS
  5. Susceptibility meters
  6. G P R

Computational facilities:

  1. More than 20 personal computers are installed in different laboratories for the use of staff and students.

Work shop:

  1. The work shop is equipped with a lathe machine, rock core, plane cutting and crushing polishing machine.

Laboratories:

  1. Electromagnetic Lab
  2. Seismic Lab.
  3. Remote sensing Lab
  4. Simulation Lab
  5. Geohydrochemistry lab
  6. Hydrogeology lab
  7. Rock Magnetism lab

Consultancy services:

  1. This department offers consultancy services in ground water prospecting, water resources management, minerals exploration, engineering geophysics, seismic risk assessment
  2. So far this department has handled about 200 ground water exploration projects for farmers for Industrial town ship of Ferro Alloys, Residential colonies of Hindustan Ship Yard, Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Projects were undertaken for exploring the ground water resources.
  3. A project was undertaken to delineate the extension of chromite mineral for Ferro Alloys Corporation (FACOR).
  4. Another project for delineating the lead ore was undertaken for a private agency in Orissa state.

The department has the recognized for its research activities in Theoretical Geophysics, Exploration Geophysics in the fields of Electrical, Gravity and Magnetic, Rock andPaleomagnetism,Groundwater Resources, Groundwater Quality studies and Seismology. More than 120 degrees leading to Ph.D. and D.Sc have been awarded.


Projects:

This Department has completed almost 48 major research projects and 20 minor research projects funded by different agencies like Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Institute of Petroleum Geology (IIPG), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), University Grants Commission (UGC), Dept. of Atomic Energy (DAE), Dept of Environment etc.

Research Publications:

The Department has its credit more than 1000 research papers published by its faculty and research scholars in referred journals since its inception. Six books and monograph that serve the purpose of both references and Postgraduate curriculum were published.

Scientific Seminars &Training Programs:

The faculty presented a number of research papers in the International and National Seminars across the country and abroad. In addition to it, with the expertise and Infrastructure developed over years, the Department organized a number of National and International Seminars, Workshops and Training Programmes since its inception

Government Organizations:

  • Geological Survey of India.
  • Indian Institute of Geomagnetism.
  • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
  • Indian Meteorological Department.
  • National Institute of Hydrology.
  • Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited.
  • National Geophysical Research Institute.
  • National Institute of Oceanography.
  • Baba Atomic Research Research Center.
  • Ground Water Agencies of Central and State Government.
  • A.P Irrigation Developement Corporation.
  • Gujarat Engineering and Research Institute.
  • Directorate General of Hydrocarbons.
  • Center for Atlantic Expedition

  • Public Sector Organizations:

  • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
  • Oil India Limited
  • Gas Authority of India Limited
  • Private Agencies:
  • Alfa Geo Services
  • Ground Water Agencies of Private Organizations.
  • Private Oil Exploration Companies.
  • Private Mineral Exploration Companies.
  • Educational Institutes.
  • Reliance
  • G.I.S. Institute.
  • Integrated Geoinstruments & Services (p) Ltd.
  • Software Companies engaged in Geophysical Data Processing.
  • Shivani group (Private Consultancy)
  • Afro - Asian Consultancy Services.