The oceans are important for our quality of life, its fisheries and mineral resources, for transport, and its role in the climate system. Some of the exciting research emerging is related to the role of the oceans in the climate system. The science focus of the Planetary Sciences Section encompasses both basic research into how planets work as well as the planning and implementation of space missions for exploration and discovery. Because the Section involves all aspects of planetary science, it is very interdisciplinary. The Seismology Section is concerned with the study of the Earth's internal structure, its deep interior and dynamics, how the Earth was formed, and the physical phenomena that cause earthquakes.
Seismologists draw upon the fundamentals of geology, material science, geodesy, and statistics.
They use seismic waves to probe the internal structure of the Earth, applying fundamentals of wave propagation in complex media. As such, seismological findings contribute to the greater view of Earth as a dynamic system. Exciting topics at the forefront of seismological research include the structure and dynamics of the Earth's inner core, the seismic structure of the lithosphere, and the nucleation process of large earthquakes. Seismology attracts considerable public interest and support because of its contributions to society in mitigating earthquake hazards, monitoring nuclear explosions both for military intelligence and arms control, and finding oil. Now that seismology is a data-based science, modern seismology has many opportunities for people who take an analytical approach to the geophysical sciences, such as those skilled in classical physics, applied mathematics, time series analysis, and computer sciences.