# Editorial for the Special Issue \"Recent Advances in Exploration Geophysics\"
###### Abstract  
Exploration geophysics aims to determine rocks' mechanical, magnetic, and electric properties to support geological explorations for ore, minerals, and other resources [1]. Scientific and technological progress has revolutionized methods of exploration geophysics, transforming the field into a multidisciplinary endeavor that combines traditional techniques with cutting-edge innovations [2]. In particular, traditional gravimetric, seismological, magnetic, electric, and radiometric methods are often integrated with remote sensing, planetary geology, and machine learning methods, yielding unprecedented insights and efficiency gains [3]. One of the key themes of this special issue is integrating geophysical methods with machine learning, especially deep learning, to enhance efficiency in geophysical investigations [4]. This approach has shown great promise in both ore and petroleum prospecting. Notably, advancements in machine learning are not only being applied on Earth but also hold significant potential for emerging fields such as space mining, as efforts intensify to prepare instruments for resource prospecting on Mars, the Moon, and even asteroids [5]. The papers in this Special Issue cover various topics and applications, including numerous contributions concerning seismics. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 1) present an advanced target-oriented Kirchhoff migration method that integrates seismic redatuming to improve imaging accuracy, particularly in complex geological settings such as sub-salt hydrocarbon reservoirs. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 2) introduce a dynamic adaptive rock physics model (DARPM) for shale gas reservoirs, which leverages artificial intelligence to improve seismic characterization and address anisotropy challenges. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 3) explore the application of fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) in vertical seismic profiling (VSP), showcasing its advantages over traditional geophone systems. Their findings underline the capability of DAS to deliver continuous and high-resolution data acquisition, paving the way for more precise imaging in exploration geophysics. Gravity and magnetic data inversion methods are also featured in this Special Issue. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 4) propose an innovative 3D gravity inversion algorithm that employs an improved conjugate gradient method to optimize computational efficiency. [PERSON] and [PERSON] (Contribution 5) extend this work by integrating joint inversion techniques for gravity and magnetic data, incorporating structural similarity constraints to enhance reliability and geological interpretability. Environmental and hazard-related applications are another important focus. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 6) apply dual-frequency-induced polarization techniques to monitor chromium contamination in groundwater, emphasizing real-time monitoring for ecological preservation. Using gravimetric and geodetic methods, [PERSON] and [PERSON] (Contribution 7) conducted a multidisciplinary investigation of geohazards in a salt karstregion affected by human activities. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 8) demonstrate the potential of spectral-induced polarization imaging for assessing graphite content in mining tailings, bridging laboratory-scale petrophysical models with field-scale applications. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 9) propose a novel direct inversion method for determining the brittleness parameters of shale reservoirs, using a reweighted Lp-norm and the alternating direction method of multipliers. This approach improves convergence speed and accuracy in seismic inversion, addressing key challenges in brittleness parameter prediction. [PERSON] et al. (Contribution 10) introduce the Arbitrary Sampling Fourier Transform algorithm, which enhances magnetic field forward modeling by overcoming edge effects and achieving higher computational efficiency. Their method provides a significant advancement for geophysical simulations and inversion imaging. Innovative approaches to seismic ray theory are also featured.