Introduction to this special section: Urban and infrastructure geophysics

Urban and infrastructure geophysics is emerging as a critical field at the intersection of geoscience, engineering, and urban planning. As cities grow denser and infrastructure systems age, there is an increasing demand for noninvasive, high-resolution subsurface characterization and continuous environmental monitoring. Geophysical methods — traditionally applied in natural resource exploration and earthquake studies — are now being adapted to meet the unique challenges of the built environment, where access constraints, anthropogenic noise, and complex near-surface conditions require innovative sensing and processing strategies. The goal is not only to map subsurface structures but to develop dynamic, real-time insights that inform infrastructure resilience, hazard mitigation, and sustainable urban development.