Walter D. Mooney (born November 17, 1951) is a research seismologist and geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Menlo Park, California (1978–present).

[2] Mooney's major interest is global Earth crustal structure and tectonics, with a focus on the continental lithosphere.

According to Mooney his international research collaborations have "provided both a rich basis for my science, and a broad cultural understanding.

[4] With Claus Prodehl of Universität Karlsuhe, Germany, Mooney wrote Exploring the Earth's Crust – History and Results of Controlled-Source Seismology).

[10] He received the Gold Medal Award in 2002 from the Indian Geophysical Union and was elected Foreign Fellow by the European Academy in 2004.