Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics

Welcome to LIAG

The Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) is an independent research institute that conducts research on the upper part of the Earth's crust. The focus of our work is to explore structures and processes in the subsurface by using geophysical methods. For this purpose, we develop and optimize measurement techniques as well as processing, modeling, and inversion methods. Our research is future-oriented and of public interest.

We are member of the Leibniz Association.

News

15th - 18th Oktober 2019: Workshop preparing an ICDP Projekt in Xi‘an (China)

An international team of Geoscientists met in the middle of October in the city of Xi’an (China) for a workshop in preparation of a potential large-scale scientific project. The “International Scientific Drilling Programme” (ICDP) supports scientists to conduct international drilling projects. The international teams solve questions of high societal relevance, such as the past climate development. One of the next scientific wells might be drilled in central China, in the so-called Weihe basin. The drill is supposed to be about 7,500 m deep, in order to understand the palaeo-climate of the past 50 Mio years in detail. Two scientists of the LIAG have been involved in the workshop, and may join the drilling project. Their contribution would be knowledge in the field of cyclostratigraphy, which gives information upon age and sedimentation rates of rocks. Additionally, petrophysical investigations, by using especially the method of spectral induced polarization, which has been never utilized for ICDP projects before, have been proposed as potential project work.

9th and 10th Oktober 2019: Talks and discussion at DGG workshop on induced polarisation in Hannover

Scientists from different German universities and research institutes have met at the beginning of October in Hannover, in order to talk and to discuss about new methodical and technical developments in the field of induced polarization. At the workshop, which was organized by LIAG staff, new methodical approaches to explore water-rock interactions were introduced. Furthermore, results of a time-domain IP field survey, which is amongst others used to investigate groundwater pollution, have been discussed. The working group IP of the German Geophysical Society meets half-yearly. These meetings are used for scientific exchange and networking, as well as especially for the strategic and content alignment of this methodical research field.

Press Release

In a recently published Nature article, an international research team with LIAG participation unlocks the secrets of Lake Ohrid that is located between Northern Macedonia and Albania. With an age of 1.4 million years, Lake Ohrid is not only the oldest lake in Europe, but also an ideal witness of Mediterranean climate history. The drilling took place within the framework of the ICDP (International Continental Scientific Drilling Program). The research team discovered pronounced low-pressure areas with intensive rainfall during interglacial periods. Similar phenomena could occur again in the future, as a result of man-made climate change.

9th October 2019: NFDI Lithosphere - Start for research data infrastructure geology/geophysics

Within the framework of the Bund-Länder Initiative for the support of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), higher education institutions, non-university research institutions, sector research institutions and other publicly-funded information infrastructure institutions have the opportunity to join together in thematically/methodologically oriented consortia in order to submit a joint application for funding. The selection procedure is organised by the DFG. As early as 4 July 2019, LIAG submitted an expression of interest for a geology/geophysics consortium to the DFG, after it became clear that no other NFDI consortium emphazises on geological/geophysical data of the upper Earth crust.

On 9th of October, 2019, a kick-off meeting took place in the Geocentre Hannover under the lead of the LIAG to gather interested institutions with geological/geophysical data of the Earth crust. 21 representatives from universities, non-academic research institutions and geological surveys participated to exchange information about the existing research data infrastructure of the various geological/geophysical sub-disciplines and to discuss objectives and further steps for a geological/geophysical NFDI consortium.

The participants agreed in the necessity of a NFDI for the solid Earth crust, which is complementary to the climate research in Earth Sciences. As a first result, a new name was voted on. The preliminary "NFDI for Solid Earth" becomes "NFDI Lithosphere". In contrast to many other NFDI consortia, this consortium is still open for further members. The next meeting is scheduled for January 2020 in Hannover.