The LIAG's two-week lecture series begins on 22 March with a new programme on specialist insights into ongoing projects and geophysical method applications. 

To the programme

With numerous formats, the LIAG presented itself with exciting research topics at the annual conference of the German Geophysical Society (DGG) from 7 to 10 March.

Read more (German)

A new DFG project enables research on near-surface faults at the Osning Lineament in northern Germany in the context of neotectonics - so far little is known about the reactivation of the fault.  However, there have been several earthquakes in the past 400 years.

To the project

"Meet the Scientist": LIAG researchers answer questions from the interested public on the topics "Earthquakes in focus" (4.11.) and "Drones as measuring platforms: Geophysical exploration" (8.11.) on November of Science in cooperation with FZ:GEO online. Participation is free of charge. 

To the dates (presentations in German)

Meeting with Lord Mayor City of Hannover Belit Onay at the opening of the "November of Science" aka #knowember: The #LIAG is a new member of the "Initiative Wissenschaft Hannover"! With this cooperation, LIAG and its partners will strengthen the attractiveness and #internationalisation of Hannover as a science location.

To the press release (German)

In the DESMEX II project, a helicopter with a flight probe will explore the geological subsurface in the western Harz region (north of Germany) at an altitude of about 70 metres as part of a geophysical measurement campaign starting on 23 August. In addition to its involvement in the ground measurements, the LIAG is also significantly involved in the development of a programme for complex data processing in order to make the structures in the subsurface visible in a 3-D model. 

To the press release (German)

New piece of the puzzle for understanding changes in future natural systems: In the Lichtenberg project, the LIAG and partners researched landscape stability and development during the Eemian warm period about 120,000 years ago in the Wendland region of Hanover. The Eemian is climatically comparable to the forecasts for the 21st century.

To press release

On the recommendation of the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Joint Science Conference (GWK) decided on 2 July to fund the National Research Data Infrastructure for Earth System Research (NFDI4Earth) consortium and nine other consortia. This concludes the second round of calls for proposals, in which 16 initiatives applied for funding. With the help of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), data from science and research is to be systematically made accessible, secured, made more widely available and networked internationally.

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The newly established international network PRISMS investigates climate signals in shallow marine environments worldwide. The studies of sediments deposited in shallow marine waters and on shelves can provide information about Earth's climate dynamics and sea level changes. Besides partners from Canada, Taiwan and Switzerland, the LIAG with Christian Zeeden is one of the founding members.

To the network website

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Ten years after drilling began, the crater of the Rodderberg volcano will soon reveal all its secrets about climate development: 14 international scientists from eight research institutions have combined their drill core analyses in the Rodderberg project coordinated by LIAG and the University of Bremen, creating a huge, high-quality pool of data. The first discovery: The Rodderberg is a rare "superposition".

To press release (German)

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For a feature on salinisation in the programme Terra Xpress on ZDF, LIAG researchers were interviewed during their measurements using our saltwater monitoring system SAMOS. With the early warning system developed at LIAG, water suppliers can be supported sustainably and in the long term in water quantity management, thus protecting groundwater. The documentary is expected to be broadcast in September.

Learn more about SAMOS

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LIAG has its own YouTube channel for exciting and deeper insights into our research within Applied Geophysics. Subscribe now and stay up to date!

Go to the LIAG YouTube channel 

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Climate-friendly and reliable - this is how near-surface geothermal energy is proving itself in more and more practical examples for heating and cooling buildings. It is therefore high time to recognize its potential as a possible key to the heat transition and to use it even more intensively. On May 5 and 6, numerous experts from politics, companies, authorities and research discussed how this can be achieved at the North German Geothermal Conference organized by BGR, LBEG and LIAG.

To the event (German)

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In the subsurface of wave-swept North Sea beaches, diverse processes take place about which little is known so far. This dynamic underworld, where salt and fresh water mix, is the focus of the new research group "Dynamics of the deep subsurface of high-energy beaches (DynaDeep)", in which LIAG is also involved. The research group, led by the University of Oldenburg, analyzes the biogeochemical processes and will assess their impact on coastal ecosystems and on material cycles - initially on a model basis on Spiekeroog.

Read more (in German)

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From geosciences to geophysics – LIAG PhD student Katharina Leu has succeeded in starting her career after graduation. Since October 1, 2020, she is doing her PhD in Rock Physics & Borehole Geophysics and evaluating geophysical borehole measurements within the ICDP project "JET" (Integrated Understanding of the Early Jurassic Earth System and Timescale). In DGG's newsletter series "Meet the Geophysicist" she tells more about her career, her decisions and experiences before and during her studies and gives tips for the subsequent career entry.

Read more (German)
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Neotectonic movements on faults can be a major hazard. In northern Germany, however, little is known about neotectonic activity, despite evidence of it. At the Osning Lineament on the southern edge of the Lower Saxony Basin, there have been ten earthquakes in the last 400 years, one in 1612 with particularly severe consequences for Bielefeld. The project aims to demonstrate the significance of near-surface faults in relation to neotectonic activity - and why the Osning Lineament in particular is unique.

Read more (German)

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How will you “Shape the Future of Science?” The American Geophysical Union (AGU) asks this question at its world's largest geoscience conference. This year's conference will take place virtually from December 1 to 17 – LIAG is involved in the organization of a session on the topic "Astronomical forcing and Past Climate Cycles" (Dr. Christian Zeeden). LIAG researchers will also give various thematic presentations.

To the website (program only with registration)

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The Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) officially appoints Prof. Dr. Manfred Frechen as acting director by resolution of its Governing Board. Prof. Dr. Gerald Gabriel takes over his previous position as deputy director. Both are currently in charge of the research areas "Geochronology" and "Seismics and Potential Methods" at the institute. 

Press release

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‘Leibniz in State Parliament‘ takes place on 10 and 11 November 2020. This dialogue format enables researchers at Leibniz institutions in Lower Saxony to discuss current issues and challenges in research and policy with members of the state parliament and allows both groups to be apprised of new developments. As a guest institute, LIAG provides information on topics such as the status of groundwater using innovative, drone based geophysics with regard to drought, drought and salinization or geological hazards - because sinkholes and earthquakes also affect Lower Saxony.

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Dr. Sarah Hupfer receives the award of the Wolfgang Helms Foundation of the TU Clausthal for her dissertation on solution processes in carbonates! With her work she conducted important basic research for a better understanding of subrosion-related processes, such as sinkholes, and their risk assessment. She was supervised at LIAG by Dr. Matthias Halisch, at TU Clausthal by Prof. Dr. Andreas Weller and at TU Berlin by Prof. Dr. Sabine Kruschwitz.

To project website

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From September 22-30, a helicopter operated by the project partner BGR as part of the DESMEX II project flew in the Harz Mountains to explore the difficult to develop ore deposits by means of electromagnetic measurements. With the data LIAG will develope a new program system for very complex data processing and visualization in a 3-D model. Scientists at LIAG and WWU Münster have also fed heavy currents into the underground for the measurements and supplement the measurements from the air with ground stations. UAV flights are also planned in the project.

To project website
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DGG presents its ground-breaking history of 100 years and takes a look into geophysical research fields for the upcoming years. LIAG is also visible. 

Go to video

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On the 7th and 8th September, the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) initiated a two-day workshop to discuss its future line of research with 11 external scientists who have a proven expertise in geoscientific topics and geophysics. The event was opened by Dr. Berend Lindner, State Secretary of the Lower Saxony Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour, Transport and Digitalisation.

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Potentials of geothermal energy: Prof. Dr. Inga Moeck, line manager at LIAG, presented the current research project "mesoTherm" to interested guests from federal politics at the Parliamentary Evening of the German Geothermal Energy Association and the German Renewable Energy Federation. The joint project mesoTherm (University of Göttingen, GTN and LIAG) is linked to the project IW3, in which Hamburg Energie is implementing the integrated heat turnaround in Hamburg Wilhelmsburg. Together, these partner projects, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, are making an important contribution to the energy turnaround in northern Germany.

To mesoTherm project
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A new drone at the LIAG will in future simplify the exploration of underground structures and promote the large-scale collection of data for the investigation of groundwater systems. A new geophysical method is to be developed with which the institute can distinguish itself as a partner in the field of geophysics by using drones.

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Dr. Christian Zeeden is now part of the editorial board of "Quaternary Geochronology" - a prestigious international journal dedicated to publishing high quality articles on dating methods applicable to the Quaternary period. This is a prestigious opportunity for the LIAG scientist to advocate and constructively ensure best scientific practice.

View the Editorial Board
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Understanding deep geothermal energy: The Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics has developed an interactive e-learning on deep geothermal energy over a period of three years and published it on the website of the Geothermal Information System (GeotIS). It is available free of charge.

To the e-learning plattform (German)

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Understanding climate dynamics: The project "Loess/palaeosol soil successions in Northern Iran and their paleoclimatic importance" has come to a successful conclusion. The results close a gap in the knowledge of Iranian loesses in an outstanding way, according to the concluding DFG review.

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LIAG and OOWV cooperate for sustainable groundwater management. Scientists of the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) have installed for the first time a saltwater monitoring system (SAMOS) on the Spiekeroog Island in cooperation with the Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband (OOWV). 

Full press release

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The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a longer-term cooperation between the LIAG and the China University of Geosciences in Beijing with the approval of a new application for research into cyclic sediment sequences.

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New solutions during corona restrictions: The Joint Meeting 2020 of the Japan Geoscience Union, which is organizing the conference together with the American Geophysical Union this year, will take place completely online. The LIAG was also present - Dr. Sumiko Tsukamoto gave her invited lecture on July 14th via Zoom on the dating of disturbances using the methods luminescence and electron spin resonance. Exemplary results on the Japanese perturbation Atotsugawa and a preliminary result of the dating of a Swiss perturbation Simplon were presented to about 60 persons.

To the interactive iposter
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Dating gut strings of early plucked instruments with the electron spin resonance method (ESR) - this was achieved for the first time by LIAG scientist Dr. Sumiko Tsukamoto. In the field of music, she thus provided important information for early European plucked instruments such as baroque guitars or harp lutes from the 19th century. 

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New solutions during corona restrictions: The Joint Meeting 2020 of the Japan Geoscience Union, which is organizing the conference together with the American Geophysical Union this year, will take place completely online. The LIAG was also present - Dr. Sumiko Tsukamoto gave her invited lecture on July 14th via Zoom on the dating of disturbances using the methods luminescence and electron spin resonance. Exemplary results on the Japanese perturbation Atotsugawa and a preliminary result of the dating of a Swiss perturbation Simplon were presented. About 60 persons attended the lecture. The joint meeting was officially held in Chiba, Japan, but due to corona security measures, this year's meeting was held exclusively virtually from 12-16 July.

To the interactive iposter
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The working group on induced polarization meets twice a year. It consists of researchers from twelve different universities and research institutes. Induced polarization was originally developed for the exploration of ore deposits. By applying an electric current, an electric field is generated, and should expand unhindered in the subsurface. Sometimes metallic mineral grains block the pore space and therefore the flow paths of the electric current. The electrical charge accumulates in some areas and forms a kind of pattern. The researches can measure this electrical information and deduce, for example, whether the underground contains ores or contaminated sites or whether the groundwater is polluted. Matthias Halisch (LIAG) is hosting this year’s AK meeting at the Geozentrum Hannover. More than 12 presentations and as many scientific posters are waiting for the attendees of the meeting in October. Basic research will be discussed in the working group as well as questions of application or technical innovations.

In the province of Xinjiang in northwestern China, the ground is burning. This is because coal mining repeatedly leads to coal fires. The coal is located relatively close to the surface and is particularly reactive. Improper handling brings it in contact with atmospheric oxygen, so that the coal ignites spontaneously. Once it burns in the ground, the fires are difficult to extinguish, as the fire is constantly supplied with oxygen through self-generated cracks. On the surface one recognizes hidden fires by factors like temperature increases, gas leaks and changes in the electromagnetic properties of the subsurface. With the help of numerical modeling, researchers want to understand how coal fires arise, spread and can be extinguished efficiently. Dr. Manfred Wuttke (LIAG) introduced Chinese colleagues to the possibilities of geophysical exploration and numerical modeling of coal fires at a joint German-Chinese workshop at the University of Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. This workshop is part of the XJU-LIAG Joint Center for Underground Coal Fire Research. Next year, a return visit of the Chinese scientists to another international workshop in Hanover is planned.