High precision ground motion, imaging, and monitoring with rotational motions

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Céline Hadziioannou; Professor Dr. Heiner Igel
• Subject Area: Geophysics ; Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Cartography ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 553176123

Joint observations of rotational and translational ground motions (6 degree-of-freedom, 6 DoF) have tremendous potential to complement classic seismic recordings in particular in challenging terrain (e.g., planets, volcanoes, oceans, cities). Building on high-sensitivity ring laser observations, we push 6 DoF observations into the realm of seismic interferometry and explore the substantially elevated sensitivity of wavefield gradients to local structure and noise source distributions. Here we specifically focus on the impact of imaging and monitoring the near-surface structure for environmental and tectonic effects (e.g., hydrological changes, stress changes). This supports one of the key RING Research Unit objectives to demonstrate the potential for photonic-based rotation sensing in geophysics.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5939: RING: Rotational Motions in Physics, Geophysics, and Geodesy