Former Prof. Dr. Heinrich Villinger

Our research activities focus on marine heat flow measurements and the development of instruments for long-term observation of physical processes in the deep sea. Marine heat flow measurements are used to derive the thermal structure of sedimentary sequences, e.g. to investigate the influence of seamounts on hydrothermal circulation in the oceanic crust. Long-term observations of temperature, pressure and tilt are employed to monitor sea-floor deformation at mid-ocean ridges caused by tectonic or magmatic activity, to monitor changes in the activity of mud volcanoes or hydrothermal fields as well as processes in gas hydrate-bearing sediments. In the field of offshore wind parks, we investigate the thermal conductivity and load-bearing strength of sediments along cable routes.

Working Area

Mid-ocean ridges, continental margins, cold and hot submarine seeps, North and Baltic Sea

Methods

Marine heat flow measurements, ROV-based measurements, deep-sea observatories