Seismological stations

Seismological stations in Germany Source: BGR

Scientists pursue various objectives by operating seismological stations in Germany.

One is the German contribution to the global seismological network, which allows large-scale structures and processes in the Earth's interior to be investigated. A further objective is to record seismic events in and around Germany and to carry out research on tectonic processes in Central Europe. another important point is the participation in the International Monitoring System (IMS) for underground nuclear explosions.

The BGR and its subdivision, the Central Seismological Observatory Gräfenberg (Seismologisches Zentralobservatorium Gräfenberg, SZGRF), operate and archive data from three networks and arrays of seismological stations in Germany:

• The German Regional Seismic Network
  The GRSN currently consists of 20 broadband stations distributed across Germany. This national network is operated in collaboration with German universities, the Georesearch Centre Potsdam (Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam, GFZ) and state geological services.

• Thirteen broadband stations in the Franconian mountain region (Fränkische Alb) form the Gräfenberg Array (GRF). It extends about 100 km north-south and about 40 km in east-west direction.

• The GERESS Array in the Bavarian Forest (Bayerischer Wald) consists of 24 shortperiod stations and a three-component broadband station in four concentric rings with a maximum diameter of about 4 km.

A number of state geological services and universities operate further local networks of stations in Germany with different objectives. These stations are equipped mainly with short-period seismometers. The data are archived and analysed at these local centres. Continuous broadband data are also archived at the SZGRF.