In our research group we focus on earthquakes, fault zone structure, modes of deformation along fault zones, and earthquake and fault zone interaction and triggering mechanisms on a local and regional scale. We analyze seismic waves emanated from earthquakes, but extract also information from the ambient seismic wave field or noise. The research depends on the application and development of analysis techniques for estimating earthquake source parameters, for structural imaging and for the monitoring of time dependent changes in crustal and fault zone materials on time scales ranging from seconds to years.
Our group is dedicated to contribute to a sustainable and safe use of deep geothermal energy. We have been collecting an outstanding data set during the stimulation of the St1 Enhanced Geothermal System between 5 and 6 km depth below Otaniemi, Espoo, in summer 2018. The analysis of the induced earthquakes, and of the altered rock properties will help to mature the application of geothermal energy use in Finland. We target a comprehensive understanding of the rock types and their seismic response, their permeability and geochemical properties, and the location of faults; of the local temperature profile, the stress regime and stress orientations; and of the hydrological situation.
Our work is based on processing large seismic data sets (big data at its very best) and has thus multiple connections to physics and atmospheric sciences (wave propagation), mathematics and medical imaging (inverse problems), and computer science.
Please contact Gregor Hillers or any of our other researchers if you are interested to learn more about our research and thesis topics.
MSc and PhD research can include aspects of these topics:
• Crustal and fault zone monitoring using earthquake signals and noise: Decomposing and imaging the response to multiple internal and external loading mechanisms
• Enhancing the resolution of local seismic images
• Estimates of earthquake source properties and seismicity distributions of natural and induced seismicity
• Urban and environmental seismology: Time dependent physical properties from waves excited in an urban environment