Marine geology

What tasks are you working on?

I use hydroacoustic methods, i.e. sound, to investigate both the surface of the seafloor and its subsurface from the research vessel. With side-scan sonar, I can explore the distribution of the sediment. With multibeam echosounders, I create depth relief maps of the seafloor. In the subsequent data analysis, these data are merged and I can draw conclusions about habitats and geological processes. In the OTC-Stone project, I am working to develop software that automatically locates and measures rocks using artificial intelligence.

My data are often used by other scientific disciplines. Among other things, underwater life forms are adapted to a particular substrate and salinity. So, for example, in marine biology, if a particular habitat (biotope) is to be studied, the data I produce can be used to decide exactly where the sampling should take place and whether the sediment cores should be taken here or 100 meters to the left or right.

What does your workday look like?

At the moment, I spend about two to three weeks a year on the research vessel collecting data. The rest of the time I spend mostly at the computer in the office. Among other things, I process this data so that it can be used for further work. After all, they should be accessible and usable by others and not be duplicated. To this end, I am in active exchange with authorities and scientists from all over the world. So I also communicate a lot in English. I also publish my results in scientific journals and write reports and new applications for research funding.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Seafaring fascinates me, it's like diving into another cosmos, I'm working and at the same time I'm far away from everyday life. I grew up with the sea, was sailing as a child and was always on the water. Also in my job I went to sea a lot, mainly in the German North Sea and now in the Baltic Sea. I have also been off northern Norway, in the Lena Delta on the Siberian coast, in Hudson Bay, off Gran Canaria, in the Drake Passage, near Cape Horn, off the Antarctic Peninsula, and most recently in the Chilean fjords.

I find sediment mapping exciting because it's like a jigsaw puzzle: you trace many lines next to each other and put the pieces together. That's how the small picture eventually becomes the big picture. For me, the practical relevance of my work is particularly important - by working with the authorities, I know where it can be applied.

How does your work contribute to the protection of the oceans?

We work with non-invasive methods. That means we no longer have to dig up the seafloor with grabs to bring up samples. With hydroacoustics, we can record larger areas faster and in more detail, while also obtaining even more information, such as about the water column. In addition, our data is used to do conservation work at the EU level: Especially near the coast, there are already many nature reserves, but fishing is still allowed in them. In order to exclude this, it must be proven which habitats worthy of protection, e.g. reefs, are located there. In addition to biotope mapping, areal mapping plays a role in marine environmental monitoring, fisheries management and marine engineering, including offshore wind farms or underwater cables, for example.