Inaugural lecture "Urban geophysics: Making the invisible city visible"
A modern city is a complex structure - not only above, but also below the surface. Its lifelines run beneath our feet, supplying us with water and energy, connecting us to communication networks and draining wastewater. Buildings and other structures are supported by the subsoil, while the city's trees are anchored underground by their roots. As a water filter and reservoir, the soil supplies not only plants but also people with clean water from underground reservoirs. Layer by layer, the subsoil preserves the historical heritage of a city and reaches deep into its geological memory, which goes back many millions of years.
The task of urban geophysics is to make the multi-layered and complex structure of this fabric visible. In his inaugural lecture, Matthias Bücker will show how geophysical methods can contribute to assess the "invisible city". From gravity measurements and the measurement of electrical properties to the observation of the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the subsurface - physical measurements on the surface can be used to gather revealing information about the subsurface materials. Compared to sites out in the green, however, the city poses a particular challenge for the application of geophysical exploration methods, with its sources of interference, limited space and various access restrictions, as well as a highly disturbed subsurface. Based on the results of measurements at urban sites in Braunschweig and Mexico, Matthias Bücker will discuss the limits and opportunities of urban geophysics.
About the person
Until 2011, Matthias Bücker studied architecture at theTU Braunschweig for two years, then physics up to his Master's degree. He then lived and worked in Mexico City and completed his doctorate in applied geophysics in Bonn in 2018. Also in 2018, he returned to Braunschweig with his wife and children as a research assistant. Since January 2022, he has been Junior Professor of Urban Geophysics at the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics at TU Braunschweig. With the support of the working group of the same name, he applies and further develops methods for exploring the subsurface in urban areas. His research focuses on the application of geoelectric methods, in particular spectral induced polarization, as well as the further development of models for the physical description of the electrical properties of porous geological materials.