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Earthquake researchers in Oschatz: Top German research at the Collm Observatory
Dr. Siegfried Wendt and Petra Buchholz have been conducting research at the Collm Observatory for decades in order to precisely measure earthquakes in Saxony.
Earthquake researchers in Oschatz: Top German research at the Collm Observatory
The precise world of earthquake research requires both sharp minds and cutting-edge technology. At the Geophysical Observatory Collm, located in Oschatz, Dr. Siegfried Wendt and Petra Buchholz worked tirelessly to decipher the mystery of earthquakes. Wendt, who has been associated with the observatory since 1977 and remains active after his retirement in 2013, highlights how quickly modern technology delivers information: an earthquake in Kamchatka was recorded in Collm in just twelve minutes, a testament to the sensitivity of the equipment used.
The tasks of the two scientists are enormous. Petra Buchholz has evaluated over 200,000 earthquakes in her 47 years at the observatory. She remembers the catastrophic earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011, which caused 450 aftershocks, particularly impressively. Together, Wendt and Buchholz have researched historical events, including a documented earthquake in Torgau in 1553, one of the oldest of its kind in Germany. The Collm Observatory is now one of the ten best institutions in the world when it comes to evaluating earthquakes.
The farewell of a legend
Buchholz plans to retire in 2025, but her passion for science will not end. She will continue to look after the 123-year-old Wiechert seismograph, which is a listed building and plays an important role in the history of earthquake research. The Wiechert Earthquake Observatory, which is located on the slope of the Warteberg near Göttingen, was founded in 1902 by Emil Wiechert. Here, the oldest seismographs in the world, many of which were developed by Wiechert, have been recording data for over 100 years and make it possible to compare large earthquakes of the past with current ones.
The Wiechert Earthquake Observatory has undergone remarkable development over the years. The New Earthquake House was built in 1925, and in 1908 a process for generating small, artificial earthquakes was developed using the Mintrop sphere. This historic institution also makes it possible to monitor nuclear explosions in the ground.
A national surveillance network
In Germany there is a dense network of seismological stations operated by institutions such as the Seismological Central Observatory (SZGRF) in Hanover. This observatory acts as a national seismological data center and manages seismic monitoring networks such as the Gräfenberg Array (GRF) and the German Regional Network (GRSN). Here, earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or more are precisely located by combining measurements. The SZGRF's tasks also include recording nuclear tests and other seismic activities.
Overall, earthquake research in Germany remains highly relevant and attracts both international attention and high appreciation for the precise work in this discipline. Thanks to tireless researchers like Wendt, Buchholz and many others, knowledge about seismic events is constantly expanding to better prepare us all for the future.
Further details about the work of Dr. Siegfried Wendt and Petra Buchholz in the [Geophysical Observatory Collm]. Earthquake Observatory](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiechert%E2%80%99sche_Erdbebenwarte) as well as the national and international seismological network at Seismological Central Observatory are easy to read.