The Island of Ruegen in northwest Germany is well known for its white chalk cliffs, the islands National Park Jasmund attracts numerous visitors each year. Again and again landslides come off the cliffs that endanger human life and force a regression of the coastline with an annual volume of material comparable to forty one family houses. A better understanding of the conditions that cause landslides can increase safety for the visitors as well as provide science with a better understanding of the natural prcesses behind these mass movements. Together with his team, Michael Dietze, GFZ section Geomorphology, investigates landslides processes at the chalk cliffs.

Therefore, the team installed a seismic network within the National Park that allows for a very detailed monitoring and localization of ground motions. Like this, it is possible to determine the exact timing of mass movements at the cliffs and the volume of the transported material. Meteorological stations serve for a relation of these events with the prevailing weather conditions during: Were landslides for example preceded by strong rainfall events? Kristen Cook, drone pilot within the project, furthermore adds to the project detailed periodic pictures of the terrain. In combination with ground-based photos these pictures allow for a verification of the seismic localizations and the generation of three-dimensional terrain models.

In our GFZ movie Michael Dietze talks about the project.

13.09.2017, Ariane Kujau

>>Link to the movie

>>Link to the interview with drone pilot Kristen Cook