Fachbereich 14 - Geowissenschaften
Institut für Planetologie
Experimentelle Weltraumforschung

Extase - Experimentelle Thermalsonde für die Anwendung in der
Schnee- nd Lawinenforschung und in den Erdwissenschaften

The Institut für Planetologie currently develops a new type of thermal probe, based on a spin-off from a thermal probe developed for the Rosetta lander (MUPUS), that can be used in a wide field of applications in snow research and geosciences. The cylindrical probe penetrates the surface ca. 32 cm and provides a temperature profile (16 sensors) and thermal conductivity profile of the penetrated layers. Major advantages of this type of probe are: (1) no need to excavate material (2) minimized influence of the probe on the temperature field (3) minimized modification of the microstructure (thermal conductivity) of the studied medium (4) good thermal contact (5) very accurate results (6) easy handling. In situ time series of the thermal conductivity may be recorded. In snow, the thermal conductivity is a measure for the mechanical stability of snow packs and thus an indicator of weak layers that may form avelanches. In soil, the thermal conductivity is a measure for soil humidity. Possible applications are (1) agriculture, (2) soil fauna and permafrost (3) monitoring waste deposits and the heat set free by decomposition (4) volcanology (5) ground truth for remote sensing and (6) snow metamorphism and avalanche formation. Currently we work with two prototype probes and a commercial data logger, which will be replaced by a dedicated field electronics with autonomous power supply and an RF link to a remote computer in the next project phase. A dedicated software package is under development and will, when ready, assist the user from measurement campain planning through data acquisition, visualization, evaluation up to report creation.The thermal probes have already been used with success in soil (in Tübingen, Warsaw and Lublin, in cooperation with the University of Tübingen, Space Research Centre, Warsaw and Institute for Agrophysics, Lublin), in snow and ice (on Svalbard/Spitzbergen, in cooperaton with the Alfred-Wegener Institut) and in solid ice in a cold chamber in the laboratory (in cooperation with Institut für Geophysik, WWU Münster).

Beteiligte Wissenschaftler:

Prof. Dr. Tilman Spohn, Dr. Karsten Seiferlin, Dipl.-Geophys. Kathrin Schröer, Dipl.-Phys. Kai Multhaup

Veröffentlichungen:

Karsten Seiferlin, Tilman Spohn and Wojciech Marczewski: A new type of thermal probe for applications in snow research and geosciences, CD-ROM edition of Geophysical Research Abstracts, Volume 3, 2001

Schröer, K., Seiferlin, K., Spohn, T., 2002: EXTASE - Eine experimentelle Thermalsonde für die Anwendung in Schneeforschung und Erdwissenschaften, Tagungsband zur 62. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Geophysikalischen Gesellschaft, Hannover

Schröer, K.; Seiferlin, K.; Marcewski, W.; Spohn, T., 2002: EXTASE - An experimental thermal probe for applications in snow research and earth sciences, Abstract EGS02-A-04686 in Geophys. Res. Abstracts 4

Schröer, K.; Seiferlin, K.; Marcewski, W.; Spohn, T., 2002: EXTASE - An Experimental Thermal Probe for Applications in Snow Research and Earth Sciences, Eos Trans. AGU, 83(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract P71A-0451, 2002