Seismology and Geodynamics

Led by Profs. Domenico Giardini and Eduard Kissling, Seismology and Geodynamics (SEG) is an autonomous group within the Institute of Geophysics, Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich. We use seismic waves of all kinds and wavelengths to image, with the help of seismic tomography, the three dimensional structure of the inner parts of the Earth. The SEG is a multicultural environment, and we work in close cooperation with numerous institutions around the world. Our group emphasizes the didactic aspects of research: a few Ph.D. positions typically open every year, and we encourage applications from motivated students with a quantitative background in Physics, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering, or Computer Sciences.

SEG activities at a glance

Dr. Lapo Boschi and collaborators utilize seismic observations to map and interpret the internal structure of the Earth. A focus of research is the further development of surface wave tomography combined with body wave tomography. More information: Global tomography

Prof. Eduard Kissling and collaborators investigate orogens, the "crunch zone" where two tectonic plates collide, and subduction zones. The three-dimensional depth structure of the larger Alpine area is, due in large part to decades of research conducted at ETH, by far the best known "root zone" of a mountain chain worldwide. More information: Alpine structure

Dr. Tarje Nissen-Meyer and collaborators address seismic forward (numerical wave propagation) and inverse problems (finite-frequency tomography, adjoint methods) with sophisticated numerical techniques to retrieve 3D models at scales from the crust to the core. More information: Computational seismology

Peter Zweifel and collaborators develop electronics and instruments for lightweight broadband seismometers in planetary seismology and aerospace missions. More information: Aerospace electronics and instruments

Ongoing projects

QUEST: QUantitative Estimation of Earth's Seismic Sources and STructure): An Initial Training Network in computational seismology funded within the 7th Framework People Programme by the European Commission.

Petaquake: Large-Scale Parallel Nonlinear Optimization for High Resolution 3D-Seismic Imaging

Planet-Z: An interdisciplinary research project with the goal of answering fundamental questions concerning the formation and evolution of planetary systems.

We are shareholders of Brutus, the ETH computing cluster with more than 8000 processors, and run large-scale simulations at the Swiss National Supercomputing Center.