Last week I spent a few days in Potsdam, on a study visit with members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences‘ class V, which is the class for Geosciences. Our first stop was at GFZ, where we got an overview on the center’s scientific activities, could look at annually laminated lake sediments, visit the satellite station and ended the day with a walking tour to visit the historical sites on Telegrafenberg. GFZ belongs to the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers and is Germany’s national center for solid Earth Sciences.
GFZ however takes a broad Earth Science view and includes studies linked to the dynamics of planet Earth: the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, and the chemical, physical, and biological processes that connect these different spheres. All, with the aim to provide sustainable solutions to society in respect to for example earthquakes; global climate change; supply of energy and mineral resources. Or, as GFZ states on its home page: “We investigate the structure and history of the Earth, its properties, and the dynamics of its interior and surface, and we use our fundamental understanding to develop solutions needed to maintain planet Earth as a safe and supportive habitat”. It is always a pleasure to visit GFZ! I am full of admiration for all the great research that is being done here.
Our next stop was at the Alfred Wegener Institut, which also belongs to the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers, where we were not only treated to cakes and coffee, but also to excellent talks presenting the latest research at the center. The Alfred Wegener Institut (AWI) in Potsdam has a focus on glacial and periglacial research, i.e. permafrost, atmospheric physics and polar terrestrial environmental systems. Many scientists work in the Arctic, especially on Svalbard and in Siberia, because polar regions are under threat as a consequence of climate warming. Since the temperature rise is largest in the high-latitudes, thawing of permafrost and melting of glaciers and ice sheets will intensify. These changes will have an immediate regional impact, but will also be transmitted to regions further south, thus influencing climate in other parts of the world.
On our second day in Potsdam, we returned to GFZ and visited their GEOFON station, where earthquake and tsunami hazards are monitored 24/7 and data sets are made accessible for transnational users. Our last stop was at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), which is housed in one of the old buildings on Telegrafenberg. PIK belongs to the Leibniz Association, and has four main research focii: Earth system analysis, climate resilience, transformation pathways, and complexity science. It was also a nice for our group to meet PIK’s new co-director, Johan Rockström, who is a former professor at the Resilience Center of Stockholm University and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy.
Several themes came up recurrently during our visit in Potsdam: climate change and the challenges society is facing; the energy transformation and the need for new raw materials; and that we all aim at a sustainable future for our planet and for all the people living on it.
Barbara Wohlfarth 