Discussion
In #Munich, you might see (and hear, feel) this weird machine, making weird vibration and sound sweeps. This is part of the Giga-M project. Its goal is to create a detailed 3D map of the underground in Munich and surrounding areas (in total 1100 square kilometres) that will be made available as #OpenData to assist in planning geothermic plants. Switching away from fossil fuel for heating. Impressive!
https://giga-m.de (in German)
@jwildeboer I'm assuming this would also be able to detect sinkholes being formed?
@jwildeboer I like my new mayor.
@jwildeboer As a side effect, they test the underground installation for shock resistance.
@kouett At least in Germany this is done quite frequently, since many years.But a project this size, mapping 1100 square kilometres, is quite remarkable..
@jwildeboer noch keine Aluhüte und "Schallwaffen"-Gegner auf der Straße?
@zockbursche
@jwildeboer I wonder how much other buried stuff they'll find that's not documented anywhere and only turns up when construction is going on -- forgotten cellars and tunnels, buried rivers, bunkers, maybe some archeological sites?
I wonder if they could cause time fuzes of unexploded WW2 bombs to trigger.
@cm Not that much, as the measurements are focusing on deeper levels, below 400 metres and up to 5km.
@jwildeboer@social.wildeboer.net I noticed that you put a lot of effort into the alt text - thank you very much for that! However, you described what the machine in the image does and what its intended result is, rather than what is actually shown in the image. People who are blind or visually impaired would likely be interested to know what a "vibro-truck" actually looks like. Thanks again, and have a wonderful Sunday!
@daswarkeinhuhn Thank you for the hint. I added a bit more on how it looks and feels to the ALT :)
@jwildeboer @RadOnkel there was also a nice write-up on how they work at @hackaday https://hackaday.com/2026/09/09/hunting-the-wild-vibrotruck/
Here's an article in English on the Giga-M project and the role of DMT in it: https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/dmt-starts-3d-seismic-survey-campaign-for-geothermal-exploration-in-greater-munich-area-germany/
@jwildeboer This is mainly for district heating, right? Are they still looking for underground water basins for plants similar to that in Freiham?
https://www.bayern-innovativ.de/en/emagazine/detail/en/page/munich-aims-for-62-percent-district-heating-share
https://www.geothermalstories.org/stories1/blog-post-title-one-7hrr7-zb3kx
It's difficult to find appropriate locations for bigger plants, makes sense to invest on mapping. Open data should help smaller plants and competitors too.
@nemobis The mapping is the main goal. With detailed mapping and making the resulting data openly available, the hope is that companies and local councils can reduce investment risks and also cooperate to find out how facilities in proximity interact with the deep geothermics. It's a more holistic approach to deliver ongoing research for better geothermics :)
@nemobis But you are right. The main focus is better data for district heating based on deep geothermics. But who knows what creative minds will *also* do with this data. That is is also part of the plan. Collect the data on a big area, make it available and see what happens beyond the basic goals. This is an approach that creates new possibilities. Public money well spent, in my opinion!
@jwildeboer dunno about their science, but their communications work hasn't been great
@jwildeboer The photo reminded me of a book I read 20-ish years ago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hammer_of_Eden
@maehw I guess some of the NIMBYs opposing this research have read it too 😉 But it is fiction. A Vibroseis sweep can not cause earthquakes. It however can influence precision mechanics like spinning hard drives. Which is why the sweeps are announced in the affected areas.
@jwildeboer Seen (and heard) in Giesing on friday.
@jwildeboer had these trucks here many years ago, now we are one step further: protests against geothermal projects by some NIMBYs. Haven't heard of protests when they were drilling for oil in the middle of Speyer. 🤔
@jwildeboer what good news! Thanks for sharing 😁
@jwildeboer very old but reliable technique. DMT heritaged the Vibriseis trucks from Prakla-Seismos in rhe 90ies - the only improvements are the electronic parts. The plates in the middle of the truck are up while drivkng to locations than they are being liwered and execute vibrations (thd sweep) of different frequency (7-120Hz) into the ground. Geophones (not shown in the picture) record ground motions from reflected energy. The result is a 3D image
@jwildeboer At first I was wondering about all those little picknick boxes laying around town. Some of these geophones now get swept up with the fallen foliage. https://share.google/B4JM3ajus8vMNwCaR
@boriskarnikowski @jwildeboer huh? I thought these are on a stake, pressed firmly into the ground
@uint8_t @jwildeboer No, here in Munich they are just laying on the ground, mostly in the outskirts, but the other day I saw one at Müllersches Volksbad. There has been some coverage in the news about not moving them.
@jwildeboer Oh, so now the trucks are rolling? I have seen these sensors/microphones installed on sidewalks.
@compfu They did a first run a few years ago here in Trudering, to extend the Riem geothermics, so I already experienced the sweeps and could talk to the people operating the trucks and sensors. Fascinating stuff!
@jwildeboer @compfu I recall them working their way down Leopoldstrasse in 2008? 2009? We had to shut down computers. Spinning discs didn't like the vibrations...
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@jwildeboer As long as it is shallow well geothermal! The deeper stuff may yeild more "steam power", but it does so at a higher cost that has yet to be calculated - employ the right technologies to decarbonize! 👍🤞✊