Post by Jan Wildeboer 😷:krulorange:

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/

@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 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 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 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.

#ClimateChange #EnergyCrisis

@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 :)

@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/

@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 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?

@cm Not that much, as the measurements are focusing on deeper levels, below 400 metres and up to 5km.

I wonder if they could cause time fuzes of unexploded WW2 bombs to trigger.

@cm @jwildeboer

@wonka Seeing how they did the seismic mapping in the city center of Munich in 2015 without incidents, I'd say that is not a problem :) @cm

@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! 👍🤞✊

@decapitae I am living close to a rather big deep geothermic installation that is up and running since 20+ years and goes 3000 metres deep (Riem). Munich has a total of 6 in operations. See https://www.swm.de/unternehmen/geothermie (German)

@jwildeboer Could it also determine the location of any buried WWII ordnance?

@kimlockhartga I don't think so. See https://social.wildeboer.net/@jwildeboer/117501034220613803

@jwildeboer okay. I see. I just keep hearing about that being a problem, and wondered if there were technology to find it all and remove it. In one case, it interfered with the ability to fight a wildfire. It's astonishing how much there still is, buried.

@kimlockhartga A lot of work is being put into finding those bombs. They are still analysing aerial photos from WW2, scanning the ground on new construction sites, and many more things.

@jwildeboer@social.wildeboer.net I've not heard of this being done in an urban setting. Is it as disruptive as I expect, or does it sort of manage to be bearable?

@JigmeDatse It’s not disruptive in my direct experience (they did this in my neighbourhood a few years ago). They place the sensors (geophones) beforehand by hand. On a specific day the trucks come, place themselves on the street, typically, do two or three sweeps that take a minute, drive to the next position, repeat. A few days later the sensors are picked up. That’s it.