Marine Research, Polar Research, Geosciences

Geoscientists study the processes and interactions in the overall Earth system in order to understand the natural balance and cycles and better assess the influence of humans. These issues are topics of research funding in the area of marine and polar research as well as the geosciences.

The marine research programme of the Federal Government pools research work in different marine areas.

• Marine Climate Research:
  Oceanographic and geoscientific studies for a better understanding of the role played by oceans in the climate system, for describing the impact of climate variations today and in the past as a basis for prevention and precautionary measures, models for forecasts of future developments, etc.
• Marine Environmental Research:
  Study of structures and functions of marine environmental systems, including the role of biodiversity in the oceans, studies of bio-geochemical cycles in the oceans as well as identification of burdens on the marginal seas and coastal zones.
• Marine Geoscientific Research:
  Studies of the processes along the active mid-oceanic ridges, the consistence of the oceanic crust, development and build-up of continental margins, the processes involved in sediment and deposit formation as well as exchanges of particles on the sea-bed interface.
• Devices and Systems:
  Development of modern, cost-efficient devices and systems for marine research and marine monitoring (sensorics, stationary and mobile in-situ measuring systems, automatic samplers, long-term energy supply, monitoring concepts, etc.).

The polar research programme of the Federal Government includes research topics in the polar regions of the northern and southern hemisphere of our planet:

• Polar and marine scientists study the ocean-ice-atmosphere system and its influence on the global climate. The oceanic studies are focused on the Weddell Sea in the Antarctic and the North Polar Sea in the Arctic from East Siberia and Russia to the northern Atlantic near Spitzbergen including the spreading of newly formed water masses in the world oceans.
• Geoscientists reconstruct the history of the polar regions and oceans. They study bio-geochemical cycles in the ocean and deposition processes on the sea-bed. The chequered history of climate is reconstructed by means of ice cores from the large ice shields of Greenland and the Antarctic and by means of sea sediments and salt deposits.

The special Geotechnologies programme pools capacities of research funding by the BMBF and the German Research Association (DFG) in 13 research topics of particular scientific, socio-political and economic importance in the interest of socially relevant contributions:

• Ever since industrial development began, humankind has actively influenced the Earth system. This mutual influence will change our habitat. We need knowledge of whether the Earth system can cope with the effects of the industrial societies and of internationally growing consumption. A growing burden on the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect and the threat to humankind by natural disasters are indicators which call for a sustainable management of our planet. The future of our society will essentially depend on how rapidly a sustainable earth management can be developed and implemented globally.
• One example is the CHAMP satellite (Challenging Minisatellite Payload) launched in 2000. It moves in an orbit in over 400 kilometres altitude and helps to survey the surface of the Earth more precisely than ever before. CHAMP also studies the magnetic and gravity field of our planet and observes dynamic movements of the mass in the interior of the Earth through the thin skin of the earth's crust. It thus delivers valuable data on the atmosphere and is a useful tool for weather forecasts.  (http://www.geotechnologien.de/)

Further research priorities which will secure our future living conditions are in the following areas:

• Marine Natural Products Research
  Will our medical drugs or food supplements be of marine origin in the future? Scientists want to isolate and characterize active agents of marine organisms in order to develop economically competitive products. Marine sponges have turned out to be particularly promising producers of such exploitable natural products.
• Sustainable Marine Aquaculture Technology
  The riches of the sea are not as inexhaustible as originally assumed. The constantly growing population entails an equally constant growth in protein requirements. Scientists and engineers are developing technologies for optimal breeding conditions and feed for fishes, molluscs, crustaceans and algae.
• Coastal Zone Management
  An Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IKZM) studies the continental margins to anticipate hot spots for potential use and threat. Continental margins often contain many deposits of natural resources, but they are frequently also high-risk areas where earthquakes and other natural events originate. (http://www.planeterde.de/)

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  topic Research

  Polar Research: Tracking Climate Processes

  The polar regions are the climatic chambers of the Earth. Exchanges between ocean, ice and atmosphere provide important information on climate changes. Mathematical models for a reliable interpretation of the data are still lacking. Research in the Arctic and Antarctic is therefore of major importance for our understanding of the climate.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/2647.php)
   
  
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  topic Research

  Water - a Resource for Life

  Water is the most important aliment. About half of all hospital beds in threshold and developing countries are occupied by patients, who suffer from diseases spread and caused by contaminated drinking water. The heads of states and governments of the United Nations obliged themselves in 2000 to halve the number of humans without access to safe drinking water until the year 2015. With "integrated water resources management" (IWRM), surface water, aquifers, and coastal water resources shall be better and more carefully used through sustainable management.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/3934.php)
   
  
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  topic Research

  Seaquakes and the Tsunami Early Warning System

  Work to install a tsunami early warning system - the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) - in the most critical geological zone of the Indian Ocean, the Sunda Arc in Indonesia, began under German leadership in November 2005. Pilot operations began exactly three years later on 11 November 2008. With immediate effect, the GITEWS is now providing a decisive contribution to protecting coastal areas against natural disasters such as tsunamis. The development of the system also took into account findings in the field of earthquake research conducted by the National Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in Potsdam in conjunction with other institutions.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/2402.php)