GNSS-based determination of the spatial reference of geophysical measurements

560 seismic stations at the WINSENT wind power test site in the Schwäbischen Alb

In the first half of December 2024, Prof Dr Andreas Rietbrock's group from the Geophysical Institute (GPI), together with colleagues from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, the University of Liège and LMU Munich, installed 560 seismic stations at the WINSENT wind power test site in the Swabian Jura. This large research project is called WINSENT Large-N because of the large number (N) of instruments. The aim of WINSENT Large-N is to register the seismic wave field generated by the turbines at different wind and rotational speeds. The installation of such a large and dense array posed major logistical challenges, especially the precise determination of the coordinates for each station. The Geodetic Institute (GIK) enabled the project partners to achieve this accuracy by providing the GNSS measurement sensor Leica GS18 GNSS RTK Rover coupled with a Leica CS20 Field Controller, and by training GPI personnel in the use of the instruments.