The GFZ mourns the death of Dr. rer. nat. habil. Rudolf Stecher, who passed away on 21 August at the age of 86. From the founding of the GFZ in 1992 until his retirement in 2002, Rudolf Stecher headed the section “Geoscientific Equipment Technology”. His professional focus was on time and frequency measurement technology and its influence on the performance of modern geodetic measurement methods.

With his section, Dr Rudolf Stecher stood for the further development of geophysical measurement systems using new technologies, such as the application of high-temperature electronics and fibre-optic sensors for borehole-specific research tasks of the GFZ.

For example, during his time as section head, a high-temperature seismometer and a borehole inclinometer were developed for use in the KTB continental deep borehole in Windischeschenbach. In addition, optically pumped magnetometers were developed in his section and the establishment of a GFZ laboratory for fibre-optic measurements was started.