We monitor volcanoes with satellites, drones, and geophysical field sensors to study physical processes before, during, and after volcanic eruptions and their hazards. Data science methods include radar tracking, InSAR, pixel offset and digital image correlation, thermal and computer vision, and image classification.

Our research group studies the broad range from the surface to the depths, from surface alteration and morphology changes to the functioning of magma chambers and magma intrusions, stress changes in the crust, and the complex interactions between volcanoes and their environment.

We work extensively in the field, mapping and measuring processes and developing new methods to understand the evolution of craters and domes on active volcanoes. Further analysis is done using data science approaches and various modeling techniques. These include mathematical and numerical models as well as experimental simulations in the volcano and bubble laboratories.

In our group, geophysicists, geologists, geodesists, physicists and remote sensing scientists work together in an interdisciplinary environment. Interested students and cooperation partners: please do not hesitate to contact us!

Visit the awesome team here.

The team:
Thomas R. Walter, Group head, Volcanology - Structural Geology - Geophysical Remote Sensing. (private website)
Alina Shevchenko, Postdoc
Daniel Mueller,Postdoc
Ai Lun, PhD candidate, works on volcano crater formation and morphology changes
Benjamin De Jarnatt, PhD candidate, works on rock strength changes at volcanoes
Maria Hurley, PhD candidate, works on volcano-fault interactions
Gao Guosheng, PhD candidate, works on sensing geothermal activities
Pouria Marzban, PhD candidate, works on slope instability
Alea Joachim, PhD candidate, works on combining tremor and drone data
Rene Mania, PhD candidate, works on dome building volcanoes
Masoud Allahbakhshi, PhD candidate, works on geysers
Julia Nikutta, BSc thesis, geophysics, works on tumuli of Fagradallsfjall
Isabella Feldmann, MSc thesis, geology, works on the deformation in the Krafla region
Jari Schiffmann, MSc thesis, geoecology, works on wildfires during volcano eruptions
Clara Nuszer, MSc thesis, geology, works on the Stefanos crater of Nisyros
Mohannad Zahra, MSc thesis, remote sensing, works on InSAR uplifts at Reykjanes

Alumni list, former PhDs and Postdocs:
Daniel MÜLLER - PhD 2016-2022, now Postdoc
Edgar ZORN (Postdoc, now LMU Munich)
Sebastien VALADE (Postdoc, now permanent researcher at at UNAM)
Nicole RICHTER (Postdoc until 2021, now Jun. Prof. Uni Aachen)
Francesco MACCAFERRI (Postdoc until 2018, now permanent researcher at INGV, Italy)
Eoghan HOLOHAN (Postdoc until 2016, now Professor at UCD Dublin, Ireland)
Elske de Zeeuw-van Dalfsen (Postdoc until 2015, now at TU Delft, Holland)
Henriette SUDHAUS (Postdoc until 2015, now Professor at KIT)
Tanja WITT (PhD until 2018; now permanent researcher in IABG Grafik)
Mehdi NIKKHOO (PhD until 2018; now Postdoc at GFZ Potsdam)
Herlan DARMAWAN (PhD until 2017, now lecturer at UGM, Indonesia)
Jacqueline SALZER (PhD until 2017; now Lead InSAR Engineer at SkyGeo, NL)
Hannes BATHKE (PhD until 2014, now InSAR Engineer at SkyGeo, NL)
Ade ANGGRAINI (PhD until 2014, now employed as lecturer at UGM, Indonesia)
Nicolas LeCORVEC - Postdoc 2006-08, now data scientist at optim.aize
Elena NIKOLAEVA (PhD until 2014, now at National Environmental Agency, Georgia)
Michele PANTALEO (PhD until 2014; now engineering geologist at PANGEA, Milan, It)
Manoochehr SHIRZAEI (PhD until 2012, now Professor at Virginia Tech, USA) 
Joel RUCH (PhD until 2010; now Assistant Professor at Universite de Geneve, CH)
Andrea MANCONI (PhD until 2009; now Privatdozent at ETH Zurich, CH)