The term petrophysics is composed of the Greek terms πετρος, petros „stone“ oder „rock“ and φυσική, physike „the natural“.
Petrophysics covers the physical properties of minerals, rocks, melts, and fluids. We focus on
- elastic and anelastic properties,
- fracture and deformation behavior,
- electric properties,
- heat transport and thermal properties,
- magnetic properties.
Findings in petrophysics are used to answer central geoscientific questions. Among them are underground construction (e.g. tunnels), the use of geothermal energy, geological CO2
storage, geodynamic processes and mechanisms causing earthquakes, plate tectonics, or volcanism. Research activities concentrate on the qualitative and quantitative understanding of the processes and mechanisms underlying the petrophysical properties. For this purpose, the properties of individual minerals, the behavior of grain boundaries, and the impacts of pore volume and pore filling on the properties are studied. The methods used in petrophysics are also applied to artificial materials (plastics, ceramics).
The professorship of "Technical Petrophysics" is endowed by Dr. Herrenknecht