Data Basis

Observatories, measurements, seismic and meteorological measurement networks, geological and geophysical surveys and reference collections provide reliable data.

Measurement Networks

GeoSphere Austria provides precise measurement data for weather, climate and earthquakes.

Observatories

GeoSphere Austria operates two observatories: the meteorological Sonnblick Observatory in the Hohe Tauern at 3,106 m above sea level and the geophysical Conrad Observatory on the Trafelberg at 1,088 m, about 50 km southwest of Vienna, which is almost entirely located underground.

State Survey

A central task of GeoSphere Austria is the national geological and geophysical survey, as set out in Section 4(3) of the GSA Act. This involves systematically recording, analysing, documenting and presenting the geological and geophysical conditions in Austria, including aspects such as geothermal energy, raw materials, groundwater, mass movements and near-surface subsurface exploration (e.g. for archaeological applications).

Measurements

Measurements, i.e. the recording of the value of a physical parameter, are carried out throughout GeoSphere Austria’s entire field of activity, whether in the air, on the ground, directly in the subsurface in boreholes or even in laboratories.

Collections

Our collections of fossils, minerals, rocks and sediment cores support researchers to dive deep into Earth’s history, aid in mapping natural resource availability and provide policy makers with data for informed decision-making regarding e.g. land use planning.