Team leader: Hana Grison
Environmental magnetism involves linking magnetic properties of mineral assemblages to the wide range of environmental processes. It can be applied in investigating, e.g., past climate, particulate pollution, sediment transport and provenance, etc.
In archaeological propsection, we combine methods of environmental magnetism with traditional geophysical prospection methods. It is a novel approach based on integration of soil magnetic characteristics in order to reduce the ambiguity in interpretation of geophysical data sets.
We spend our energy in establishing an interdisciplinary network, cooperation among archaeologists, geophysicists and soil scientists, including geochemists.
We focus on the application of non-destructive geophysical methods in subsurface archaeological features. Such non-destructive methods are magnetic susceptibility, magnetometry, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT, which is direct current electrical method) and micro-gravimetry. The 2D/3D gravity/magnetic/geoelectric modelling and inversions of geophysical data can be applied in archaeology, volcanology, geophysical exploration or in shallow geology in general.
Gravity and magnetics is also applied to research on salt structures and search for unknown volcanoes. This includes resistivity profiling where needed. These topics include 3D Gravity-Magnetic modelling, too. As applied research we studied hydrological system in a coal mine according to observed temporal changes of gravity. In other coal mine we monitor stability of hazardous slope with a mediveal castle on it by set of tiltmeters.
Laboratory equipment
Bartington MS2B (dual frequency), probe for soil cores MS2C (https://www.bartington.com)
Agico instruments: MFK1, KLY5 with 3D Rotator, CS4/ CS-L High/Low Temperature Furnace Apparatus (https://www.agico.com)
ADE EV9 vibrating sample magnetometer (DSM Magnetics, ADE Corporation; Lowell, MA, USA):Hysteresis loops (induced magnetization) magnetic fields from -2 to +2 T.
Instruments for the in-situ measurements
Batrington MS2/MS3 System for surface magnetic mapping: MS2D and MS2F (https://www.bartington.com)
Susceptibility meter SM400 (http://www.zhinstruments.com)
Shirt Pocket zise magnetic susceptibility meter SM30 (http://www.zhinstruments.com)
Potrable magnetic susceptibility meters with adjustable frequency and field intensity SM 150L and SM150H (http://www.zhinstruments.com)
Gravimeter Scintrex CG-6 (https://scintrexltd.com)
Gravimeter LaCoste&Romberg model D (http://microglacoste.com)
Automatic resistivitity system ARESII in 5-channel configuration with 10 cable sections (http://www.gfinstruments.cz/)
Topic of Bacelors/Master/PhD thesis
Development of 3D gravity modelling of salt diapirs (PrF UK, R. Beránek, PhD theses)
Running projects
- Czech Science Foundation – National Science Centre Poland 23-09559L, 2024-2026
- The origin of iron minerals in soils with high permeability and determination of soil diagnostic horizons using magnetic proxies – E. Petrovský (PI), team members Grison, Stejskalová
Mobility Plus (MPP) between CAS and FNRS (Belgium), 2023–2025 - Geophysical survey as a tool for assessing magnetomineralogical changes in soils at archaeological sites endangered by erosion – H. Grison (PI), team members Š. Stejskalová, R. Klanica, R. Beránek, E. Petrovský
- Mobility project CAS, 2022-2024. Comparison of geophysical and geological structures of the Western Carpathian lithosphere with other orogenic areas in Europe (mainly Bohemian Massif and Norwegian Caledonides) – R. Klanica (PI), S. Kováčiková
- Grant GACR, 2024-2026. Structure and dynamics of shallow salt sheet extrusion investigated by means of magnetotellurics, gravity and analog & numerical modelling – R. Klanica. J. Mrlina team members, G.Hill (PI)
- Grant GACR 2022-2024, Geodynamic controls on continental rifting in Cenozoic central Europe: Insight from the Eger Rift, Bohemia] – J. Mrlina team member, D. Uličný (PI)
- Since 2016 International collaboration project AlpArrayGravityGroup (AAGG) – Mrlina
- Cooperation with industry support: Tilt and groundwater monitoring in Jezeří gallery, North Bohemia – Severní energetická, a.s., project SE 2023/34 – observatory program since 1982 – J. Mrlina (PI), Polák, Skalský, Seidl
- Since 2007 partnership projects with Bavarian and Saxonian Geological Surveys on research of volcanic structures in the Czechia, Bavaria and Saxony – Mrlina (PI), Beránek, Polák, Klanica
Completed research projects
COST Action SAGA (The Soil Science & Archaeo-Geophysics Alliance) from 10/2018 until 4/2023 (H. Grison)
Inter COST Project “Application of Geophysical Approach in Archaeological Research and Prospection“ is supported by the program INTER-EXCELLENCE of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS), grant No. LTC19029, 2019-2022. (H. Grison (PI), R. Klanica, J. Mrlina, Š. Stejskalová)
Mobility project ASCR 2021-2022 – Comparison of geophysical and geological structures of the Western Carpathian lithosphere with other orogenic areas in Europe (mainly Bohemian Massif and Norwegian Caledonides) (R. Klanica(PI), S. Kováčiková)
Cooperation with industry support: Hydrological regime in coal mine indicated by gravity monitoring – Severočeské doly, a.s. – project 2023 (Mrlina)
People
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ORCID: 0000-0002-0402-2026 |
Ing, PhD |
Researcher (team leader) |
Environmental magnetism, soil science, archaeomagnetic dating |
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Roman Beránek ORCID: 0000-0002-7273-8472 |
PhD student | Microgravimetry, magnetometry, 3D gravity-magnetic modeling and inversion of geophysical data, archaeogeophysics, volcanology, and geodynamics | |
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Petr Dědeček | PhD | Researcher | |
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ORCID: 0000-0002-8302-7537 |
Mgr, PhD | Researcher |
Geoelectrical methos, magnetometry, magnetotellurics
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ORCID: 0000-0002-4224-1609 |
RNDr, PhD | Senior researcher | Gravimetry, applied geophysics, geodynamics, volcanology, reservoirs,gravity/magnetic exploration, archaeogeophysics |
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ORCID: 0000-0001-7792-9123 |
RNDr, CSc | Senior researcher | Environmental magnetism |
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ORCID: 0000-0002-0300-7545 |
RNDr, CSc | Researcher |
Geothermics, permafrost dynamics, paleoclimate reconstructions, utilization of geothermal energy |
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Šárka Stejskalová ORCID: 0000-0002-0722-0466 |
Ing, PhD | Researcher | Environmental magnetism, soil science |
Collaborating members
Soil sampling at the Hillfort Štěpánov, Czechia, Inter-COST project. Magnetic soil properties with ERT measurements are employed for description of Late Bronze Age water reservoirs (photo – E. Garcia, 2/2020)
R. Klanica při ERT měření na hradišti Hradišťany (starší doba bronzová), projekt Inter-COST. Detekce možného zaniklého vodního zdroje na hradišti (foto – T. Junek, 5/2020)
Drill-coring at the Roman site of Zaldua, the Basque province of Navare. Short term scientific mission project in scope of SAGA Action (photo H. Grison, 1/2020)
Sampling for paleomagnetic dating, cellar V Kolkovně street, Inter-Cost project, (Photo – P. Schnabl, 2/2022)
Magnetic survey in Bažina maar, scientific cooperation with GFZ Potsdam (photo – V.Polák, 2021)
Gravity monitoring in Stefanos crater (with enough H2S to respire), Greece – observatory project CzechGeo (photo – J.Mrlina, 2019)