Jonas Preine receives prize for science communication"Sleeping fire mountains" on the seabed

1 August 2024

Photo: J. Preine

Dr. Jonas Preine from the University of Hamburg is receiving this year's KlarText Award from the Klaus Tschira Foundation. The foundation annually honors young researchers who present the background, methods, and findings of their doctoral theses in an especially engaging manner for the general public.

In an illustrative and impressive manner, Jonas Preine reports in his competition submission on his research on the volcanoes of Santorini. He describes the current appearance of the Greek island, which hardly hints at the destructive power of past eruptions. Comparable to an ultrasound examination in medicine, Preine has created seismic images of the subsurface and thus investigated how the region around Santorini has developed. "Our patients are volcanoes, and our findings are eruptions, tsunamis, or earthquakes," says Preine.

In addition to research, the geophysicist also values the communication of his results: "I want to bring my research closer to the public and share the fascination for volcanoes and for working at sea. After all, this research is funded by taxpayers' money." He emphasizes the importance of the right tone: "Although these are dramatic natural events, there should not be an unnecessary impression that the next super-eruption is imminent."

 Science communication at sea

 The volcanic eruptions and seismic activities investigated date back several hundred thousand years. Through his measurements, Preine was able to show how Santorini grew from a field of many smaller volcanoes – and he discovered more that have long been dormant on the seabed: "With our seismic data, we were able to visualize many of these sleeping fire mountains." The researcher hopes to contribute to a better understanding and reliable prediction of volcanic eruptions.

Incidentally, Preine wrote his entry for the competition on a research ship off the coast of Sicily. He also received the news of his win a few months later while aboard another expedition in the North Atlantic. He is very pleased about the planned publication of his article in the science magazine "KlarText" and the prize money of 7,500 euros, but he will not be able to accept the award in person: "During the award ceremony, I will be on another expedition at sea. It's a pity, but it closes the circle."