RING: Four Million for Research on the Earth’s Rotational Movements

26 June 2026

Photo: © Volker Lannert/ Universität Bonn

The Earth rotates on its own axis–but not as uniformly as one might think. Changes in mass on and within the planet, such as the shifting of water by the tides and the melting of ice sheets at the poles, influence this rotation. Measuring these fluctuations is the goal of a new research group that will receive approximately four million euros from the German Research Foundation over the next four years. Together, they aim to develop high-precision sensors for measuring the Earth’s rotation. Two research groups from the University of Hamburg—Prof. Dr. Celine Hadziioannou  and Prof. Dr. Oliver Gerberding—are participating in “RING: Rotational Movements in Physics, Geophysics, and Geodesy,” led by Prof. Dr. Heiner Igel at LMU Munich. They will collaborate on the development, further refinement and usage of the optical measuring instruments known as ring lasers. Insights into Earth’s rotation have direct implications for science. 

"By measuring rotational ground motions alongside traditional seismic waves, RING’s sensors act like a sensitive stethoscope for the planet," says Hadziioannou, who works in the field of Environmental Seismology. "These sensors will allow us to track how climate-related changes, such as groundwater shifts, subtly alter Earth’s crust, offering new insights into the impacts of environmental change on our planet." Gerberding adds: “The technology of ring lasers has a lot of overlap with gravitational wave detectors und compact ring lasers have the potential to reduce noise in future observatories like the Einstein Telescope. Joint research on this is a win-win situation.” The physicist conducts research on gravitational waves in the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe. The project thus forms an interdisciplinary link between the Department of Earth System Sciences and the Department of Physics. 

Learn more at https://www.ringlaser.de/