The lecture will use selected temperature profiles from Hesse to show how the influence of global warming is ‘inscribed’ in the depths. With the help of a numerical heat conduction model, it will be illustrated how changes in air temperature propagate into the subsurface and which time scales are relevant in this process.
The combination of geothermal exploration and climate research thus opens up new perspectives: borehole measurements not only serve to generate energy, but also act as silent climate witnesses, documenting the changes that have taken place over the last one to two centuries.