( E L G I )
Eötvös Loránd
Geophysical Institute
of Hungary
- A c t i v i t y
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- S t r u c t u r e
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- P u b l i c a t i o n s
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- H i s t o r y
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- Wh a t c a n
b e v i s i t e d
- ( i n t h e
E L G I )
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- ELGI's
Activity
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- research in physics of the
Earth:
- geomagnetic observatory
service,
- research of the ionosphere,
lithosphere, study of the earthquake hazard,
- research in paleomagnetics,
- gravity and geomagnetic
surveys, databases, parameter maps,
- the maintenance and
development of the National Gravity Net,
- representing Hungary in
the international scientific projects (e.g. INTERMAGNET), etc.
- (Earth
Physics)
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non-seismic
geophysical prospecting:
geoelectric,
telluric, magnetotelluric surveys,
data processing, interpretation, databases and parameter maps
- prospecting for water,
building materials and other mineral resources,
- study of the geological
structures, etc.
- (Geoph. Mapping)
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- seismic prospecting:
- seismic data processing and
interpretation, databases,
- reflection and refraction
surveys
- by vibrators or explosive
sources
- prospecting for
hydrocarbons and other mineral resources,
- study of the geological
structures, tectonics, etc.
- (Geoph.
Research, Geoph. Services)
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- near-surface geophysical
surveys:
- seismic, ground probing
radar and geoelectric measurements, dataprocessing, interpretatin,
databases,
- geotechnic measurements in
drillings, cross-hole surveys
- measurements for
engineering, environmental and archeological studies, etc.
- (Engineering Geoph.)
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- airborne geophysical
surveys:
- dataprocessing,
interpretation, databases and parameter maps,
- processing of satellite
images
- reconnaissance surveys,
prospecting for mineral resources,
- study of the geological
structures, etc.
- (Geoph. Mapping)
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radiometric
surveys:
- laboratory and field
measurements,
- data processing, parameter
maps
- environmental
investigations, geochemical studies, etc.
- (Geoph.
Research)
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- well-logging:
- data processing,
interpretation, databases and parameter maps
- log calibration
- prospecting for water,
building materials and other mineral resources,
- study of the geological
structures, etc.
- (Geoph.
Research)
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- national geophysical
databases:
- development and maintenance
of national databases
- data services
- (Geoph.
Data Management)
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ELGI's
Structure
- Director: Dr.
Tamás Fancsik
- Technical and Financial Deputy Director: János
Jánvári
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- Department of Earth
Physics
- Head of the Dept.: Mr.László Hegymegi
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- Department of
Geophysical Research
- Head of the Dept.: Mr. Endre Hegedűs
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- Department
of Geophysical Mapping
- Head of the Dept.: Mr. László Vértesy
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- Department
of Engineering Geophysics
- Head of the Dept.: Mr. Endre Törös
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- Department of Data
Management
- Head of the Dept.: Dr. Ernő Takács
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- Department of
Geophysical Services
- Head of the Dept.: Mr. Lajos György
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- Administration
- Head of the Dept.: János Jánvári
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ELGI's Publications
- Geophysical
Transactions
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- other publications
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ELGI's
brief history
Baron Eötvös Loránd
- The prominent international geodetical society of the period
before the first world war, the Internationale Erdmessung, held its XV.
congress in Budapest, in 1906. Baron Eötvös Loránd, directing professor
of the Experimental Physical Institute of the Pázmány Péter University
of Science in Budapest presented his investigations on gravity at this
congress and demonstrated also in practice field application of his
gravity variometer, which later became world-famous as Eötvös-balance,
in the vicinity of Arad. Participants of these congress found Eötvös's
investigations so important and his results so significant that they
addressed a petition to the Hungarian government in which they
requested to support efficiently Eötvös's studies. The Hungarian
government fulfilled this request, and from 1907 onwards granted
annually 60,000 crowns from the budget of the Ministry of Religion and
Public Education for Eötvös's gravity and geomagnetic research (it is
mentioned only for sake of comparison that the total annual budget of
the Experimental Physical Institute was 4,000 crowns at that time). As
a result of this decision the first applied geophysical institute in
the world was born, under Eötvös's direction, temporarily within the
walls of the Experimental Physical Institute, but organizationally and
financially also separated from that.
- Eötvös-balances having won prizes at the Paris (1900) and
Brussels (1957) world's fair
- After Eötvös's death in 1919 the Ministry of Finance, on the
proposal of its Mining Exploration Department, asked for the
Geophysical Institute's transfer from the Ministry of Religion and
Public Education; it was really handed over on condition that the
Institute "...will not serve only practical purposes in the future, but
it will continue the geophysical scientific research as well...". From
this time on the Institute being transferred to the Ministry of Finance
was called Hungarian Royal Baron Eötvös Loránd Geophysical Institute,
in honor of the great scientists; its first director was Pekár Dezső,
former pupil and colleague of Eötvös. Under the supervision of Eötvös's
pupils, Pekár Dezső, then Fekete Jenő, the Institute played a
pioneering role primarily in the instrumental hydrocarbon exploration
and through its geophysical instrument development it became very
quickly known and well-known all over the world.
- Field instrument wagon in the heroic age of geophysical
exploration
- Between the two world wars the Institute's exploration
expeditions roved the world and it delivered Eötvös-balances into
numerous countries. Gravity and geomagnetic exploration based on the
continually updated versions of the Eötvös-balance played the dominant
role in its activity, but simultaneously with them the new geophysical
exploration methods appearing at that time were also quickly
introduced, e.g. seismic, geoelectric and well-logging methods.
- The first Hungarian (six-channel) seismic instrument, with
contemporary geophones in the foreground
Following the second world war, during the management of the last
Eötvös pupil, Renner János, then Dombai Tibor, the increasing raw
material demand of Hungary turning into the "country of iron and
steel", and the geophysical expeditions launched in the spirit of the
"socialist internationalism" created favorable conditions for the
Institute's further development. Its versatility was getting stronger -
its researchers actively developed and exercised almost all geophysical
methods from in-mine investigations to observatory work - and its role
in geophysical instrument development was getting ever more important
as well. From 1965 onward the Eötvös Loránd Geophysical Institute of
Hungary, under Müller Pál's direction, was one of the most important
instrument suppliers in the Eastern Block and in addition to its
domestic exploration activity of significant volume, by means of its
expeditions and researchers, from bauxite exploration in Cuba to
investigation of manganese nodules in the Pacific Ocean, it was present
again all over the world.
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- Airborne geophysical measurements in the Bakony Mountains
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- Between 1990 and 1993 the Institute lived the hardest years of
its history. The eastern market, financial basis of instrument
development and manufacture in the Institute, disappeared, the domestic
demand of exploration shrunk to minimum and the volume of exploration
financed by the budget quickly decreased. The Institute made efforts to
adapt itself to the deteriorated conditions by fast reduction of its
staff - in 1993 it had only 45% of the number in 1989 - and by
obtaining contracts abroad. The government relying on foreign experts
and guided by short-term interests, however, did not give possibility
for that. Canceling the financial independence of the Institute the
ministries of finance and industry fixed the Institute's staff number
as 9% of that in 1989 and expected to finance this further 80%
reduction partly from selling of the Institute's fixed assets. The
Institute did not implement fully the staff reduction and was able to
keep in its possession the fixed assets, thus it succeeded in keeping a
significant part of its professional versatility and international
relations. (This "reorganization" is in any case a warning counterpart
of the reorganization taking place in 1919, immediately after the
defeat in the world war, after dismemberment of the country and the
proletarian dictatorship.)
- Since 1994 the Eötvös Loránd Geophysical Institute of Hungary as
a partly independent research institute (professionally independent,
but financially not) has been under the supervision of the Hungarian
Geological Survey. Its tasks are regulated by laws and orders. A
smaller part of its activity is funded by the budget, and a larger part
of it from the Institute's compulsorily prescribed own income.
- Vibroseis measurements in the Alps
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What can be
visited in the ELGI ?
- Geophysical Library
- librarian: Mészárosné Jellinek
Beáta
Baron Roland Eötvös Memorial Exhibition
- on the Net:
- Lorand
Eötvös Virtual Museum
Copyright (C) ELGI 1997.