Jens Greinert

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, GEOMAR Technologie GmbH - GTG

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About

Jens Greinert is a leading figure in deep-sea research, specializing in the optical imaging and automated analysis of marine resources. His work is pivotal to the emerging field of deep-sea mining, where he develops cutting-edge methods to quantify and characterize polymetallic nodules—mineral deposits critical for modern technology. Greinert’s major contributions include pioneering compact-morphology-based delineation techniques for assessing nodule abundance, a breakthrough that directly supports both commercial mining operations and environmental impact monitoring. His most cited work (58 citations) provides a scalable, centimeter-to-meter resolution framework for seafloor resource evaluation. Beyond resource assessment, Greinert has established a sustainable, terabyte-scale workflow for marine image data management (25 citations), enabling systematic analysis of vast underwater visual datasets captured by autonomous robots and towed cameras. He has also advanced autonomous robot recognition of mining targets, integrating AI to identify polymetallic nodules and massive sulfides. His open-access seafloor image datasets from major research cruises (SO239, SO242/1) serve as foundational resources for the global oceanographic community. Through these innovations, Greinert is shaping the future of responsible deep-sea resource utilization.