Topics of Section 4.2

Isotopic Dating of Minerals
Determining the age and rates of geological processes involves the determination of precise and accurate ages for a particular event or for particular conditions, such as the pressure and temperature of metamorphic mineral reactions. Dating of a sequence of mineral reactions or of deformation increments provides key information for the quantification of orogenic processes and the understanding of their structural, rheological, and thermal development, as well as for the orogen-internal material redistribution via fluids and melts.

Fundamental and applied research on gas hydrates
Determination of thermodynamic, kinetic and physical properties of natural gas hydrates and synthesized mixed hydrates; application of basic knowledge on applied problems (e.g. gas production from hydrate bearing sediments).

Geochemical technologies and methods
Geochemical technologies and advanced analytical methods have to be developed and optimised to answer urgent geological questions.

Geochemistry of gases and fluids
Fluids (waters and gases) play an important role in almost all geological processes from the mantle to the surface of the Earth.

Magmatism and Earth Processes
We study magmatic rocks to learn about Earth processes that start deep and affect human habitat at the surface. Our research addresses the origin of magmas and what happens as they rise through the crust to form plutons, mineral deposits and volcanoes.

Material Cycles in Orogens
Radiogenic (Pb, Nd, Sr) and stable (Li, B) isotopes are used along with geochemical data to constrain material redistribution among various lithological units in orogens. Selective material redistribution is critical for the understanding of processes in orogens, but also for the formation of ore deposits.

Noble gas isotopes in geochemistry and geochronology
The chemically inert noble gases (or “rare gases”) helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon are valuable tracers for various geochemical processes and can be used as dating tools in geochronology.