Topics of Section 4.2

Dating Metamorphic Minerals
Determining the age of metamorphic minerals that formed under defined pressure and temperature conditions, and at particular stages in the deformation history, allows to determine rates of orogenic processes.

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
The 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 and 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.