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Research at the Institute of Geosciences

The foundation of a university department is to examine a broad spectrum of topics and disciplines. This is crucial to ensure an adequate, prospective and up-to-date training of undergraduate and graduate students. At our department, the research units comprise such a diversified geoscientific expertise, crossing the classical disciplines. This diversity is also apparent in the research profile of the entire department ranging from deep crustal and mantle studies to near-surface and surface related studies. Nevertheless, the expertise of the individual units meet at some central topics, reflecting the main directions of research at our department. These central topics are Earth’s surface processes, geohazards, as well as resources, and geomaterials.

More information about the research programs and laboratory infrastructure of the research focus area can be found on the Research Focus Area Earth System Sciences website.

Research Groups

Snow-capped mountains in the central Andes

General Geology

Head: Prof. Peter van der Beek

Eruption and lava flow at the Fagradalsfjall Crater, Iceland, 2021

General Geophysics

Head: Prof. Dr. Eva Eibl

Cesium magnetometer measurements in the vicinity of Cairo

Applied Geophysics

Head: Prof. Dr. Jens Tronicke

Geoscience

Sedimentology

Head: Prof. Dr. Maria Mutti

Sesimological array measurement in the Apennines

Geological Remote Sensing

Head: Prof. Dr. Bodo Bookhagen

Rubies (red) in a metagabbro from Turkey

Mineralogy

Head: Prof. Dr. Max Wilke

Suguta Valley

Paleoclimate Dynamics

Head: Prof. Dr. Martin Trauth

Granit (light) Intrusionen in Gabbro-Diorit Sequenz (dark) des Ladakh Batholiths (Shyok River, nr. Turtuk, Ladakh, NW India

Petrology

Head: Prof. Dr. Patrick O'Brien

Research area Himalaya

Thermochronology

Head: Prof. Edward Sobel, PhD

Coring site after a strong rain event towards the end of the night shift

Research Programs

with institute involvement