The Bubble Lab is an experimental laboratory to study bubble processes in hydrothermal and volcanic terrain. Earthquake and volcano processes are commonly accompanied by migration of fluids and deformation of fluid systems and their interaction with the host rock, including fracturing, fluid-filled crack growth and diking. The coupling between fluids and rock works in both ways: On one side, changes in the state of fluid-rock systems are thought to encourage or discourage tectonic earthquakes, …

Simulating geodynamic processes is a challenging task because of the non-linearity and cross-scale nature of tectonic processes. A great challenge is the multispectral character of lithosphere deformation ranging from earthquake rupture (seconds) to tectonic evolution (Millions of years). At the same time, deformation mechanisms determined at the micro-scale (rock friction and crystal plasticity) are responsible for the motion and internal deformation of tectonic plates. This requires a …

The laboratory for microscopy focuses on the specific requirements of microfacies analysis of lake sediments, but also offers a wide range of possibilities for other applications. Sedimentological, petrographic and microfacies analyses on all kinds of covered and uncovered thin sections and polished sections with transmitted and incident light are performed.

In our laboratory, the stable isotopes of the light elements carbon (C), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) in continental geoarchives such as lake sediments and speleothems as well as in precipitation and surface water are measured. Stable isotopes are non-radioactive nuclides of an element with the same number of protons and different numbers of neutrons and thus different atomic masses. This results in different physical properties that can lead to a shift in the isotope ratios in a …

The thin section preparation is used to make or produce sections of soft sediments (lacustrine and marine), hard rock, minerals, frozen kernels, organic materials, soils, ores and hygroscopic samples such as salts and clays. Thick and thin sections, ultrathin sections, polished sections, polished sections (single and double-sided), scattering devices, single crystals and reference samples of various formats can be produced. These are then used for further analysis on optical microscopes as …

The laboratory for XRF Element Scanning provides qualitative and non-destructive analyses of sediment compositions based on X-Ray Fluorescence. These analyses provide detailed element records and maps that can be used to characterize past depositional, environmental and climatic conditions.
In detail, the lab is equipped with an X-Ray fluorescence core scanner to analyze split core sections up to 180 cm length and diameters between 6 and 12 cm. Further, two micro X-Ray fluorescence scanner …

In the Organic Surface Geochemistry Lab (OSGLab) of the Geomorphology section, the smallest of molecules and isotopes open a door to the past. In the OSGLab we conduct research on regional differences of the causes and effects of past climate change and variations in biochemical cycles. In some projects, we can determine the "traces" of climate change down to a decade, in other projects biogeochemical processes are traced over millions of years.
In the laboratory, changes in the carbon …

The new state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope from Thermo Fisher Scientific Themis Z brings a lot of new opportunities for the characterization of crystal structure, microstructures and chemical composition of materials. Simultaneous imaging of heavy and light elements, and atomic resolution elemental imaging allow to investigate atomic structure with sub-Angstrom resolution.

The FEI Quanta 3D FEG is a state-of-the-art Dual Beam machine combining traditional thermal emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) with focused ion beam (FIB). This combination allows the characterization of materials in 2D and 3D (tomography), TEM sample preparation (TEM Lamella), observations at the subsurface of the specimens (cross section imaging) and structural modification of sample surfaces at the micrometer to nanometer scale.
The machine features three different vacuum modes …

One key feature of the FIB is the fast and easy TEM sample preparation. The FEI Helios G4 UC Dual Beam is part of the fourth generation of the leading Helios Dual Beam family. It combines the innovative Elstar electron column with high-current UC+ technology for extreme high-resolution imaging and the highest materials contrast with the superior Tomahawk ion column for the fastest, easiest, and most precise high-quality sample preparation. In addition to the most advanced electron and ion …