Research

Specific Programs of the Institute for Geochemistry and Petrology

• Field and laboratory examination of rocks from the lower crust and mantle entrained in mountain belts, eg. the Alps. The relict equilibria in these rocks permit reconstruction of the tectonomorphic history (pressure-temperature-time paths) of the rocks. More: High Pressure Group, Petrology Group, ...
  
  
• The high-pressure group simulates physical and chemical conditions in the interior of the Earth, Moon and planets, with a view to understanding their origin and evolution. More: High Pressure Group ...
  
  
• Various isotopes in natural materials are measured with cutting edge mass spectrometric instrumentation to study the compositional structure and evolution of the earth's mantle, the formation and evolution of our solar system, dating of geomorphological processes, e.g. the deposition of glacial moraines, to study past regional and global climate variations and many more: Isotope Geochemistry Group ...
  
• Quantitative field investigations, advanced micro-analytical techniques, numerical process modeling and geochronological methods are used to study the formation of ore deposits from magmatic-hydrothermal systems. More: Fluids and Mineral Resources Group ...
  
  
• Fluid rock interaction on the sea floor as well as on continents is being studied to gain insight into tectonics and the formation of ore deposits. More: Marine Geology and Geochemistry Group ...
  
  
• Research of the geochemistry group deals with experimental investigations of the inorganic physical chemistry of aqueous fluids in the earth's crust and mantle over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. More: Geochemistry Group ...
  
  
• A long term project of volcanoes worldwide especially the Aegean, Mediterranean and Africa has as its goal the prediction of volcanic eruptions and assessment of the contribution made by volcanism the earths's atmosphere. More: Volcanology Group ...
  
  
• Modern computation is used to quantify how the physical and chemical properties of mineral, rocks, fluids and melts control the evolution of parts of our planetary interior during large and small scale petrological processes.