Geo- and Cosmochemistry
Klaus Tschira Stiftungsprofessur* für Analytische und Theoretische Kosmochemie
Klaus-Tschira-Labor für Kosmochemie
Cosmochemistry
Meteorites are the main source of extraterrestrial material for laboratory studies. They tell us how our solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago from a cosmic cloud of gas and dust.
Geochemistry and Geochronology
Modern isotope analytics allows insight into formation processes of rocks and geochemical reservoirs, e.g., origin and evolution of the earliest terrestrial atmosphere. Measuring rare isotopes of the noble gas xenon is enhanced by multi collector mass spectrometry.
Interplanetary Dust
Dust detectors on board space probes like "Destiny+" and "Cassini" study cosmic dust in the solar system (SPIEGEL online). Cosmic particles are also found in deep sea sediments.
Planetary Collisions ⇒
If km sized asteroids or comets impact on Earth, consequences are catastrophic. One of the best studied impact craters on Earth is the 14.8 million years old Nördlinger Ries. Even smaller meteorites like the fall of Chelyabinsk in 2013 may cause serious damage.
Heidelberg Ion Probe (HIP) ⇒
Within the DFG priority program "The first 10 million Years of the Solar System" coordinated by Heidelberg Earth Sciences, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft funded a state-of-the-art ion probe, which is also a national analytical facility of the German Earth Sciences.
