University of Heidelberg
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Institute of Environmental Physics
Groundwater and Paleoclimate
Members and associates
Instruments
Noble gas mass spectrometer (VG5400)
He isotope mass spectrometer (MM3000)
Isotopes
Topics
Age dating of young waters
Ground and surface waters with ages less than 50 yr are dated by the 3H-3He and SF6
methods, in order to study processes such as vertical mixing in lakes, groundwater recharge, or the spreading of contaminants
in aquifers
Noble gas paleotemperatures
Dissolved noble gas concentrations in groundwater enable the determination of paleo-recharge temperatures, which
are used to reconstruct the late pleistocene temperature history. A new project explores the potential of fluid
inclusions in speleothems as an archive for this proxy.
Examples
Groundwater ages in the Odenwald region. Ages ranges for the different geological units and zones of mixing
with deeper groundwater are shown.
Noble gas paleotemperature record from the North China Plain. A glacial - interglacial temperature change of
4 - 6°C is found.
Lectures
