University of Heidelberg - Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences - Institute of Earth Sciences
Geo- and Cosmochemistry
Members and associates

Mario Trieloff

Rainer Altherr

Winfried H. Schwarz

Jens Hopp

Alexei I. Buikin

Ekaterina V. Korochantseva

Instruments

CH5 for Argon measurement

Finnigan MAT GD150 (modified) for Argon

TANDEM (in-house spec) for all noble gases

VG 3600 (MPI-K Heidelberg) for all noble gases

Methods

Noble gas mass spectrometry

K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar dating

Isotopes

^{3, 4}He

^{20, 21, 22}Ne

^{36, 37, 38, 39, 40}Ar

⁴⁰K

^{78, 80, 82, 83, 84, 86}Kr

^{124, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 136}Xe

Topics

Thermochronology and geochronology, K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar dating

Cosmochemistry, meteorites
Chronology of early solar system processes, formation of planetesimals and planets
Evolution of chondritic asteroids, ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar- and ²⁴⁴Pu fission track chronologies
Asteroid impacts on Earth, impact craters

Geochemistry
Noble gas isotopes as tracers of mantle geodynamics
Accretion of the Earth and early differentiation (mantle–atmosphere–core–crust)
Subcontinental and oceanic mantle plumes

Geochronology
Intercalibration of irradiation monitors in ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar-dating
Evaluation of the ⁴⁰K-⁴⁰Ar decay constant
K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar dating of magmatic and metamorphic rocks

Examples

Ar-Ne isotope systematics of stepwise crushed samples from Pannonian basin mantle xenoliths - data reflect mixing between atmospheric and mantle derived neon and argon.

Lectures

Sonnensystem und Geochemie der Erde