Research interest

A wide spectrum of Earth science problems is studied through isotopic age determinations and by using radiogenic isotopes as tracers. The focus and scope of the different research projects varies from large-scale, regional syntheses to detailed studies focusing on single minerals. General emphasis is on the evolution of the crust and mantle in the broadest sense, by well-focused studies on carefully chosen areas and rock types. 

My special interest include the study of the origin and evolution of granites through the use of geochemical tracers and through the application of geochronological techniques to provide time scales for geological processes and events.

My favorite dating candidates are zircons, as well as titanite and monazite. Zircon ages are obtained using both conventional U-Pb techniques and single zircon analyses by thermal evaporation (so-called Kober technique).

A new research field is the Sr isotope stratigraphy (small-scale isotopic sampling of single crystals) of single feldspar crystals using material from drill core samples. Sr-isotope measurements across single feldspar grains provide a powerful tool that can reveal the history of magma mixing, recharge, metasomatism and crystallisation.

I have had active research projects in the the central Andes of South America (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4, Pic5, Pic6). Current field areas include the Bohemian Massif (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4, Pic5) the Dabie-SuLu belt in central China (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4, Pic5) and the Himalaya-Tibet plateau (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4, Pic5).

I have active co-operation projects with the Institute of Geology, Academy of Geosciences and the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Academy of Science, in Beijing.