Department of Lithospheric Research
The Department of Lithospheric Research deals with all aspects of the geological investigation of Earth's lithosphere. Main fields of interest are the petrological, geochemical and geochronological characterisation of magmatic, ophiolitic, and metamorphic rock units of the continental and oceanic crust, respectively, with an emphasis on understanding geological processes and on extracting information about timing and rates. Beyond natural samples, the research carried out at the Department involves experimental analogues of natural systems as well as artificial (industrial) materials containing mineral phases. Other topics of interest include the role of mineral surfaces in atmospheric ice nucleation, the investigation of geochemical and metasomatic processes in the upper sub-continental mantle in South America and Siberia, the investigation of meteorite impacts on Earth and their influence on the environment, the investigation of meteorites, and the archaeometrical characterisation of artefacts.
- Head of the Department: Gerlinde Habler
- Deputy Head: Urs Kloetzli
News
The Faculty for Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy in the public
In den Medien
- Woher bekommen Korallen ihre vielen Farben? (Die Presse, 08.09.2025)
- Feenkreise könnten Hinweise auf tiefe Wasserstoffquellen liefern (Geo.de, 03.09.2025)
- Mikroplastik - Luftverschmutzung von der Quelle bis zur Senke (APA Science, 04.08.2025)
- Neues Mineral nach Österreicher benannt (Der Standard, 30.07.2025)
- Erdbebenforscher zum Erdbeben vor Russland (Guten Morgen Österreich, 31.07.2025)
- Science and Society in Central Asia: Dr Uğur Öztürk on Risk Communication and Climate Challenges (Cronos Central Asia, 21.07.2025)
- Ein Mann, der den Mooren auf den Grund geht: "Ich bin da reingerutscht" (Kurier, 21.07.2025)
- Größter Mars-Meteorit versteigert (ORF, ZIB 1, 16.07.2025)
Auszeichnungen und Erfolge
- Andreas Bechtold, Dissertant am Department für Lithosphärenforschung, ist Ko-Autor eines Nature-Artikels zu möglicher Biosignatur am Mars
- AGU Advanced Article co-authored by Aiko Voigt featured in Editor's Highlight on Eos
- Ertlit: Neues Mineral nach Andreas Ertl vom Institut für Mineralogie benannt
- Meike Levin-Keitel in den Beirat für Raumentwicklung in der 21. Legislaturperiode des Deutschen Bundestages berufen
- Christian Köberl appointed as "Science Editor" of the Journal GSA for 2026-2029 (currently Acting Science Editor)
- Theresa Nohl appointed as Sedimentology Councilor at the Society of Sedimentary Geology (SEPM)
- Iris Breda receives one of the three 6-month postdoc positions of the UNIVIE Franziska Seidl Program