Major Instrumentation Earth System Sciences

Major research instrumentation is part of the faculty's facilities. They form an essential element of research in our faculty, but also for cooperation with other faculties. Find out here which major research instrumentation is available at the earth system sciences institutes of our faculty and who the contact persons are.

Institute for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing

X-Ray Cabinet SHR 50 V and CoralXDS Software

Our X-ray cabinet SHR 50 V is used to document alternating growth bands of high density bands (HDBs) and low density bands (LDBs) of corals as well as biogenic drilling, encrustation and cementation within the corals. The distance between two high density bands (corresponding to the maximum grayscale intensity on the X-ray images) reflects the annual expansion rate of the coral. Coral density measurements provide information about the corals' previous habitats and growth conditions.

Contact Person:

  • Prof Dr Thomas Brachert

    Geology
    Talstraße 35, Room 0-09
    04103 Leipzig

    Phone: +49 341 97-32902

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enlarge the image: X-ray image of alternating high and low density growth bands of corals
X-ray image of alternating growth bands of high and low density of corals, Photo: Thomas Brachert, Leipzig University

Thermo Scientific™ Kiel IV and Thermo Scientific™ MAT 253 Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS)

Our stable isotope laboratory is equipped with a Kiel IV carbonate preparation unit coupled to a Thermo Scientific™ MAT 253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) for high-resolution, high-throughput oxygen and carbon isotope analyses (δ18O, δ13C). This instrument is used for paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on carbonate samples such as microfossils, gastropods, mollusks or brachiopods, ostracods, corals or pedogenic carbonates. The group's expertise lies in high-resolution sampling and analysis of coral samples to reconstruct growth conditions, as well as terrestrial paleoclimate reconstruction based on carbonates from fossil soils (pedogenic carbonates).

Contact Person:

  • Dr Katharina Methner

    Geology
    Talstraße 35, Room 0-05
    04103 Leipzig

    Phone: +49 341 97-32839

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enlarge the image: Image of the Thermo Scientific™ Kiel IV and Thermo Scientific™ MAT 253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) in the laboratory
Thermo Scientific™ Kiel IV and Thermo Scientific™ MAT 253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), Photo: Thomas Brachert, Leipzig University

Institute for Geography

Hyperspectral Line Scanner HySpex VNIR-1800 & SWIR-384, Full Range 400–2500 nm (HySpex)

The imaging and spatially high-resolution full range (Vis-NIR-SWIR) hyperspectral system (hyperspectral line scanner) can be used for research work in the laboratory and in the field. The device is mainly used for spatially and spectrally high-resolution scanning of soil profiles, sediment cores and geoarchaeological profiles as well as for recording vegetation characteristics, so-called functional traits. The Cubert FireflEYE S 185 hyperspectral snapshot camera is suitable for the easy and fast recording of hyperspectral image data in the field. The camera covers the wavelength spectrum from 450 to 950 nm in 125 spectral channels and weighs just 490 g.

Contact Person:

  • Prof Dr Michael Vohland

    Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing
    Johannisallee 19a, Room 0.13
    04103 Leipzig

    Phone: +49 341 97-32798

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enlarge the image: Laboratory configuration of the hyperspectral line scanner HySpex VNIR-1800 & SWIR-384
Laboratory configuration of the hyperspectral line scanner HySpex VNIR-1800 & SWIR-384, Photo: Michael Seidel, Leipzig University