Geology Research
Research by the geology group at PLUS takes an applied and interdisciplinary approach to investigating the systems of planet Earth and our natural environment and how they have changed over time. Current research covers four main areas:
Geodynamics & Landscape Evolution
Research Focus: How do mountains develop through the collision of continents, and how does mountain topography form far away from tectonic plate boundaries? How do climate and climate change affect landscapes and the processes that shape them? How do short-term events such as floods, mudslides and landslides control the development of mountain landscapes over periods of millions of years? Our research addresses the dynamics of the Earth’s surface and thus the development of landscapes (our habitat) at different spatial and temporal scales in response to tectonic and climatic conditions. This includes the long-term development (millions of years timescale) of mountain landscapes towards a state of equilibrium between uplift (controlled by tectonics) and erosion (controlled by climate), but also individual hazardous events such as debris flows, avalanches or rockfalls, which occur in seconds or minutes and shape the mountain topography as well as our habitat.
Active mountains: Research is based on field observations, quantitative analysis of spatial data (e.g. digital elevation models) and their time series, numerical models and the use of state-of-the-art laboratory methods (e.g. cosmogenic nuclides). By combining these different methods, we determine the timing, speed, duration and extent of (earth surface) processes and their feedback loops in active mountains. The development and application of numerical models is a particular focus of this research group’s work. In the Landscape Evolution Lab (LEL), we model deformation on a mountain scale, crustal thickening and uplift, spatial and temporal gradients in orographic precipitation, the development of drainage systems, fluvial and glacial erosion, flexural isotacia, stresses in mountains under dead weight, rock failure and mass movements.
Alpine natural hazards: In our research group, we investigate the occurrence, recurrence period and distribution of natural hazards in Alpine regions and their impact on Alpine infrastructure and settlement areas. This includes field observation of landslides, debris flows, avalanches, rockfalls and floods (including erosion, sediment transport and deposition) as well as development of numerical models to describe the dynamics of these processes in our Landscape Evolution Laboratory (LEL) and strategies for damage mitigation.
Contact: Jörg Robl
Tectonics & Thermochronology
Research focuses on the application of structural geology, geochronology and thermochronology to better understand the crustal-scale tectonic processes that contribute to mountain formation. Other important aspects inclde the roles of salt tectonics and active geothermal systems, as well as the interaction between mountain-building processes and climate change.
Contact: Christoph von Hagke
Environmental & Hydrogeology
The interaction between geogenic and anthropogenic influences forms the general framework for research interests in the field of environmental geology. In addition to quantitative and qualitative hydrogeology in settlement areas (water use, pollution, etc. in Alpine valleys), research activities focus on the development of methods for utilising water constituents to understand Alpine bedrock aquifers.
Contact: Sylke Hilberg
Quarternary Geology
We explore links between Quaternary climate change, tectonics and earth surface processes using sediments, landscape forms and crustal data. Our studies focus on the best-studied mountain range on earth, the European Alps and its foreland basins, benefiting from exceptional information on glacial impact, surface and crustal geology and providing a most integrative understanding of processes involved in glacial and fluvial depositional systems.
Contact: Bernhard Salcher
