SERVICES

The new and updated laboratories of the research group Quaternary Geology are designed to cut and sample speleothems for paleoclimate reconstructions

Annual growth layers in stalagmites help to improve chronologies and are an additional proxy for the amount of precipitation.

Oxygen and carbon isotopes of stalagmite calcite are excellent climatic and environmental proxies. Hydrogen and oxgen isotopes of fluid inclusion water provide direct information of palaeoprecipitation and can be used to calculate palaeotemperatures.

We do have a drillingequipment to drill stalagmites and flowstones.

Trace elements in speleothem calcite can be excellent tracers for volcanic eruptions and hydrological changes.

Samples are stored in a large storage facility at the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Basel.