Cooling and denudation history of Spitsbergen, and inferences for tectonics, climate and longterm landscape evolution

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Frank Lisker
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2010 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 164682497

This proposal applies for 18 months final funding of a PhD position within a research project in Spitsbergen that is carried out as a cooperation between the Universität Bremen, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), and other partners. The project applies apatite fission track (FT) and (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronology, clay mineral and vitrinite reflectance analysis for reconstructing the thermal history of basement rocks and sedimentary cover. The principle aim of this research is to investigate the Phanerozoic crustal dynamics of northern and central Spitsbergen, its implications on the opening of the Atlantic and consequences on regional long-term climate evolution. Four specific objectives are:1) Passive margin evolution of Svalbard2) Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic regional tectonic history3) Thermal evolution of the Central Tertiary Basin4) Coupling of Neogene climate change and tectonics, and long-term landscape evolution.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Australia
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Barry Kohn; Professorin Dr. Cornelia Spiegel