GRK 2156:  Deep Earth Volatile Cycles

• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270542396

Biological and hydrological activity cause volatiles to be rapidly exchanged between surface reservoirs, forming the life-sustaining water, carbon and nitrogen cycles; however, volatiles are also exchanged between the surface and the Earth's interior as a result of plate tectonic processes. As the Earth's mantle - the essentially solid silicate region of the interior - comprises by far the largest terrestrial reservoir for most volatile elements, it has an enormous capacity to influence the surface availability of these elements over geological time. Volatiles within the Earth also influence physical properties that likely regulate the very plate tectonic processes responsible for their deep transport cycle. Understanding the interdependence between the geochemical and geodynamic behaviour of volatiles, in addition to quantifying how volatiles are transported, stored and expelled from the interior, are key challenges in illuminating the unique long-term sustaining mechanisms of our planet. In this international research training group, doctoral researchers will be given in depth training in modern experimental and modelling techniques employed in solid Earth geosciences in a structured learning programme. At the same time they will pursue independent research to understand the cycling of volatile elements (principally C, H and N) through the entire Earth. Common mechanisms, tectonic settings and the study of different aspects of the same volatile cycle will provide natural cohesion to the graduate school. An important contrast to previous work will be the recognition that volatile components are rarely mobilised in the Earth as individual components but form mixed and often complex phases with properties, which are currently poorly constrained. Integrated models will be developed to describe the cycling of volatile elements based on high pressure and temperature experimental data supported by geodynamic and thermodynamic calculations in addition to geochemical and geophysical observations, for which TU expertise will be crucial. Advances in high pressure research rely on technological developments, which will be pursued through international group projects operating over the course of the school in parallel to independent research. These team efforts will benefit from the complimentary areas of expertise of UBT and TU.

• DFG Programme: International Research Training Groups
• International Connection: Japan
• Applicant Institution: Universität Bayreuth
• IRTG-Partner Institution: Tohoku University
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Daniel J. Frost
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Naoto Hirano; Professor Dr. Yasufumi Iryu; Professor Dr. Kunio Kaiho; Professor Dr. Takeshi Kakegawa; Professor Dr. Motohiko Murakami; Professor Dr. Hiroyuki Nagahama; Professor Dr. Tomoki Nakamura; Professor Dr. Eiji Ohtani; Professor Dr. Akio Suzuki
• IRTG-Partner: Spokesperson: Professor Michihiko Nakamura, Ph.D.
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Natalia Dubrovinskaia; Professor Dr. Leonid Dubrovinsky; Professor Dr. Gregor Johann Golabek; Professor Dr. Tomoo Katsura; Professor Dr. Hans Keppler; Dr. Katharina Marquardt; Dr. Hauke Marquardt; Professor Dr. David Rubie