Pushing Analytical Frontiers

The exploration of new environmental archives and the development of novel analytical methods allows a constant advancement of our understanding of biogeochemical processes. Improvements in measurement techniques allow performing analyses with reduced sample size demands and, hence, to increase the spatial or temporal resolution. This forms the basis for novel biogeochemical and paleoclimatological information.

A major focus of our group continues to be the measurement of radiocarbon (14C) in organic materials using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Key aspects are broadening the range of compounds and particles that can be isolated, as well as increasing the sample throughput and decreasing sample size requirements for bulk and molecular-level 14C measurements. Furthermore, the exploration of molecular and isotopic information embedded in novel archives such as high altitude ice cores, Arctic deltaic lakes, and groundwater, is part of our research.