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The effect of micas on the strength of experimental granitoid fault gouge

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Aug 26

📢 Paper alert!
Weija Zhan et al. 2025 studied the role of sheet silicates in fault zones, by conducting hydrothermal ring shear experiments.👩‍🔬 They found that mica enrichment in granitoid faults can lead to weaker upper crust and stronger middle crusts.
Read more:

Sheet silicates play an important role in shaping crustal rheology and shear localization at shallow depths through their low strength. However, their…

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Aug 7

📢 Paper alert! Vasileios Mavromatis et al. investigated how sulfate (SO₄²⁻) impacts Mg isotope fractionation in low-Mg calcite 💧🪨 — with big implications for interpreting natural carbonate records.

👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#Geochemistry #IsotopeGeochemistry #MgIsotopes #Carbonates

Lake sediments on the Adamawa Plateau (Central Cameroon) as archives of climate change and the Bantu impact during the last 4000 years BP - Journal of Paleolimnology

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jul 29

📢 Paper alert!

A multiproxy study from Alexandrine N’nanga et al. 2025 studied four lakes in Central Cameroon to investigate past environmental changes induced by climate variations and human impact.

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This study investigates Late Holocene environmental changes in Central Cameroon induced by the combined effects of climate and human impact. For this purpose, sediments from lakes Dang, Massote,…

Source-to-sink patterns of grain size along the Yamuna River in the Indian Himalaya

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jul 24

📢 Paper alert! Narendra Patel et al., using drone data, aimed to explain source-to-sink patterns of #coarse-grained #sediment transport in braided streams of the Indian #Himalaya 🏔️ .
More info:

Material supply, water transport, and river engineering structures such as dams and barrages potentially disrupt and alter the downstream grain size p…

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jul 21

📍 #Goldschmidt2025
Researchers from the #UniversityofBern attended this year’s Goldschmidt Conference, contributing to discussions on current developments in #geochemistry, presenting their work, and engaging with the #internationalscientificcommunity.

MinPlotX: A powerful tool for formula recalculation,...

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jun 26

📢 New tool for #geoscientists! Walters & Gies present MinPlotX—an #opensource program for mineral formula recalculation + compositional plotting. GUI for easy use, API for advanced users. Great for #microprobe data + large datasets.

Open Access paper: doi.org/10.2478/mipo...

MinPlotX is an open-source software for mineral formula recalculation and compositional plotting providing an easy-to-use stand-alone graphical...

Ultra-fast metamorphic reaction during regional metamorphism

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jun 24

📢 Paper alert! Liu et al. show ultra-fast #metamorphic reactions (8 days to <1 yr) during regional #metamorphism. Trace element #diffusion in garnet reveals melt-assisted corona growth at rates previously thought exclusive to contact metamorphism or lab settings.

doi.org/10.1016/j.gc...

Constraining the timescales of metamorphic processes is critical to understanding geodynamics on Earth. It is generally accepted that the rates of met…

www.sciencedirect.com

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jun 4

📢Paper alert!

Vesin et al. use δ¹⁸O and trace element data from Erro-Tobbio serpentinites to reveal variable oceanic serpentinisation and dehydration pathways

Their findings suggest internal fluid control with minimal external slab fluid input

Read more: doi.org/10.1093/petr...

Chemical and Isotopic Exchanges in Serpentinites during Hydration and Dehydration Events in the Erro-Tobbio Massif (Italy): from Ocean to Subduction

Abstract. Subducted serpentinites are important for recycling water and fluid mobile elements into the deep Earth. Here we present a texturally controlled

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Jun 3

🎓Congrats to Dr. Hoda Moradi, who successfully defended her #PhD thesis “Mobilization of aluminum and other toxic elements under changing alpine climatic conditions” Wishing you all the best in the future!
@unibern.bsky.social

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · May 22

📢Paper alert! Chatterjee et al. find evidence for alteration of Earth's mantle 🌍 by recycled ocean materials over 3.4 billion years ago in India's Singhbhum Craton. This early recycling is thought to have helped build the planet’s first stable continents:

doi.org/10.1016/j.ep...

@unibe.ch

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · May 21

🥾 On last weekend, second semester Geography students visited the surroundings of Blatten bei Natters for their introductory course in geology 🏔️. Gneisses, amphibolites and glacial geomorphology were among the topics covered in this excursion led by members of our Institute.

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · May 13

📢Paper alert! The Cr, Ti and O isotopic composition of different ureilites 🌠, a group of achondrite meteorites, reveal the heterogeneity of their parent body. Kruttasch et al. conclude that they derive from an isolated sub-reservoir within the protoplanetary disk.

🔗Read more

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The Aare main overdeepening on the northern margin of the European Alps: basins, riegels, and slot canyons

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · May 6

📢Paper alert! Schlunegger et al. showed the results of an interdisciplinary project focused in Bern, Switzerland, which explored the origin of overdeepenings through a combination of a gravimetry survey, drillings, and dating.

🔗Read more following the link below
doi.org/10.5194/esur...

Abstract. This work summarizes the results of an interdisciplinary project where we aimed to explore the origin of overdeepenings through a combination of a gravimetry survey, drillings, and dating. T...

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Apr 30

Last week, second semester students from the bachelor course 👨‍🎓 completed their first fieldwork campaign in Ausserberg, Valais 🗻 They learnt the techniques of recording field notes, mapping, and measuring structural data #unibern #geology

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Apr 28

🏅 Dr. Renée Tamblyn received the prestigious “Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award of the GMPV Division” at #EGU25 for her groundbreaking work in 🕐petrochronology of subduction processes, 💧komatiite hydration and H2 production and ⏲the development of a new in-situ method for Lu-Hf geochronology️

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Apr 16

🧪 Flavio Anselmetti in Action at Pestalozzi School Camp 🌍

On April 3, Anselmetti visited the School Camp in Trogen (Appenzell), inspiring kids with his lake research. His interactive session sparked curiosity — maybe even in a future scientist!

📸 Photos by Ketty Bertossi

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Apr 8

PhD students Ainhoa Val Pascua and Neal Mathes recently represented IfG at Karst Records 10 in South Africa.🌍 In addition to presenting their own research, they explored the Cradle of Humankind, visited the West Coast Fossil Park,🦴 and attended a speleothem petrography workshop.👩‍🔬🐧

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Apr 1

Paper alert! 📢

Do Prado et al. investigate how grain size sorting affects surface roughness in gravel-bed rivers. Using a stochastic model and field data, they show that poorly sorted sediments create spatial roughness variations, forming meter-scale patches. 🌊🏞️
More info:🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...

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Major-Element Geochemistry and Fe3+/ΣFe of Metabasites

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Mar 31

📢Paper alert! Forshaw et al. present a new global database of 6,186 metabasite major-element compositions to shed light on metamorphic trends 📈 The database highlights volatile decrease with grade and encourages work on Fe3+ distribution in minerals @unibe.ch
more info: doi.org/10.1093/petr...

Abstract. Metabasites (metamorphosed mafic rocks) are crucial for understanding metamorphic and tectonic processes. Their preservation in exhumed orogenic

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Mar 27

Best wishes to Prof. Guido Schreurs from the Structural Geology group who starts his well-deserved retirement 🤠 Guido's fascinating geological and archaeological career is recorded in his work from Madagascar and analogue modelling 😀 Thanks to Guido and we wish him all the best in his retirement! 🎉🥳

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Mar 26

On April 3rd, IfG will host a Career Evening 👩‍🔬 providing students the chance to connect with professionals from diverse fields of geology 🌋💎☢️. The event will feature a speed networking session, followed by an apero. Be sure to register by March 31st!

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Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Mar 25

🏫 As every year, our Institute participated in the TecDays, organized by the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW). Members of the Isotope Geology group visited the Gymnasium Neufeld, and showed the effects of viscosity on the eruption modes and volcanic products.

🔗 More info buff.ly/DL6tCBs

Institute of Geological Sciences, Uni Bern @geologyunibern.bsky.social · Mar 19

Last Saturday the Swiss Society of Quaternary Research held its annual meeting at the Institute of Geological Sciences in Bern.🐻 PhD student Ainhoa Val Pascua received the award for best poster. Congratulations!🎉