Former Prof. Dr. Jörn Peckmann

Our research interests focus on the interactions between biological activity, especially microbial, and material fluxes in the shallow geosphere. Our interdisciplinary research fields include geochemistry, sedimentary geology, and microbiology. We study geobiological processes in both modern marine and ancient sediments. Generally defined, the marine carbon and sulphur cycles are the focal points of our research. Specific projects deal with marine methane-seeps, carbonate authigenesis, sulphur-accumulating environments, phosphorites, mineral precipitation and life at mid-oceanic ridges and other extreme environments.

Working Area

Modern deposits of marginal seas. Rocks of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and their biological colonisation. Deposits of ancient marginal seas which are exposed onshore today, including sediment strata from the western United States (Washington, Oregon), Morocco, Italy, France, and Germany.

Methods

Characterisation of biogenic sediments with organic and isotope geochemical methods. Microscopic (light, fluorescence, electron) investigation of biogenic, especially microbial deposits.