Date: 13-24/09/2020
Location: Leinebergland, Lower Saxony, Germany
Participants: 15 BSc students
Topic: Mapping the mesozoic rock sequence of the Hils depression
Additional information: Joint mapping course in cooperation with the department of Technical Petrology.
Iceland Field Trip 2019
Date: 19-31/08/2019
Location: Iceland
Participants: 13 students, 2 supervisors
Topic: Energy supply and climate change
Additional information: It was a two weeks’ excursion over the entire island. We visited the highlands with our 4x4 cars, tents and mobile kitchen. The main focus was on geothermal energy. But also bathing in warm springs and pots was often possible.
Tuscany Excursion 2019
Date: 20-24/05/2019
Location: Elba Island and Larderello geothermal field, Tuscany, Italy
Participants: 15 students
Topic: Deep geothermal energy and exhumed fossil geothermal reservoirs
Additional information: Joint field trip in cooperation with the TU Delft (Prof. Dr. David Bruhn), the Netherlands, and the University of Bari Aldo Moro (Prof. Dr. Domenico Liotta), Italy. All aspects of deep geothermal, from the outcrop analogue to the electricity producing geothermal power plant, were topics of this field trip. A field trip report by TU Delft is available here.
Participants saw the historic site of the first geothermal power production at Larderello and learnt about historical as well as about modern energy production technologies from geothermal heat. A publicly accessible geothermal well as well as the geothermal museum were visited to study the development of geothermal power production: from pioneering drilling technologies to modern drilling, old power plant prototypes as well as active modern geothermal installations operated by Enel. The geology of the region was explored, including the famous geothermal surface manifestations Biancane near Monterotondo Marittimo. On the island of Elba, students learnt what the heat source of a deep geothermal system looks like: the exhumed geothermal systems of the Monte Capanne monzogranite. The participants looked at the structures within the magma and the different intrusions of magmas and analysed the fossil geothermal system and mineralized structures. In addition, the group had the opportunity to learn about the mineralisations related to the hydrothermal activity at the Rio Marina museum. Rio Marina was the centre of Italy’s iron mining for more than 2000 years (abandoned in the 1980s). It was possible to collect some pyrite samples in an abandoned quarry.
Hauptgeländeübung II 2018
Date: 20/08-01/09/2018
Location: Ziller Valley, Austria
Participants: 32 MSc students
Topic: Hydrochemical and geochemical investigation of the Tux Creek catchment
Additional information: The Hauptgeländeübung (main field exercise, HGÜ) II is designed to teach students in the higher semester, how a practical task is largely solved independently with broad geoscientific basic knowledge. For the preparation of the HGÜ II there is a semester accompanying seminar. The task is carried out in the field with subsequent elaboration of the reports, expertises or maps. In addition, laboratory work may be required.
Argentina Field Trip 2018
Date: 07-21/04/2018
Location: San Juan, La Rioja and Catamarca provinces, Argentina
Participants: 11 BSc and MSc students
Topic: Geology of the Andes
Additional information: The field trip took place in cooperation with the Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Experiences and impressions of the excursion have been recorded in the form of a documentary film.
Daily Excursion Speyer
Date: 29/06/2018
Location: Speyer, Germany
Participants: Reservoir characterization II students
Topic: Petroleum production well Römerberg
Additional information: After a general introduction and a tour at the plant (extraction, separation, storage and transport of oil), it was also possible to discuss the specific challenges of domestic energy production with responsible employees.
Argentina Field Trip 2015
Date: 11-24/10/2015
Location: San Juan, La Rioja and Catamarca provinces, Argentina
Participants: 13 BSc and MSc students
Topic: Geology of the Andes
Additional information: The field trip took place in cooperation with the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Universidad Nacional de San Juan.
Hauptgeländeübung II 2013
Date: 15-25/09/2013
Location: Ziller Valley, Austria
Participants: 24 MSc students
Topic: Geological nature trail Berliner Ridgeway
Additional information: Geological presentation boards have been developed for the famous Berliner Ridgeway. Experiences and impressions of the excursion have been recorded in the form of a documentary film. More information on the high alps nature park Zillertaler Alps are available here.
Deep Geothermal in Southern Germany
Date: 12-16/03/2012
Location: Southern Germany
Participants: 15 tudents
Topic: Geothermal reservoirs, outcrop analogues in the Saar-Nahe Basin and the Swabian Jura as well as geothermal power plants in the Upper Rhine Graben and the Molasse Basin
Additional information: Geothermal power plants were visited at various sites: HDR project Soultz-sous-foretz, France, hydrothermal power plants in Landau and Sauerlach / Taufkirchen.
China Excursion 2010
Date: 24/03-10/04/2010
Location: Wuhan-Himalaya, China
Participants: 15 Students
Topic: Geology at the Yangtze River
Additional information: The excursion and a two day preparing workshop was funded by the DAAD within the German-Chinise Program for Science and Education 2009/10 and was conducted together with the universities of Nürnberg-Erlangen and the University of Geosciences in Wuhan.
Breisgau Excursion
Date: 01-02/10/2009
Location: Breisgau, SW Germany
Topic: Structural geology and geothermal along the Schwarzwald fault
Additional information: Since the end of 2007, a geological uplift has been taking place in the historical town center of Staufen, which increases by about one centimeter per month and is already 18 cm in the area of the historic town hall. The uplift is due to seven geothermal drills that were completed in September 2007 to 140 m depth to supply geothermal energy for the historic town hall.
Daily Excursion Tunnel Schlüchtern
Date: 11/04/2008
Location: Schlüchtern, Eatsern Hesse
Topic: Tunneling
Additional information: The Schlüchterner Tunnel – also called Distelrasen Tunnel – is a 3,573 m long railway tunnel on the Frankfurt/Main-Fulda railway line between the towns Schlüchtern and Flieden. The route runs parallel to the highway 66 and traverses the Hessian ridge.
The existing tunnel – since 01/05/1914 in operation – suffers damages on the masonry due to the strong exhaust pollution and water ingresses. A new tunnel tube with a length of 4 km is under construction 50 meters west of the old tunnel since September 2005. A renovation can not be carried out under operation, as the tunnel is too busy.
