Laboratory and field equipment

Laboratory infrastructure

  • Core-scanning facilities: (Geotek MSCL core-, ITRAX XRF core-scanner, CT-scanner (with partners at UniBE Forensic Sciences), Hyperspectral Imaging (with partners at UniBE Geography), Bruker Tornado µXRF scanner (with partners at UniBE Plant Sciences)
  • HCNOS elemental analysis
  • FTIR-Spectrometer – Vertex 70 with HTS-XT autosampler accessory (with in house methods developed for the high-resolution analysis of major mineral phases, biogenic silica, and organic matter composition)
  • Metal (isotope-)geochemistry-based proxy development (with in-house partners in isotope geochemistry and external partners at EAWAG)
  • Sedimentary/environmental DNA laboratory for the contamination-free extraction of DNA from sediments and other substrates.

Field equipment

Survey tools for lake and ocean research campaigns

  • 3.5 kHz reflection seismic system with digital acqusition
  • Multibeam bathymetric device Simrad Kongsberg EM2040
  • Fully automated and programmable sediment trap (K/MT 236) with up to 21 sampling positions
  • Multiparameter-probe (CTD 48M, Sea & Sun technology) for the continuous measurement of water column physical (temperature, conductivity, pressure) and chemical (oxygen concentration) properties
  • 5 L Niskin water sampling bottle
  • Equipment for pore-water sampling

and through the Swiss Limnogeologic Euipment Pool (UniBE, UniGE, ETH, Eawag)

  • Various short-coring devices (gravity and percussion corers)
  • Uwitec percussion coring system with platform (Plant Sciences UniBE, ETH Zurich)
  • Kullenberg coring system with Uwitec XXL platform (ETH Zurich)
  • Airgun reflection seismic survey system with multi- and single-channel streamer (University of Geneva)

We use IHS Kingdom Suite software to interpret our reflection seismic data: For more infos: 
www.ihs.com/products/kingdom-seismic-geological-interpretation-software.html