Natural magnetism
We are pursuing an experimental approach to identify and characterise magnetic phases in natural materials. This information is used in mineral magnetic, environmental (e.g. soil and lacustrine), and biomagnetism (e.g. brain tissue) studies. We are also developing techniques based on rock magnetism to study deformation. Many of our experiments were carried out at the Laboratory for Natural Magnetism.
We are involved in research that covers rock and mineral magnetism, environmental magnetism and paleomagnetism. Our areas of interest are broad and range from developing techniques to understand what controls magnetic anisotropy in rock and minerals to using magnetic properties of natural and synthetic materials to further our understanding of how magnetic mineralogy reflects environmental conditions or how magnetic properties can predict performance in applications with synthetic magnetic nanoparticles. We are also involved in paleomagnetic studies to better understand the geomagnetic field in the past.
This research was led by Prof. Ann M. Hirt and PD Dr. Andreas Gehring.
More information on our research output can be found in our publications.
We also ran Laboratory for Natural Magnetism which hosts a number of instruments and offers measuring services.
Former group members
- Fatima Martín Hernández – Professor, Institute of geosciences, Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain
- Franziska Brem – ABB Research, Switzerland
- Volkmar Schmidt – Senior scientist, Geophysics Institute, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany
- Bjarne Almqvist – Lecturer, Dept. Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden
- Andrea R. Biedermann – SNF Professor, Geological Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Jessica Kind – Mosan GmbH, Switzerland
- K. Lisa Kapper – Researcher, Geophysics Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico
- Monika Kumari – Stadler Rail, Switzerland
- Hakon Fischer – Geotest, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- M. Charilaou - Professor at the Dept. of Physics, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, U.S.A.