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ABOUT ME

I am a planetary scientist and mineralogist interested in the interaction between gases, solids and melts at high temperature in predominantly volcanic processes on Earth and throughout the solar system.

I conduct experiments and use thermochemical modeling to understand processes from ore formation to volcanic eruptions on the Moon and Mercury.

EDUCATION

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Metal transport in volcanic gas

Volcanic degassing plays a major role in the global cycling of volatile elements. The volcanic gas emissions predominantly consist of the volatile species H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S, HCl and HF. In addition, volcanic gases can transport significant amounts of heavy metals at high temperatures, which are deposited at the surface as the gases cool. The gases are highly enriched in trace metals, by up to a factor of 105 relative to the magmatic source. At these degrees of enrichment, quiescently degassing volcanoes emit kilograms to tons of metals per day. Metals emitted in volcanic gases form fumarolic deposits at the surface, consisting of highly diverse mineral assemblages, including oxides, silicates, sulfides, sulfates, halides and native metals.

I also work on questions relating to the behavior of metals degassing from magma oceans and the surfaces from airless bodies and in the early solar system.

2014 - 2018

The Australian National University

PhD at the Research School for Earth Sciences

Supervisor: Prof. Penelope L. King

Advisors: Richard W. Henley, Marc Norman, Trevor Ireland, Richard Arculus

Thesis: "Volcanic gases and the reaction of sulfur dioxide with aluminosilicate glasses"

Gas-solid reactions in planetary volcanic systems

Determination of reaction mechanisms and reaction rates between SO2, and reduced S-gas species with silicate glasses, melts and minerals. These gas-solid reactions play a key role in the formation of volcanic ore deposits, scavenge S from the gas phase in explosive eruptions, and enrich planetary surfaces and crusts in sulfur.

2011 - 2013

Ludwig Maximilian University & Technical University Munich, Germany

Master of Science in Geomaterials and Geochemistry

Thesis: "Experimental study on magma mixing processes with a special focus on processes at magma interfaces"

2007 - 2010

University of Bern, Switzerland

Bachelor of Science in Earth Science

Thesis: "Mineralogische Untersuchungen an Weinstein"

Employment

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, WWU

February 2021-ongoing: PI DFG project "Gas-solid reactions in hot, reduced planetary environments"

April 2020 - January 2021: Postdoctoral fellow in the framework of the transregional collaborative research center TRR170 "Late Accretion onto Terrestrial Planets"

https://www.trr170-lateaccretion.de/project/b7

October 2018 - March 2020: Swiss National Science Foundation Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship

May 2018 - September 2018: Fellowship in the framework of the transregional collaborative research center TRR170 "Late Accretion onto Terrestrial Planets"

2003 - 2007

Gymnasium Bern-Kirchenfeld, Switzerland

Matura

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