Research fields

Bent T. Hansen
has his Core Competence in thermal-ion mass-spectrometry (TIMS). Beside the more classical geo-science research, the investigations of water-rock interaction processes by means of isotope-geochemical modeling are part of his central research also. This type of investigation is crucial for the understanding of rock-organics interaction in the environments of the Deep Biosphere. This includes the investigation and development of isotope-proxies for the reconstruction of the paleo-climate archives during geological times. Isotopic composition of groundwater has also shown up to be an excellent tracer for characterizing of flow paths of natural aquifers. These results have shown that natural isotopic tracers are an important tool in the investigations concerning the public water supply and by the considerations of freshwater re-injection in areas of strong land subsidence. The isotopic investigation of water has also been proved to be an excellent monitoring parameter in the geothermal research. The isotopic composition of water extracted during pump- and injection tests characterizes the origin of the formation water and the related water- rock interaction processes.

These recent examples of the research within the department of radiogenic isotope geology show clearly that the emphasis is on an interdisciplinary scientific approach and the combined use of extensive field studies and lab-experiments.