Barberton Greenstone Belt

Research

Barberton Greenstone Belt
Image: Christoph Heubeck
Our research areas

Active research projects

  • BASE

    The sedimentary rocks of the Moodies Group in the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB), South Africa, are about 3.22 Ga old and are among the oldest well-preserved shallow-water strata in the world. They reach a stratigraphic thickness of nearly 4 km, are lithologically variable, and were deposited within about 1 to 14 Ma. The metamorphic grade is lower greenschist facies; widespread early diagenetic silicification has preserved micro- and macrotextures almost undeformed.

    The Moodies strata represent a very high-magnification record of Archaean surface processes and are probably unique in the world in allowing regional and temporal contextualization of micro-scale, high-resolution analytical data. They are comparable to or exceed similarly aged strata in the Australian Pilbara region. Their nearshore depositional environment is ideal for studying and combining data from marine and terrestrial environments. They also record numerous bio-geo-atmo-hydrosphere interactions, particularly those associated with diverse and well-documented microbial life.

    To better understand these processes through fresh and continuous rock sequences, eight research wells were drilled Nov. 2021 to July 2022, the cores of which we are currently studying in detail as part of a large international project.

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  • Bromacker

    The overall goal of Bromacker is, within the framework of a national, five-year cooperation project, to redevelop the worldwide unique fossil deposit "Bromacker" with an innovative and interdisciplinary working approach and thus to bring this unique window into the early evolution of terrestrial vertebrates closer to the public.

    Learn more de
  • TRACES

    The TRA­CES pro­ject deals with in­ter­di­sci­pli­na­ry in­ves­ti­ga­ti­ons of the com­bi­ned ef­fects of cli­ma­te chan­ge and an­thro­po­ge­nic im­pacts on aqua­tic and terrestri­al eco­sys­tems in eas­tern South Af­ri­ca over the last 250 ye­ars. For this pur­po­se, exis­ting data sets are com­ple­ted by and com­pa­red with a wide range of new in­for­ma­ti­on, which will be gai­ned from  ma­ri­ne and ter­restri­al se­di­ment ar­chi­ves.

  • Paleoarchean surface environments, Moodies Group, South Africa.

    Moodies-group rocks include the oldest well-preserved terrestrial (i.e., deposited on land) rocks; older sedimentary rocks are all marine. These rocks can therefore answer a variety of questions: What was the surface insolation ? What was the atmospheric temperature ? How intense was the weathering ? Was the sun ever visible ? How high were the tides, and how close was the moon ? Was there already life on the land ?

  • HyINTEGER

    HyINTEGER is an acronym and stands for:

    Investigations into the integrity of wells and engineering materials under highly corrosive conditions in geological hydrogen underground reservoirs. 

    The collaborative research project, approved for three years, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (grant number: 03ET6073)

    Investigations on the integrity of wells and technical materials under highly corrosive conditions in geological hydrogen underground reservoirs.

    BMWi Project; (Grant no. 03 ET 6073).

Finished research projects

  • CLEAR

    "Holozäne Klimaereignisse in Nordarabien - Umweltveränderungen und menschliche Reaktionen" (DFG FR1489/5) (gemeinsam mit M. Engel und B. Plessen)"

    2015 - 2018

  • Deformation and tectonics of the Moodies Group, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa

    The role of Partial Convective Overturn in the Barberton Greenstone Belt: Linking deep crustal-mantle and surface processes through integrated sedimentary and structural analysis of the syntectonic Moodies Group

    DFG grant to Christoph Heubeck (2017–2019)

  • Characterizing BIF´s of the Moodies Group

    Uncovering the tracks of Banded Iron Formation generation through an investigation of the 3.2 Ga old Moodies Group, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa

    DFG grant to Inga Köhler (2016-2018)

  • Mikrofossilen als Anzeiger für aquatische Ökosystem-Entwicklung und Monsundynamik

    Teil des DFG-Gemeinschaftsprojektes "Lake System Response to Late Quaternary Monsoon Dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau" (DFG-Projekt Schw 671/8) innerhalb des SPP 1372 "Tibetan Plateau: Formation - Climate - Ecosystems (TiP)".
    P. Frenzel, A. Schwalb (Projektleiterin, TU Braunschweig), S. Mischke (FU Berlin)

     

    Learn more de
  • RAIN

    Mikropaläontologie: Klimaindikatoren in limnischen und marinen Sedimenten, Süd Afrika

    BMBF-Projekt: P. Frenzel

    Projektmitarbeiterin: Stephanie Meschner

     

    Learn more de
  • Paleoarchean microbial ecosystems

    The world's oldest mappable ecosystem: Moodies Group (3.2 Ga), Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa


    DFG grant to Christoph Heubeck (2014-2016)

  • Facies analysis of Paleoarchean foreland sediments

    Facies analysis of the Mapepe Foreland Basin, Barberton Greenstone Belt, by well-to-well correlation


    DFG grant to Christoph Heubeck (2014-2016)

  • H2STORE

    Untersuchung der geohydraulischen, mineralogischen, geochemischen und biogenen Wechselwirkungen bei der Untertage Speicherung von Wasserstoff in konvertierten Gaslagerstätten (H2STORE).

    BMBF-Projekt (Fördernummer: 03 SF 0434)

  • Känozoische Sedimente des tadschikischen Beckens: Sedimentologie, Herkunft und tektonisches Signal des Pamirs

    (DFG-Projekt, PAK 443: Tien Shan - Pamir Geodynamic Program (TIPAGE))
    Partner: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (Prof. Dr. Reinhard Gaupp, Dr. Thomas Voigt, Dipl. Geol. Martin Klocke)
    Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg
    GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam

  • Microfacial, palaeontological and geochemical investigations on the genesis of the homo erectus site of Bilzingsleben

    The genesis of the Homo erectus excavation site of Bilzingsleben will be studied using methods of microfacial analysis, micropalaeontological investigations on Ostracoda and other microfossils as well as geochemical analysis of ostracod valves and sedimentological paraeters. A focus is set on reconstructing the ecosystem, the sedimentation regime and the genesis of the archaeological horizon. Also, the general palaeoenvironmental conditions during the time of the Homo erectus in Bilzingsleben will be reconstructed

    Thüringer Landesgraduiertenstipendium

    05/2008-04/2010

    Thomas Daniel, Peter Frenzel, Reinhard Gaupp

  • Timing of long term carbonate mobilisation in a limestone aquifer

    The project is part of the International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles (IMPRS-gBGC) in cooperation with the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Graduate Academy).

    The Thuringian Syncline in the central part of Germany exposes deposits of the German Triassic Muschelkalk sequence consisting of limestone and dolostone beds. Partial dissolution, oxidation and iron redistribution is obvious in limestones along the slopes of the Saale valley (e.g., quarry Bad Kösen). These features are most prominent close to a Mid Quaternary valley floor (Elster terrace), decrease down-section following fractures, and reach a minimum close to the present groundwater table in a topographic level close to the present valley floor. This example of carbonate weathering transformation includes microbial influence on reprecipitation and intermediate storage of carbonate lining fault planes. Furthermore, this location has the important advantage that the timing of the 100 m depression of the ground water table, spread over >700 Ka, has a good age control due to both topographic dating of terrace formation and optically stimulated luminescence dating (OSL dating) of former river sediments that cover these terraces. The purpose of this case study is to define and quantify the important processes of carbonate weathering on a geological time scale and to assess the rates of material transfer involving CO2 over time.

    PhD student: Jens Kirstein

  • Tight Gas - "Paläo-Öl- und Gasfelder im Rotliegenden des Norddeutschen Beckens: Wirkung der KW-Migration auf die Speicherqualitäts-Entwicklung"

    DGMK-Projekt 593-8

    Paleo Oil- and Gasfields in the Rotliegend of the North German Basin: Effects upon Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality (Paläo-Öl- und Gasfelder im Rotliegenden des Norddeutschen Beckens: Wirkung der KW-Migration auf die Speicherqualitäts-Entwicklung

    Kurzfassung

    Es wurde eine umfassende Studie mit dem Ziel durchgeführt, die Vorhersagegenauigkeit von 3D Seismik, geologischen Daten und Modellen zur Bestimmung von Reservoirqualitäten zu verbessern. Seismische Fazies-Klassen, die aus Neural Network Untersuchungen abgeleitet wurden, korrelieren mit den Reservoir-Charakteristika und können für Explorationszwecke genutzt werden. Deformationszonen belegen das Ausmaß von extensionellen Bruchsystemen, die, abhängig von der diagenetischen Fazies, positive oder negative Einflüsse auf die Reservoir-Charakteristika haben können.Basierend auf Bohrungsdaten, Modellierungen und seismischen Auswertungen wurde das konzeptionelle Diagenese-Modell bestätigt und in wesentlichen Teilen verifiziert. Über Petroleum System Modellierungen konnten Zeitmarken für verschiedene relevante Prozesse hinzugefügt und deren Einfluß auf die KW-Migration bestimmt werden.Die Bedeutung von Prä-Öl KW-Migration und der räumlichen Entfernung zum Karbon Muttergestein auf die Rotliegend Reservoir-Charakteristika muß hervorgehoben werden.

  • Geologische und mineralogische Untersuchungen von Rotliegend-Gaslagerstätten in den Niederlanden und ihre Eignung für CO2-Sequestrierung und EGR

    Projekt finanziert durch SHELL-NAM (Assen, Niederlande)
    S. Waldmann, R. Gaupp, D. Beyer (Diplomarbeit) in Kooperation mit E. Spangenberg und S. Raab (GFZ, Potsdam) und A. Busch (SHELL, Rijswijk); 02/2009-02/2011

  • Untersuchungen zur Faziescharakterisierung und der Bedeutung der Mineral-Poren-Grenzfläche bei Fluid-Gesteinsreaktionen in den Rotliegend-Sandsteinen des Altensalzwedel Block, Altmark, Sachsen-Anhalt

    BMBF-Projekt (03G0704G), Teil des BMBF-Verbundvorhabens "CO2 Largescale EGR in the Altmark Natural-gas field - CLEAN" im Rahmen des Sonderprogrammes "GeotechnologienExternal link"
    D. Pudlo, B. Kohlhepp, R. Gaupp; 09/2008-06/2011

  • Buntsandstein-Öl im Oberrheingraben

    Projekt in Zusammenarbeit mit Gaz de France (Lingen)
    R. Gaupp, A. Krallmann (GdF, Lingen); 2008-2009
    Diplomarbeiten:
    S. Klapperer: Zur Fazies des Buntsandsteins im Odenwald und nördlichen Oberrheingraben
    M. Meisel: Petrographie, Fazies und Diagenese des Buntsandsteinreservoirs am Oberrhein

  • Initierung des Magmatismus der jurassischen Ferrar-Gruppe in Nord-Viktorialand, Antarktis: Stratigraphie, Zusammensetzung und Ablagerungsraum vulkanoklastischer und epiklastischer sedimente der Beacon Supergruppe

    DFG-Projekt Ga 457/11, 13 (Teilprojekt) im Rahmen des SPP 1158 "Antarctic research with comparative investigations in the Arctic region"
    R. Schöner, M. Elsner, R. Gaupp, in Kooperation mit L. Viereck-Götte, J. Schneider (Freiberg), B. Bomfleur (Münster), H. Kerp (Münster); 09/2005-06/2009

  • Evolution of a thick-skinned thrust system and associated basins, Northern Tien Shan, Kazakhstan

    The Tien Shan mountains of Central Asia are a distal part of the Earth´s most active continental collision zone. They are an ideal site to study long-lived, yet rapidly evolving and presently seismogenic fault networks on various time scales. Strong seismicity, high topography and fast motions derived from satellite geodesy demonstrate that intraplate orogeny in the Tien Shan is fully active. Exposed faults and geomorphic indicators reveal active thrusting, folding and strike-slip motion. The earlier uplift history is documented by the infill of Cenozoic syntectonic basins, both within the Tien Shan and in the large Ili Basin north of it. The Ili basin exhibits steep-sided, fault-controlled depressions atypical of flexural foreland basins. Its southern margin is presently being segmented and exhumed by the active thrust front, whereas its distal parts preserve a long record of the Tien Shan´s uplift. We will integrate structural geology, morphotectonics and basin analysis with remote sensing and GIS, to derive for a selected transect a quantitative reconstruction of fault system propagation as recorded by deformation, uplift and basin evolution. The timing will be constrained from apatite fission track, (U-Th)/He, luminescence and cosmogenic surface dating. Existing biostratigraphic data are included. Estimated rates of denudation, uplift and deformation will be combined with 3D structural modelling to derive a time-space model of fault system evolution.

    Jonas Kley and Thomas Voigt

    DFG Project

    Research area Aktau

    Research area Aktau

    Image: Thomas Voigt
  • Erdölgeologischer Atlas des Südlichen Permbeckens

    Multinationale Projektgruppe (11 E&P-Unternehmen, 6 nationale Geologische Dienste, 25 Universitäten und/oder Forschungszentren, 6 weitere Behörden und 3 Consulting-Unternehmen)
    R. Gaupp (Teilprojekt); 2005-2009

  • Störungsbezogene CO2-Fluidmigration und deren Einfluss auf die Nebengesteins-Alteration und die Integrität von CO2-Speichergesteinen

    Buntsandstein der Hessischen Senke als ein natürliches Analog
    für industrielle CO2 Sequestrierung (COMICOR)

    BMBF-Projekt (03G0695) im Rahmen des Sonderprogramms "Geotechnologien"
    J. Köster, U. Hilse, J. Wendler, D. Pudlo, R. Gaupp, J. Kley, in Kooperation mit G. Nover, N. Zisser, J. v. d. Gönna (Univ. Bonn); 05/2008-04/2011

  • Langzeiteinfluss von CO2 auf die Stabilität mineralischer Komponenten in porösen Reservoirsandsteinen

    Analogstudie in natürlichen CO2-Speichergesteinen aus Mitteleuropa DFG-Projekt AD 315/1 D. Pudlo, R. Gaupp, D. Adelmann; 10/2005-06/2009

  • Wechselwirkungen von Erdölkomponenten und Hämatit-Kornüberzügen und ihr Einfluss auf Diagenese und Porenstruktur klastischer Speichergesteine

    DFG-Projekt GA 457/10 im Rahmen des SPP 1135 "Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems under varying Stress Conditions by example of the Central European Basin-System"
    A. Meier, R. Gaupp; 01/2006-12/2008

  • Veränderung von Schwarzpelit-Oberflächen und -Porengrößen durch mikrobiologische Aktivitäten

    Promotionsprojekt des Graduiertenkollegs "Alteration and element mobility at the microbe-mineral interface"
    D. Siegel, E. Kothe, R. Gaupp; 05/2006-04/2009

  • Geologische und mineralogische Untersuchungen zur mikrobiell beeinflussten Bildung oolithischer Eisenerze, El Bahariya Depression, Western Desert, Ägypten

    Promotionsprojekt mit Unterstützung eines DAAD-Stipendiums und des Graduiertenkollegs "Alteration and element mobility at the microbe-mineral interface"
    W. Salama, R. Gaupp, M. El-Aref (Kairo); 10/2007-09/2009

  • Beiträge zur Umweltforschung mittels radiometrisch-geochemischer Methoden

    Projekt der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Leipzig
    R. Gaupp (Projektleiter), U. Koch (Bad Brambach), J. Heinicke (Freiberg); 1991-2010

  • Petrographie und Porensystem von Sandsteinen der Stuttgart-Formation (Schilfsandstein, Keuper) aus der CO2-Testspeicher-Bohrung bei Ketzin (Brandenburg)

    n Kooperation mit dem CO2-SINK-Konsortium
    A.-W. Blaschke (Diplomarbeit), R. Schöner, R. Gaupp, A. Förster (GFZ Potsdam); 2007-2008

  • Beziehungen zwischen seismischen Signalen und Speichereigenschaften in Tight-Gas-Reservoirgesteinen Nordwest-Deutschlands (Rotliegend Sandsteine, Perm) mit Unterstützung der DGMK

    P. Abram, R. Gaupp; 2003-2006

  • Diagenese klastischer Rotsedimente in Mitteleuropa: Wie bedeutend ist organische Reifung und Migration?

    DFG-Projekt Ga 457/8 im Rahmen des SPP 1135 "Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems under varying Stress Conditions by example of the Central European Basin-System".
    R. Schöner, R. Gaupp; 2002-2005

  • Organische und anorganische Prozesse und Wechselwirkungen in tiefen Überdrucklagerstätten des Zentralgraben, Nordsee

    DFG-Projekt GA 457/9 im Rahmen des SPP 1135 "Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems under varying Stress Conditions by example of the Central European Basin-System".
    R. Lippmann, R. Gaupp, in Kooperation mit GFZ Potsdam: V. Neumann, R. Ondrak, R. di Primio, B. Horsfield, 2002-2005

  • Tight-Gas Reservoirs - Erdgas für die Zukunft

    DGMK-Forschungsprojekt 593-8, in Kooperation mit GFZ Potsdam, RWTH Aachen, TEEC Isernhagen
    R. Gaupp et al.; 2001-2003

  • Oberflächenquantifizierung an Schwarzpeliten unterschiedlicher Verwitterungsgrade

    Doktorarbeit
    C. Fischer, R. Gaupp

  • Die thüringischen Süßwasserkalke, Genese und Verbreitung

    mit Unterstützung des Landes Thüringen (Landesgraduiertenstipendium)
    I. Kamradt, R. Gaupp, G. Büchel (Angewandte Geologie); seit 2003

  • Die sedimentäre und tektonische Geschichte des Subhherzynen Beckens in Bezug zur Hebungsgeschichte des Harzes

    DFG-Projekt GA 457/6
    T. Voigt, H. v. Eynatten, J. Franzke, R. Gaupp; 2000-2003

  • Sedimentgenese und Paläogeographie des höheren Zechstein bis zur Basis des Buntsandstein in der Hessischen Senke

    Dissertation
    N. Hug, R. Gaupp; 1999-2004

  • Die kalkalpinen Tratenbach-Schichten (Oberkreide-Paläogen, Oberbayern) - Gesamtgesteinsanalysen und petrographische Untersuchungen zur stratigraphischen Stellung und geodynamischen Bedeutung

    Dissertation
    B. Willscher, R. Gaupp; 1998-2004

  • Vergleichende sedimentologische und paläolimnologische Untersuchungen an oligozänen Seeablagerungen im Rheinischen Schiefergebirge

    DFG-Projekt GA 457/4
    M. Felder, R. Gaupp

  • Investigation of the microbial impact on rock material alteration

    Microbial impact on weathering, reactive transport and remineralization is investigated by the Research Training Group "Alteration and element mobility at the microbe-mineral interface". Their research subject is interdisciplinary and includes geological, mineralogical, soil science, chemical and microbiological expert groups. Our main objective is to study the alterations of minerals in direct contact with microorganisms.

    Microbial metabolits are responsible for active alteration of minerals. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the role of microbes on minerals which will help to identify specific microbially controlled processes and to determine the kinetics of such reactions.

    The multi-component system black shales (clay minerals, organic matter, opaline, pyrite) could be shown to be altered directly by growing fungal inoculum. Schizophyllum commune, a white-rot fungus, releases enzymes capable to oxidize organic compounds. Microbial influence on clay minerals (clinochlore, nontronite and ripidolite) and organic matter as main components of black shales are now investigated separately. The projects are focused on experimental studies like microbial inoculation of minerals. We are investigating the texture and structure of minerals using curie point pyrolysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy following sequential extraction, reflected-light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, vertical scanning white light interferometry, raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. Microscopy techniques including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy were combined with spectral analysis like energy dispersive X-ray and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy to identify microbial alteration on minerals. The dissolution will be monitored by inductively coupled plasma mass sepctroscopy and optical emission spectroscopy for relevant elements.

    Since, the aqueous phase is the link between microbes and minerals, another focus lies on dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aqueous systems to learn more about degradation processes in biogeochemical cycles. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) is applied to reveal the elemental composition of DOM in complex systems on a molecular basis. Together with statistical approaches, this powerful tool enables to traces changes in the molecular composition during transformation.

    This study aims to quantify microbially mediated dissolution rates of clay minerals and organic matter as main components of black shales. Black shales occur at the former Ronneburg Uranium mining area where their biodissolution has an effect on biogeochemical cycles and heavy metal release.

  • Sedimentationsereignisse im Unteren Muschelkalk

    DFG-Projekt Lu 544/8
    K. Föhlisch, T. Voigt, R. Gaupp, H. Lützner