News
Ferries now ten years in the service of science: How FerryBoxes explore the oceans
The idea is a stroke of genius: ships that operate on fixed routes are equipped with measuring systems to investigate the marine environment. Scientists from the Institute of Coastal Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht have put this idea into practice. Measuring systems are installed in boxes - so-called FerryBoxes. A marketable product has been developed in cooperation with the company 4H JENA. Meanwhile 33 of these FerryBoxes are in operation worldwide – from Spitsbergen to the Antarctic. The most recent purchase of one of these measuring systems was by the Brazilian oil firm Petrobras, in order to monitor the quality of water around its oil platforms. more
Sieve holds nanoparticles and acts as solar absorber
A membrane consisting of polymer fibres and proteins makes a novel filter for tiny, nano-scaled particles in aqueous solutions. The result of such a research, which was done by Professor Mady Elbahri and his team from the Institute of Material Science at the Christian Albrecht University University in Kiel (CAU) and the Institue of Polymer Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), has recently been published as the cover article in the current issue (21.11.2012) of “Advanced Functional Materials”. more
The Wadden Sea as ”Heimat”
The Institute for Coastal Research at the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht would like to understand what the people who live on the Wadden Sea coast think about their region. Professor Dr. Beate Ratter, head of department at the Institute for Coastal Research, has initiated the survey and carries it out together with the Dutch foundation WaddenArt. The survey takes place in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Until 30 December inhabitants of the Wadden Sea coast are invited to take part. more
Coastal research on a big screen – Event “13. Lüneburger Umweltfilmtage“
Ferry boats in the service of science: On Sunday, 25/11/2012 you can watch a new video about the FerryBox in the cinema “Lüneburger Scala-Programmkino” for the first time. more
Polymer workshop in Geesthacht: New forum for polymer experts
The Institute of Polymer Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht organises a workshop for scientists in industry and at universities on November 13th and 14th. An introduction into the mechanical and rheological properties of polymer materials and an extensive insight into the application methods of the rheology and mechanics of polymers in practice will be presented by experts from industry and research. more
Special Award in "Idea Competition 2012" for Polymer researcher in Geesthacht
Innovative ideas "made in Schleswig-Holstein" were awarded on Thursday, 1st of November in the German National Library of Economics (ZBW) in Kiel. The 1000 Euro special award "nanotechnology" was received to the Geesthacht polymer researcher Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mady Elbahri. more
Targeted dissolution: the new generation of implants
Is a paradigm shift imminent in the field of implant materials? Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht are engaged in research on biodegradable magnesium biomaterials which can be used as bone replacements in medical applications. They will present their research results from the 1st to 3rd November at the annual congress of the DGBM (German society for Biomaterials) in Hamburg. more
Virtual Institute Becomes Real: Partners Attend First Meeting on Magnesium-Based Implants
On 10 October 2012, about thirty participants in the Helmholtz Virtual Institute’s “In vivo studies of biodegradable magnesium-based implant materials” came to Geesthacht to attend their first meeting. The aim of the research association – known as MetBioMat – is to develop biocompatible implants out of the metal magnesium that will dissolve inside the body as required. more
Geesthacht Coastal and Material Researchers welcomed the “Alex II” to the “City of Science”
Last weekend approximately 2,500 guests visited the science exhibition of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht at the cruise ship terminal in Travemünde where Geesthacht scientists presented their research activities and innovations. The reason for this event was the visit of the sail training vessel “Alexander von Humboldt II”. This was a great occasion for Lübeck, as this year’s City of Science, and was accompanied by a supporting programme of scientific events. more
Schools Lab Quantensprung: For ten years the facility has been filling the pupils with enthusiasm for science and technology
Honourable guest at the research centre: The birthday party of the Schools Laboratory Quantensprung in Geesthacht was visited by Dirk Loßack, State Secretary of Schleswig-Holstein. At the event, the development of the schools laboratories in Germany was discussed and the answer was given to the question, how scientific teaching can benefit from the schools laboratories. more
EU-Project completed: With SELFMEM to intelligent membranes
The project “Self-assembled Polymer Membranes”, in short SELFMEM, which was funded by the European Union with the sum of 3.6 million euro, has now been completed with a final meeting held at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. The twelve partners of the SELFMEM group carried out research on self-organising isoporous membranes. The three year project was coordinated by the Institute of Polymer research. more
Nanoparticles strengthen magnesium
Materials scientists of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht develop new magnesium materials for vehicles, airplanes and satellites in the EU-project EXOMET, which is coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA). more
Summer cooling: Scientists calculate northern Europe’s climatic history
In cooperation with a team of international scientists, Dr. Eduardo Zorita and Dr. Sebastian Wagner of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht reconstructed the climatic history of northern Europe over the last 2,000 years. In their computer simulations, the two palaeoclimatologists included the changes of the earth’s orbit around the sun, controlling long-term climate conditions. The result of the simulation: summer temperatures in the European northern latitudes decreased by 0.6 °C in the last 2,000 years. However, the results presented in the study do not contradict the interpretation that the warming over the last decades can be largely ascribed to the emission of greenhouse gases. more
Successful Mercury Measurement Campaign at Mount Etna
An airport and the little town of Linguaglossa at the foot of the Sicilian volcano, Mount Etna, became a research base for Prof. Dr. Ralf Ebinghaus and Andreas Weigelt of the Institute of Coastal Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. From 29th July to the 3rd August, this was the location for an international measuring campaign, carried out in the scope of the EU project, Global Mercury Observation System (GMOS). Measurements were taken of the mercury emissions from the 3,300 metre high Mount Etna. The background of the campaign: the significance of natural sources must be known in order to assess the potential for the reduction of man-made mercury emissions. more
Investigating ocean eddies: Prof. Dr. Burkard Baschek is a new director at the Institute of Coastal Research
Prof. Dr. Burkard Baschek is a new director at the Institute of Coastal Research of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht since July 2012. Following a five-year professorship at the University of California in Los Angeles, the oceanographer is now the head of the division “Operational Systems”. He is responsible for the scientific development of ocean observing systems to investigate processes such as ocean currents or waves in coastal waters. more