News
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
New research association started: Magnesium implants shall facilitate bone fracture healing.
In collaboration with the university hospitals of Hamburg, Hannover and Graz as well as further partners, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht will establish a Virtual Institute, whose focus will be set on degradable magnesium implants. One aim of the research association coordinated from Geesthacht is to develop first prototypes of orthopaedic implants. more
Learning in Bornholm: A new book summarizes the contents of a summer school on climate change in the Baltic Sea
The recently published book “Climate Impacts on the Baltic Sea: From Science to Policy” attempts to bridge the gap between science and politics regarding regional climate change in the Baltic Sea. The chapters of the book cover the contents of a summer school which took place on the island Bornholm in the summer of 2009 on climate change in the Baltic Sea region, its possible consequences and how to deal with them. 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. Inhabitants of the Wadden Sea coast are invited to take part. more
Platform for Detector Technology and Systems
The Helmholtz Association is creating a platform to develop detector technology and detector systems further. The aim of the platform is to advance technologies for the construction of highly integrated detectors of photons, neutrons and charged particles, to optimise the transmission and evaluation of data and to design and build new detector prototypes. more
Hydrogen as alternative to petrol: Geesthacht scientists research boron in tanks
The European Technology Initiative, “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking” (FCH JU), is providing approx 2.3 million euro of finance for the development of new hydrogen solid-state containers on the basis of boron hydrides.These compounds absorb much more hydrogen, the tanks remain compact.The “Bor4Store” project is being coordinated by the Institute of Material Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. more
A new measuring pole in the mouth of the Elbe provides environmental data for coastal research
Coastal researchers from the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht are collecting data on water quality and sediment transport in the mouth of the Elbe, by means of a new measuring pole located in the river mouth. Working in collaboration with the Hamburg Port Authority, they utilise these measurements to investigate the current and long-term impact of human intervention on the river Elbe. more
Experience coastal research first-hand
On the 12th and 13th of May the research vessel of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, the ‘Ludwig Prandtl’ will be moored at the HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG. You can experience coastal researchers in action, amongst tall ships and harbour launches. Our scientists are presenting their research activities jointly with the Hamburg Port Authority. more
Junior Scientist Award for Magnesium Researcher: Addition of rare earths influences the behaviour of sheet metal
Lennart Stutz,a magnesium researcher at the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht, was awarded a young scientist prize for the best publication of the year 2011,at the Annual Meeting of the international “Minerals, Metals & Materials Society” (TMS) which was held in Orlando, Florida in March of this year. more