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Transport of matter and energy within and between different spheres of System Earth (geo-, hydro-, atmo-, cryo- and biosphere) is an important, fundamental research topic of modern geo- and environmental sciences. Research focuses on the one hand on the quantification of individual transport cycles, and on the other hand on a better understanding of transport processes and reaction mechanisms. The dynamics of the Earth's interior is not only fundamental to a basic understanding of the Earth as a planet, but also of utmost importance for processes on and near the Earth's surface. This research is vital not only for understanding the differentiation of matter on Earth, but also regulates life on Earth and places limits on sustainable development. With respect to the Earth's biosphere, the amount, chemical forms, and fluxes of anthropogenic material is an area of growing importance. For a better understanding of transport cycles in the Earth system, the structures of materials must be known and understood on a wide range of scales: from elementary, cosmogenic particles from space, through mineral grains to whole rocks, continents and oceans, and on time scales ranging from nanoseconds to many millions of years. Within this general framework, research in the geo- and environmental sciences in Heidelberg concentrates on the dynamic interactions of geofluids, gases and aerosols with solid and liquid phases of the Earth system. Within these research branches, active university scientists in geology, petrology, environmental physics, environmental geochemistry and physical geography are involved. These are members of the Faculties of Earth Sciences as well as of Physics and Astronomy, cooperating with colleagues from the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and of Max-Planck-Institute of Nuclear Physics. State-of-the-art analytical facilities are available in each of these areas. Information is available on the respective web pages . There is a wide range of research topics within the general frame of the International Postgraduate Program and the accompanying Graduiertenkolleg in the different institutions involved. The research characteristically consists of a combination of laboratory and computer aided research and field work e.g.:
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