Institute of Geology AS CR, v. v. i.
Medium-sized research center which main purpose is to gain, interpret and integrate the knowledge of the Earth System.
Research
One of the research directions of the Laboratory is the study of temperature, pressure and temporal conditions at various stages of the magmatic process, ranging from the origin of melts in upper mantle setting[1] to the chemical evolution of granitic magmas and their minerals in the Earth crust[2]. The evolution of the upper mantle (depletion and enrichment) and crust is studied using trace-element geochemistry and isotope geochemistry[3,4]. Within the Central European Volcanic Province, special attention is given to the geochemical and isotope characteristics of the Tertiary history of both primitive and evolved alkaline magmas[5] and the time constraints on the evolution of principal volcanic complexes[6].
Selected lithospheric blocks, whose collision resulted in the Bohemian Massif consolidation around the Early/Late Paleozoic boundary, are subjected to the study of their material sources and the temperature, pressure and temporal conditions of their metamorphic alteration. These can be used for the interpretation of geodynamic setting in the different stages of their collisional and pre-collisional history[7,8].
The evolution of sedimentary basins is studied with the aim to describe the processes controlling the sediment deposition and the subsequent diagenetic changes of the basin fill. The present research is focused on the thermal history, circulation of mineral-bearing fluids (mobility of Si, Fe) and the process of faulting accompanying the tectonic inversion of the basins[9,10]. In recent years, sediment compaction and cementation are studied in the context of the later weathering and erosion styles[11].
Oscillatory or rhythmic climatic record in the Earth history, the origin of domains in terrestrial environments[12], in oceans and in the atmosphere as well as their responses to catastrophic events are studied using modern high-resolution stratigraphic methods[13]. Studies like this are of inter-disciplinary character (e.g., geoarcheology, study of atmospheric deposition, urban geology) and give respect to research combining nature and material sciences, being based on monitoring of current processes, simulation of past processes, expanded theory formulation and experimental laboratory work[14–16].