The Applied and Environmental Sedimentology Laboratory was established to investigate and characterize sediments and inorganic matrices in general. The combination of traditional and cutting-edge instrumentation, together with over 20 years of scientific research experience, enables the analysis of sediments and their implications across various fields of industry and environmental management.
Currently, the laboratory can address a wide range of issues where the characterization of sediments and depositional processes is essential for understanding ongoing dynamics.
In addition, the laboratory supports both research and teaching activities and is currently involved in the ERC Synergy project Last Neanderthals.
The laboratory not only analyzes sediments and sedimentary successions with rigorous numerical outputs but also provides technical-scientific interpretation of the data when needed and assists researchers in presenting their results.
The main research areas currently include:
- geological research
- coastal dynamics
- analysis of archaeological contexts
- pollutant dispersion
Instrumentation and Services
Grain Size Analysis:
Laser granulometer
- Dry sieving: Retsch AS200 control mechanical sieve shaker + sieves for sand granulometric analysis at ¼ and ½ phi resolution
Chemical and Compositional Analyses:
- Chemical analysis, including in situ measurements using a portable Olympus p-XRF
- Calcimeter
Magnetic Property Analysis:
- Bartington susceptibility meter with sensors for cores and samples
Coring and Sampling:
- TOPCORE40 mechanical corer for continuous drilling up to 10 m
- Eijkelkamp manual corer up to 8 m
- Eijkelkamp soil sampler
- Seabed sampler: 5-liter Van Veen grab
Field Measurements and Surveying:
- Leica DISTO X4
- Self-leveling laser level
- RTK GPS
- Total station
The laboratory also makes use of numerous instruments such as shakers, precision balances, centrifuges, ultrasonic bath, infrared lamps, De Astis calcimeter, etc.
MAIN RESEARCH TOPICS
Qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses of sediment and rock samples. Applications in archaeometry.