At the invitation of ISL Research Professor Zhongping Lai, German scientists Markus Fuchs and Peter Kühn paid an academic visit to the institute from 25 May to 2 June 2009. Dr. Markus is from Research Center of Ecology and Environment, University of Bayreuth. He studies on geomorphology, environmental archaeology, and luminescence chronology and has published a number of papers on some renowned international journals, including Quaternary Science Reviews, Geomorphology, Quaternary Research, The Holocene, Boreas, etc. Dr. Peter Kühn, head of the Laboratory of Soil Science and Geoecology and Researcher at the Institute of Geography, Physical Geography, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, studies soil genesis, soil micromorphology and geography, etc. His various achievements have been published on Quaternary Science Reviews, Geomorphology, Quaternary International and other renowned international journals.
During their visit, Drs Markus and Peter delivered lecture on “Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction and Time” and “Micromorphology-Pedosedimentary and environmental reconstruction”, respectively on May 26th afternoon. In his report, Dr. Markus addressed uncovered studies on palaeoenvironmental reconstruction via luminescence chronology in combination with stratigraphy and climatic indices. Following that, Dr. Peter introduced the concept of soil micromorphology, and the workflow of field collection of soil micromorphic samples and laboratory micromorphic analysis first. Later on, he reviewed studies on soil genesis using luminescence chronology and soil micromorphology. In conclusion, he stressed that soil micromorphology can sometimes be used for luminescence dating.
From 27th May to 1st June, Drs Markus and Peter, accompanied by ISL postgraduate students Hao Long and Xiangjun Liu conducted field survey on the Loess Plateau, collecting a number of samples for luminescence chronological and soil micromorphic study. The University of Bayreuth is the academic host in which Research Professor Lai had conducted his research as a receiver of Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. The ISl doctoral student, Hao Long will be dispatched to the university in the name of academic exchange for a one year term.