Teaching

The Earth and Planetary Geodynamics (EPG) group contributes to the new Earth and Planetary Sciences major within the Earth Sciences Master’s studies. We offer a diverse range of courses covering Earth and planetary interiors, tectonics and geodynamics, and the interpretation of Earth and planetary mission data, alongside computational methods and numerical modelling of geodynamic processes. The courses combine theoretical foundations with practical training in scientific computing, data analysis and visualization, model-based interpretation, and the integration of diverse datasets and observations. Both Bachelor’s and Master’s students have the opportunity to write theses on relevant research topics within the group.

Courses

Bachelor

Master

Planetary missions

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Tectonics and Geodynamics

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Earth and planetary interiors

This course explores the chemical, thermal, and physical structure and evolution of the interiors of Earth and other planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond. We cover the composition, temperature distribution, and energy balance of planetary interiors, and how these properties are constrained by mineral physics experiments, seismic imaging, and other geophysical techniques. A key focus is on connecting microscopic processes (such as mineral structures, lattice dynamics, and thermodynamics) to large-scale interior structures and dynamics. Comparative planetology is used throughout to highlight similarities and differences among planetary bodies, and to explore exotic materials and temperature and pressure conditions. The course integrates data from Earth and spacecraft missions, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to build a comprehensive picture of the chemistry and physics inside planets.

Numerical modelling of geophysical fluid dynamics

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Informations for students

Course Catalogue Information on all modules can be found in HISinOne

Lecture Notes
Teaching platform ILIAS

Hand mit Stift, die auf einem Blatt Papier schreibt

About us

Find out more about the Earth and Planetary Geodynamics research group.

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Research

More information on our research focus areas and current projects.

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Team

Introduction to our team members, a list of contact details, and location.

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Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses

We offer students the opportunity to write Bachelor’s and Master’s theses on relevant research topics. You can count on close collaboration within the team, benefit from our extensive and international network, gain valuable insights into ongoing research projects, and gain useful skills that are transferable to a wide range of applications. Students are encouraged to develop innovative solutions to geodynamic problems across Earth and planetary sciences.

Current research project topics to be assigned

It is also possible, and even encouraged, to define an individual thesis topic in dialogue with the supervisor. This requires the preparation of a short research outline.

If you are interested in writing a thesis, please contact Prof. Dr. Anna Gülcher with an informative inquiry, including details on relevant courses you have taken, your research interests and potentially, short research outline. It would also be useful to know the skills you would like to develop and longer-term study or career goals.

What is geodynamics?

Geodynamics is the branch of Earth and planetary sciences that seeks to unravel the dynamic processes governing how planetary interiors move, deform, and evolve through time, from the earliest stages after formation to the present day. It focuses on how heat transport, material flow, and mechanical deformation within the mantle and lithosphere drive tectonics and volcanism, shape topography, and influence the long-term exchange of volatiles between a planet’s interior, surface, and atmosphere.

A key process we investigate is mantle convection: the slow, solid-state flow of the mantle that transfers heat and material through the interior and drives the thermal evolution of a planet. On Earth, this internal engine shapes surface structures such as plate boundaries, rifts, mountain belts, volcanoes, continents, and ocean basins, and it is in part responsible for our planet’s stable and temperate surface environment that supports life. Geodynamics therefore also provides context for understanding how planets could become (in)habitable.

Because planetary interiors cannot be observed directly beyond shallow depths, geodynamics combines physics-based theory and numerical modelling with observations, including data from laboratory experiments, gravity, topography, surface deformation, and seismic measurements on Earth, and increasingly spacecraft mission datasets for other planets and moons.

Scientific software development

Our group uses a range of scientific software and computational tools to investigate the long-term evolution of planetary interiors and surfaces, and their links to atmospheres. A central component of our work is the development and application of geodynamic numerical codes that simulate mantle convection and the resulting tectonic and volcanic activity at the surface. These simulations typically rely on high-performance computing, while post-processing, visualization, and quantitative analysis are carried out using custom workflows and codes on local machines.

The scientific software development and computational skills gained through this work are highly interdisciplinary and broadly transferable to many applications, including (but not limited to) positions in computational engineering, climate and Earth-system modeling, space and aerospace analysis, energy and subsurface geoscience, and data-driven R&D (e.g., developing simulation tools, running and optimizing large-scale computations on HPC clusters, automating analysis workflows, and communicating results through clear visualizations and reports).