Research at the Department of Earth Sciences

The earth is a living planet and our research is both about how the earth has changed over time but also which processes continue to affect the earth. In our research, we investigate the processes that affect the earth's development and change over time. We study rocks, minerals, volcanism, earthquakes, erosion, climate change, ocean currents, weather patterns, climate models and much more. Our research is interdisciplinary and, according to international evaluations, we have one of Europe's most comprehensive research in geosciences.

The purpose of our research

Geoscience is significant within many fields, including environmental protection, natural resource management, energy production and urban planning. By understanding the Earth's system, geoscience can also help predict and manage natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, improve water resource management, develop sustainable energy sources and contribute to the understanding of climate change.

Our research programmes

Geophysics

Our research focuses on both the processes taking place deep inside the Earth and the properties of the Earth's surface. Geophysics is important in the search for mineral resources, clean water, oil and gas, and geothermal energy.

Air, water and landscape science

We do research on weather, climate and climate change, water quality and pollution, and especially on how the earth's surface changes over time; the processes that affect the shape and appearance of the landscape,

Mineralogy, petrology and tectonics

We research the Earth's different rock types, how rocks are formed and the tectonic processes that have created and still shape the Earth's geological structures.

Natural resources and sustainable development

We conduct research on the Earth's natural resources and ecosystem services. Our research is interdisciplinary and divided into three areas ...

Paleobiology

We study how life has evolved over millions of years and how life has adapted to constant changes in the environment and climate.

Wind energy

Our research examines how the wind is affected by the terrain on the ground and how the wind behaves around a wind turbine blade.

Ask our experts

If you can't find the right researcher here, look under our reasearch programmes.
You can ask the communication officer at the department or contact Uppsala university central press unit

Arctic, glacier and ice research

Veijo Pohjola (glaciology, in particular physical processes in ice masses, ice cores, ice dynamics, climate data, climate warming).
Rickard Pettersson (glacier ice dynamics, stability and their link to climate, glacier mass balance, thermodynamics and the link between ice dynamics and glacial hydrological processes).

Biodiversity and ecosystem services

Malgorzata Blicharska (biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services)
Lina Mtwana Nordlund (coast and sea, seagrass, fisheries)

Carbon dioxide storage

Christopher Juhlin (researching how carbon dioxide can be stored in the bedrock to reduce large-scale emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere)

Climate, climate models, historical climate

Anna Rutgersson (meteorology, climate, weather measurements, climate change)
Veijo Pohjola(glaciology, Arctic research)
Gabriele Messori (extreme weather events)
Mikael Karlsson(climate policy and politics)
Jorijntje Henderiks (historical environment and climate change)

Climate Change Leadership

Mikael Karlsson(analysis of climate goals, different ways to achieve them, and the consequences of a societal transition and how these can be managed).

Circular economy

Mikael Höök (metal/resource requirements for a green transition)
Martin Wetterstedt (carbon budgets, environment, energy, transition and sustainability issues)

Extreme weather

Gabriele Messori (extreme weather events, temperatures, precipitation, drought and surface winds)

Fossil fuels

Mikael Höök (supply, analysis and future trends of fossil fuels with a focus on oil and coal)
Hemin Koyi (geological processes and structures, mineral protection)

Geophysics

Ólafur Gudmundsson (seismology)
Christopher Juhlin (high resolution seismics, seismic modeling, mining geophysics, geological carbon dioxide storage and scientific drilling)
Alireza Malehmir(mining engineering with focus on mineral exploration, high resolution seismic imaging instruments, quicksilver landslide and rock quality studies, 3D/4D geological modeling.

Geochemistry

Anna Neubeck (origin of life, microbiology, geochemistry, petrology and biogeochemistry, isotope geochemistry, astrobiology)

Glacier research; state of the world's glaciers and historical climate change

Veijo Pohjola (glaciology, especially physical processes in ice masses, climate change, climate today from a historical perspective)

Global energy systems

Mikael Höök (natural resources, energy use and production)
Magdalena Kuchler (policy issues, biofuels, oil, natural gas, carbon budgets)
Henrik Wachtmeister (oil, gas, geopolitics)

Global warming

Anna Rutgersson (climate, climate models, ocean-atmosphere interaction and how it affects different aspects of weather and climate, such as extreme weather, but also the role of the oceans in the global carbon cycle.
Mikael Karlsson (climate governance, environmental policy climate policy, biodiversity, sustainable development, environmental law)

Earthquakes

Björn Lund (earthquake analysis and risk assessment, how and why earthquakes happen)
Ari Tryggvasson (earthquake analysis and risk assessment)

The Earth's magnetic field and the Earth's magnetic poles

Ian Snowball (palaeomagnetism, quaternary geology and mineral magnetism)
Bjarne Almqvist (how the Earth's dynamic magnetic field works and how it changes over time)

Evolution of life, fossils, evolution, paleobiology

Graham E Budd (historical geology and paleontology)
Sebastian Willman (historical geology and paleontology)

Environmental toxins and chemicals

Ian Snowball (environmental toxins in the Baltic Sea, emissions from pulp and forest industries; fiber banks)
Roger Herbert (emissions from ore mining, spread of pollution by water)
Mikael Karlsson (environmental policy, environmental policy issues, environmental ethics)

Floods and water issues

Giuliano Di Baldassarre (risks, crises and disasters resulting from the interaction between water, environment and society)
Roger Herbert (water management in urban development, water treatment)
Johanna Mård(water and climate

Mountains, rocks and minerals

Karin Högdahl (Swedish bedrock, geochronology, mountain chain formation)
Erik Jonsson (mineral deposits and rare earth elements)

Natural disasters

Giuliano Di Baldassarre (natural disasters, floods, droughts and floods, natural disaster risk reduction)
Björn Lund (natural disasters, earthquakes, volcanoes)
Valentin Troll (magmatic petrology, volcanology, geochemistry, volcanic hazards, natural resources, magmatic ore deposits)
Steffi Burchardt (magma, natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, structural geology, magma chambers, bedrock geology)

Natural resources and sustainable development

Patrik Rönnbäck (sustainable development, sustainable food, sustainable fisheries, nature tourism)
Magdalena Kuchler (sustainable development, bioenergy, shale gas, global energy systems)
Lina Mtwana Nordlund (coast and sea, seagrass, fisheries)

Rock mechanics and engineering geology

Maria Ask (geothermal energy, rock mechanics, rock strength)

Volcanoes

Valentin Troll (magmatic petrology, volcanology, geochemistry, volcanic hazards, natural resources, magmatic ore deposits)
Steffi Burchardt (magma, natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, structural geology, magma chambers, bedrock geology)
Björn Lund (seismology, vulcanoes, natural disasters)

Weather and meteorology

Cecilia Johansson (weather, weather forecasting, impact of climate change on the structure of snow and its effect on animal and plant life)
Erik Sahlée (the atmospheric boundary layer, coastal zones and lake systems, processes governing the exchange of energy and greenhouse gases between water and the atmosphere.

Wind power

Stefan Ivanell (wind farm flows)

Our tv-series "Planet Earth"

The Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (Utbildningsradion) has recorded a TV series together with our scientists.
The series" Planeten jorden" (eg Planet Earth" teaches you about our planet and our climate, the early history of the Earth, minerals, volcanoes and how our way of life has affected the climate and the conditions for life on Earth.

See all episodes here (only in swedish):

Link to all episodes

Research infrastructure

Our infrastructure is both in-house in the form of advanced laboratories, but we also have equipment that is available or used outside Sweden's borders.

See our infrastructure

Researcher portraits

The researcher portraits introduce some of the department's researchers and tell us about the people behind the research.

Read the researcher portraits

Centers and networks

Swedish National Seismic Network

Did you know that we have at least one earthquake every day in Sweden? But of these, we only know about ten to twenty per year? On behalf of the government, SNSN collects seismological data from earthquakes both in Sweden and abroad.
SNSN:s web.

Smart Exploration Research

Many critical metals and minerals are needed to secure the green transition. Smart Exploration Research is a multidisciplinary research center led by Uppsala University that conducts both basic and innovative research on strategic and critical metals and minerals.

Smart Exploration Research Center web site.

Centre for Natural Disaster Science (CNDS)

The Center for Natural Disaster Studies (CNDS) is a national knowledge center for research on natural disasters that includes researchers from Uppsala University, the Swedish Defence University and Karlstad University.

CNDS:s web site.

Swedish center for extreme climate events

The Swedish Center for Extreme Climate Events (climes) is an interdisciplinary center that investigates the effects of extreme climate events. The center's research includes both natural and climate science, social science and public health perspectives and collaborates with Lund University and RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden).

Climes web site