Scientist
Topic 8
RD 4: Dynamics of the Ocean Floor
RU: Magmatic and Hydrothermal Systems
- Seafloor Imaging -
Office:
Room: 8/E-209
Phone: +49 431 600 2156
E-Mail: naugustin(at)geomar.de
Address:
Wischhofstrasse 1-3
D-24148 Kiel
Research Focus
Marine Geology • Seafloor Imaging • Geomorphology • Hydrothermalism • Volcanology • Tectonics
Senior researcher with a strong focus on geodynamic processes of the ocean floor, particularly in the Red Sea and other slow-spreading rifts, intraplate volcanism and hydrothermal processes.
A scientist with a strong background in ocean mapping, structural and tectonic interpretation, geomorphology and cartography, sub-seafloor imaging and experience in mineralogy, petrology and (isotope)geochemistry.
Explorer with experience from >30 seagoing and interdisciplinary expeditions to all major oceans including the Arctic on international research vessels with experience in hydroacoustic seafloor mapping, sub-bottom profiling and seismics, seafloor rock and sediment sampling, deeps sea video and photo observations, habitat mapping as well as the utilization of state-of-the-art large seagoing equipment such as ROV, AUV, and drilling.
Vita
Professional Carrier
since Jan 2012 Senior researcher (permanent) at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany; head of the Seafloor Imaging and Submarine Geomorphology Group of research Division MuHS-V, multiple projects in Seafloor Hydrothermalism and Volcanology
Aug 2010 – Dec 2011 Research scientist at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel/Germany; „The Jeddah Transect Project“ (co-PI), volcanology and geomorphology of the Red Sea rift in collaboration with the King Abdulaziz University Jeddah
Nov 2009 – Aug 2010 Post-doctoral research associate at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel/Germany; Cold-seep carbonates off-shore Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Jun 2008 – May 2009 Post-doctoral research associate at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel/Germany; Ca and Sr-isotopes in hydrothermal vent fluids
Jan 2004 – May 2008 Doctoral researcher at the University of Bremen and Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel/Germany; Ph.D. thesis in hydrothermal alteration and ultramafic petrology
Academic Education & Degrees
Feb 2008 Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Geology at the University of Kiel/Germany, Thesis:
The Logatchev Hydrothermal Field (MAR, 15°N): High- and Low-Temperature Alteration of Ultramafic Oceanic Crust – Geology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy
Apr 2003 Diploma examination University of Kiel (Germany), Thesis (translated from German): Alteration of Cretaceous Oceanic Crust of the NW-Pacific (ODP Site 191, Leg 1179D): Mineralogy and Geochemistry
Oct 1996 – Apr 2003 Studies in Geology/Paleontology at the University of Kiel (Germany)
Expeditions
01 - SO142 - Sonne - 1999 - Manila - Midway - NW-Pazifik - Hawaii-Emperor Chain
02 - ARK17/2 - Polarstern - 2001 - Tromso - Bremerhaven - Arktischer Ozean - Gakkel Ridge
03 - M60/3 - Meteor - 2004 - Fort-de-France - Fort-de-France - N-Atlantik - Logatchev Hydrothermal Field, 15°N
04 - M64/2 - Meteor - 2005 - Fortaleza - Dakar - N-Atlantik - Logatchev Hydrothermal Field, 15°N
05 - P340 - Poseidon - 2006 - Messina - Messina - Tyrrhenisches Meer - Palinuro, Marsilli, Panarea
06 - MSM03/2 - Merian - 2006 - Fort-de-France - Fort-de-France - N-Atlantik - Logatchev Hydrothermal Field, 15°N
07 - M73/2 - Meteor - 2007 - Genua - Heraklion (Salerno) - Tyrrhenisches Meer - Palinuro, Panarea
08 - ATA Leg#1 - L´Atalante - 2007/08 - Toulon - Recife - N-Atlantik - Logatchev Hydrothermal Field, 15°N
09 - P403 - Poseidon - 2010 - Ponta Delgada - Ponta Delgada - N-Atlantik - Lucky Strike Volcano
10 - SN48 - Sagar Nidhi - 2010 - Mangalore - Colombo - Indischer Ozean - Southern Indian Ridge
11 - P408-1 - Poseidon - 2011 - Jeddah - Jeddah - Rotes Meer - Red Sea
12 - P408-3 - Poseidon - 2011 - Jeddah - Jeddah - Rotes Meer - Red Sea
13 - KM1129 - Kilo Moana - 2011 - Apia - Apia - S-Pazifik - Tonga
14 - M86-4 - Meteor - 2012 - Dubrovnik - Palma de Mallorca - Tyrrhenisches Meer - Palinuro SM, Panarea
15 - PE350 - Palagia - 2012 - Jeddah - Jeddah - Rotes Meer - Red Sea
16 - PE351 - Pelagia - 2012 - Jeddah - Duba - Rotes Meer - Red Sea
17 - P436 - Poseidon - 2012 - Kiel - Akureyri - Grönland See - N-Kolbeinsey Ridge, Jan Mayen
18 - P442 - Poseidon - 2012 - Messina - Messina - Tyrrhenisches Meer - Palinuro SM
19 - ODEMAR - Pourquoi Pas? - 2013 - Mindelo - Guadeloupe - N-Atlantik - Semenov HF, 13°N OCCs, N-MAR
20 - SO237 - Sonne (New) - 2014/15 - Gran Canaria - Santo Domingo - N-Atlantik - Vema Fracture Zone
21 - M127 - Meteor - 2016 - Bridgetown - Ponta Delgada - N-Atlantik - TAG Hydrothermal Field, 26°N
22 - P502 - Poseidon - 2016 - Reykjavik - Reykjavik - Grönland See - N-Kolbeinsey Ridge, Jan Mayen
23 - P513 - Poseidon - 2017 - Heraklion - Heraklion - Ägäisches Meer - Santorini, Kos
24 - M139 - Meteor - 2017 - Colón - Mindelo - Atlantik - BrightFlows Projekt, Nebennutzung
25 - MSM70 - Merian - 2017/18 - Mindelo - Las Palmas - Atlantik - BathyChem Projekt, Bathymetrists Seamounts
26 - PE-455 - Pelagia - 2018 - Limassol - Safaga - Rotes Meer - SaltAx - Fahrtleitung (Finally!)
27 - SO267 - Sonne - 2018/19 - Suva - Suva - Lau-Basin, Tonga - Archimedes - Bathymetrie
28 - MSM88-1 - Merian - 2019 - Minndelo - Mindelo - Central Atlantic - iAtlantic mapping
29 - Handin Tide - 2022 - Thuwal - Thuwal - Red Sea - Fugro AUV, ROV in cooperation with KAUST RSRC
30 - KRSE 4 - Aegaeo - 2022 - Duba/Thuwal - Thuwal - Red Sea - ROV, invited by KAUST RSRC
31 - TH9/22 - Thuwal - 2022 - Thuwal/Thuwal - Red Sea - ZAFRAN OBS Recovery Leg 2
32 - KRSE 5 - Aegaeo - 2023 - Thuwal/Thuwal - Red Sea - ROV, invited by KAUST RSRC
Teaching Experience
- Guest faculty at KAUST, teaching Marine Geology in spring semester 2021 and 2023, Contemporary Topics in ErSE, course ErSE-294
- Annual “Kids University” talk for 10-11 years old children at the Klaus-Groth grammar school in Neumünster, Germany, since 2018
- Short course in Ship, Submersible, and Airborne Mapping techniques and Cartography at the University Buea, Cameroon, Mar 2013
- Geology afternoon class for the children and teenagers of the “Bönebüttel Scouts”
- Short course at King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, Marine Geology 2013
- Teaching students during the annual GEOMAR International Summer School
- Supervision or co-supervision 3 Ph.D., 3 B.Sc., and 4 M.Sc. students since 2008
- Supervision of 11 internships (8 university and 3 high school students) since 2008
- Supervision of students and technical personnel from KAU, Jeddah
Service and other Academic Activities
- Guest Editor for Frontiers in Earth Sciences, Research Topic “Geodynamics and Magmatism in the Afro-Arabian Rift System” 2020 - 2021
- Reviewer e.g. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Science, Geomorphology, Journal of Petrology, Geo-Marine Letters, Tectonophysics, AGU Books, Geologica Carpathica, Computers and Geosciences
- Reviewer for the German Senate Commission on Oceanography
- Co-Convenor of Red Sea research session TS6.1 at the EGU 2020
- External reviewer in the Scientific Committee for Technical Reports of the Saudi Geological Survey, SGS, since 2018
- Member of the Scientific Board of GEOMAR, 2018-2020
- Commercial UAV (drone) pilot training and license, Apr 2018
- Field assistance, volcanic rock sampling in the Cameroon Volcanic Line, Mar 2016
- Convenor of Red Sea research session OS2.5 at the EGU 2013
- Ship safety training at the Seamans School Travemünde, Jun 2011
- Attendance and presentations at several international conferences including EGU 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 (and 2023); DFG & DMG Meetings 2005, 2007 and 2015; AGU 2012; Goldschmidt 2012, 2019, 2022; AGU Chapman Conference 2017, Mountain Cartography Workshop 2019 and Seafloor 2022
Invited Talks
- University of Salzburg, Austria, Red Sea geology (postponed due to Covid-19)
- KAUST Red Sea Seminar, Mar 2020
- University of Colone, Atlantic intraplate volcanism, Feb 2020
- Red Sea University, Port Sudan, SALTAX Expedition, Sept 2018
- Presentation for Diamond Fields International in Monaco, Red Sea Minerals, Feb 2017
- KAUST, Red Sea geology, Nov 2017
- Workshop of the Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah, Feb 2017
- Red Sea Conference, KAU Jeddah, Nov 2014
Research Techniques & Skills
- Geological fieldwork skills, e.g. mapping techniques, structural measurements, rock- and sediment sampling incl. description, subsampling, protocolling and UAV (drone) imaging
- Independent design and realization of seagoing expeditions on research vessels of all sizes (30 expeditions (2-10 weeks) since 1999, 6 ship-grant proposals funded, 2 co-chief scientist positions, 3 chief scientist positions)
- Experienced with a wide range of seagoing equipment for seafloor observations (OFOS, AUV, ROV), hydroacoustic mapping (Side Scan Sonar, Multibeam), and seafloor sampling (dredging, coring, drilling and TV guided grabs)
- Good knowledge of sub-bottom profiling methods with deep-towed and hull-mounted systems as well as basics in sparker and multi-channel seismic and OBS
- Water-column sampling (CTD, SVP, MAPR) and handling of equipment from other research disciplines (benthos skids, plankton nets, multi-corers)
- Expert in the use of hydroacoustic acquisition software (e.g. Kongsberg SIS, Xylem Hypack, Elac Hydrostar) and hydroacoustic post-processing with the QPS packages Qimera, Fledermaus, FMGT and Midwater as well as in Hypack, MBSystem and ChesapeakeTech SonarWiz (side-scan sonar and sub-bottom profiling)
- Routine usage of geographic information system and mapping software including statistical evaluation of geospatial data (e.g. QGIS, Global Mapper, Surfer, SAGA, Octave)
- Sample preparation and measurements for mineralogical, geochemical and isotope analytics with XRF, XRD, REM, EPMA, LA- and MC-ICP-MS, TIMS
Leadership Experience
- Chief scientist of RV Pelagia expedition 64PE446, Red Sea in 2018
- Co-chief scientist of cruise MSM70 with RV Maria S. Merian, eastern Atlantic
- Co-chief scientist and team leader of expedition M136 with RV Meteor, western Atlantic
- PI of project “Bright Flows”, a new style of intraplate volcanism in the NW Atlantic (2017/18)
- Team leader of the Bathymetry group during RV Sonne expedition SO237 in 2014/15
- Co-PI of the GEOMAR-KAU joint “Jeddah Transect Project” Subproject 2 – Volcanism & Hydrothermalism in the Red Sea 2011-2014
- Team leader of the Bathymetry and Volcanology team during RV Pelagia Red Sea expeditions 64PE350/351 in 2011 and 2012
- Scientific Abyss 6000 AUV team leader on the US expedition KM1129 with RV Kilo Moana in 2011, Tonga Back-Arc in cooperation with Nautilus Minerals
- Scientific Abyss 6000 AUV team leader and lead of the bathymetric mapping team on the Indian expedition SN48 with RV Sagar Nidhi in 2010, Indian Ocean
Grants
2022 RV METEOR Hexplores Expedition (Red Sea); scheduled for 09. Oct – 06. Nov 2023 (cruise M194, chief scientist), German Science Foundation 136,560 €
2022 RV METEOR/MERIAN Vebvolc (Greenland Sea, chief scientist); funded and queued for 31 working days, German Science Foundation 179,077 €
2020 Funded collaborator in KAUST CRG financed project Zafran (co-proponent), 73.400 US$
2018 RV METEOR expedition Sedis (central-eastern Atlantic, co-proponent) 03. Jan – 12. Feb 2019 (cruise M152/2); German Science Foundation 78,600 €
2017 RV MERIAN expedition BathyChem (central-eastern Atlantic, co-proponent) 25. Dec 2017 – 01. Feb 2018 (cruise MSM70, co-chief scientist); German Science Foundation 52,800 €
2017 RV METEOR expedition BrightFlows (western Atlantic) 08. Jul – 08. Aug 2017 (cruise M139, secondary user, co-chief scientist); German Science Foundation 23,700 €
2017 RV POSEIDON expedition SaltAx (Red Sea) carried out on the Dutch RV Pelagia, 27. Aug – 21. Sep 2018 (cruise 64PE445, chief scientist); German Science Foundation 34,000 €
