Surface Processes & Palaeoclimate

DomůResearchResearch teamsSurface Processes & Palaeoclimate

We study the geophysical interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere domains on Earth and other planets. The core of our work explores questions concerning the process dynamics of landscapes and especially how climate, tectonics and life transform Earth’s surface through time. Our expertise spans the fields of geomorphology, sedimentology and geodynamics and includes the following topics:

  • analogue and computational modelling of sea level and long-term landscape evolution
  • the sedimentary record of environmental change, including fluvial, lacustrine and aeolian archives
  • geochronology via cosmogenic nuclides and luminescence dating
  • extraterrestrial surface processes, including volcanism and cryovolcanism
  • cryospheric processes and forms
  • extreme geological events, such as floods and landslides
  • archaeology and the impacts of human activities.

 

John Jansen PhD Senior researcher & team leader geomorphology, cosmogenic nuclides, Quaternary geology
Petr Brož Mgr., PhD Researcher extraterrestrial volcanic & magmatic processes, sedimentary volcanism
Caroline Fenske Mgr., PhD Postdoctoral researcher surface process modelling, geomorphology, sedimentology
Filip Havlíček BSc MSc student analogue modeling, structural geology, extensional tectonics
Jiří Laurin PhD Senior researcher sedimentary geology, palaeoclimate, Milanković cycles
Greg Ruetenik PhD Researcher surface process modelling, geodynamics
Lenka Špičáková PhD Researcher clastic sedimentology
David Uličný RNDr, CSc Senior researcher sedimentology, sequence & stable isotope stratigraphy, sedimentary basins
Tomáš Uxa RNDr, PhD Researcher cryosphere, palaeoclimate, geothermics
Kaleb Wagner MSc PhD student geomorphology, Quaternary stratigraphy, geochronometry
Lotta Ylä-Mella MSc PhD student numerical modelling, geochronometry

 

Currently funded projects

  • Reconstructing the subglacial erosional history of the first Eurasian Ice Sheets (GAUK 2023–25: K. Wagner PI, J. Jansen Co-PI)
  • Interplay between relative sea-level & surface processes: comparing responses across tectonically active & inactive terrains (GAČR 2023–25, G. Ruetenik PI, J. Jansen Co-PI)
  • Dynamics of the periglacial environment in the Antarctic Peninsula region under ongoing climate change (GAČR Junior Star 2022–26, T. Uxa Co-PI)
  • Effusive Cryovolcanism: the battle of phases in a water table freezing under reduced atmospheric pressure (GAČR 2025–27, P. Brož PI)
  • Tropical climate & vegetation response during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age; an integrated study of spatial & temporal variability (GAČR 2025–27, J. Laurin Co-PI)
  • Unravelling the influence of frost heave & thaw settlement on thermal regime of permafrost & seasonally frozen ground & its implementation in freeze-thaw models (GAČR 2025–27, T. Uxa PI)

Cutting rock samples for cosmogenic nuclide analysis, Hellheim Fjord, East Greenland (photo—DL Egholm, 2018)

Performing analogue experiments in a low pressure chamber (Open University, UK) to investigate the behaviour of mud flows on Mars (photo—P Brož, 2019)

Sampling cryoturbation structures, Brno–Černovice, Czechia (photo—M Křížek, 2020)

Setting up weather stations and dust traps at Mt San Jacinto, California, to investigate the influence of altitude-driven climate variations on soil weathering (photo—K Hu, 2020)

Installation of air-ground-bedrock temperature monitoring devices in Évora, Portugal (photo—J Šafanda, 2017)

Temperature logging a 2 km-deep borehole at Litoměřice, Czechia (photo—P Dědeček, 2020)