I am a PhD student at the University of Lausanne working on “Thermal properties of the lower continental crust” under the supervision of György Hetényi. I completed my Bachelor and Master degrees at the University of Bern. During my Master studies, I focused mainly on petrology and geochemistry and carried out a petrological and geochronological study on ophiolitic relics of the Central Alps.
However, my scientific interest is not only tied to petrology and geochemistry but is much more to the various processes that take place in the Earth’s interior from different perspectives of various geological disciplines. From the very beginning, I was fascinated by the factors that shape our planet and govern processes as well as their significance for the development of the Earth and of life.
Thus, I am more pleased to have the opportunity to combine geophysics and petrology during my doctoral studies and to investigate the thermal properties of the Earth’s lower continental crust. Thermal properties of rocks are the fundament of any thermal study of the Earth’s lithosphere because they determine the distribution of heat in the Earth’s interior and thus define the heat flow and geotherm. For my study, I mainly use drillcores from the Ivrea-Verbano zone that are obtained from the drilling activities of the DIVE (Drilling the Ivrea Verbano ZonE).
I appreciate any discussion – especially about geology, science, and philosophy.
Publications
- Lemke, K., Rubatto, D. & Hermann, J. A rapid transition from subduction to Barrovian metamorphism: geochronology of mafic–ultramafic relicts of oceanic crust in the Central Alps, Switzerland. Swiss J Geosci 117, 15 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s00015-024-00462-7
- Ewing, T., Rubatto, D., Lemke, K., Hermann, J. (2023). Timescales and mechanisms of felsic lower continental crust formation: Insights from U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircon (Malenco Unit, eastern Central Alps), Lithos, 456–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2023.107286
- Gegg, L.; Kuster, A. M.; Schmid, D.; Lemke, K.; Deplazes, G.; Madritsch, H.; Buechi, M. W. (2019). Quaternary Borehole QBO Untersiggenthal (QUST). Data Report (Nagra Arbeitsberichte 19-01). Wettingen: Nagra.
Conferences
- Poster presentation at Swiss Geological Meeting 2023 (Mendrisio): Lemke, K., Hetényi, G. (2023). Thermal properties of the lower continental crust of high-grade metamorphic rocks from the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (project DIVE).
- Poster presentation at Goldschmidt conference 2023 (Lyon): Lemke, K., Rubatto, D., Hermann, J. (2023). Ophiolitic Relics in the Central Alps: Timing the Transition from High-Pressure Melting to Amphibolite Facies.
Prizes
- Best Thesis Award from the Swiss Geological Society (2022) for the Master thesis: “Ophiolitic Relicts in the Cima-Lunga Unit and Adula Nappe (Central Alps): Timing the Transition from High-Pressure Melting to Amphibolite Facies”.