Dr. Dominic Wölki
Laborleiter für Mineralogie und Petrologie
Institut für Geo- und Umweltnaturwissenschaften
Mineralogie - Petrologie
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität
Albertstraße 23b
79104 Freiburg
Germany
Fon: 0761 / 203 6388 direkt
Fon: 0761 / 203 6396 Sekretariat
E-Mail: dominic.woelki@minpet.uni-freiburg.de
Identifiers: Google Scholar
Education
- 2019 Dr. Geochemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
Thesis: From oceanic spreading to an island arc: The Troodos Ophiolite as a view into plate tectonics - 2016 M.Sc. Geology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
Thesis: The influence of sediments in mantle melting at subduction zones: Evidence stored in mafic lavas and enclaves from Methana, Aegean arc - 2014 B.Sc. Geology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
Thesis: Petrological and geochemical investigations on Cretaceous oceanic mantle
Professional experience
- 03.2023 - present Research Laboratory Supervisor at the Institut of Mineralogy and Petrology, University Freiburg, Germany
- 09.2022 - 02.2023 Research Specialist II at the Department of Geology and Geophysics in the role of the Laboratory Manager of the Radiogenic Isotope facility at the Texas A&M University, USA
- 05.2021 - 08.2022 Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida, USA
- 05.2021 - 04.2022 Postdoctoral researcher at the Institut of Mineralogy, University of Münster, Germany on leave at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida, USA
- 10.2019 - 04.2021 Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida, USA
- 11.2016 - 10.2019 Research assistant at the Department of Endogene Geodynamik, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Research interests
Plate tectonics is the result of the Earth’s most efficient way to lose heat and causes upwelling and melting of mantle, forming new oceanic crust. This crust is recycled back into the mantle at subduction zones. These processes cause differentiation and element cycling, affecting the composition of the mantle, crust, and the atmosphere over geological timescales. To understand the Earth as a complex system today and in the future, it is important to understand the evolution and interaction of those reservoirs. My current research focuses on igneous petrology and isotope and trace element geochemistry aimed at answering the fundamental questions of high-temperature element cycling at convergent and divergent plate boundaries. Specifically, I am working on the geodynamic evolution and element cycling at subduction zones and the long-term compositional evolution of the Earth’s mantle. The Earth’s mantle has been neglected in understanding element cycling, especially in subduction zones. Volatiles (e.g., CO2), either recycled back into the mantle or degassed during magmatism affects the atmosphere and thus life on Earth. My main research is focused on three topics: (1) Small and large scale spatial and temporal heterogeneity in oceanic mantle domains. (2) The influence of mantle source composition on the formation of oceanic spreading centres and oceanic rises. (3) The recycling of elements in subduction zones and their influence on the composition of the melting residue, crust, and atmosphere. I am facilitating different different techniques like microscopy, electron microprobe, LA-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS to understand the long-term evolution of the Earths different reservoirs.
Teaching / Courses
- Methoden der Mineralogie (B.Sc. 4)
- Prozesse in der Lithosphäre (B.Sc. 5)
- Geowissenschaftliche Analytik (B.Sc. 5)
- Analytical methods I (M.Sc. 1)
- Exkursionen/Field trips (B.Sc., M.Sc.)
If you are looking for a Bachelor's or Master's project please feel free to contact me.
Publications
- Woelki, D., Salters, V., Beier, C., & Romer, R. (2023). Shallow recycling of lower crustal material: The Mahoney Seamount at the Southwest Indian Ridge. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 602, 117968. DOI
- Woelki, D., Haase, K. M., Beier, C., & Günther, T. (2022). Compositional variation of mafic calc-alkaline lavas at the submarine Pausanias Volcanic Field, western South Aegean Volcanic Arc: Implications for magma formation and ascent. Lithos. DOI
- Schoenhofen, M. V., Haase, K. M., Woelki, D., Beier, C. and Regelous, M. (2020). Chemical evolution of calc-alkaline magmas during the ascent through continental crust: constraints from Methana, Aegean arc. Journal of Petrology. DOI
- Woelki, D., Michael, J. P., Haase, K. M. & Beier, C. (2020). Enrichment of H2O and fluid-soluble trace elements in the Troodos Ophiolite: evidence for a near-trench origin. Lithos. DOI
- Woelki, D., Regelous, M., Haase, K. M. & Beier, C. (2019). Geochemical mapping of a paleo-subduction zone beneath the Troodos Ophiolite. Chemical Geology, 523, 1-8. DOI
- Günther, T., Haase, K. M., Junge, M., Oberthür, T., Woelki, D., & Krumm, S. (2019). Reply to discussion by R.N. Scoon and A.A. Mitchell on `Oxygen isotope and trace element compositions of platiniferous dunite pipes of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa – Signals from a recycled mantle component? Lithos, 324, 899-901. DOI
- Günther, T., Haase, K. M., Junge, M., Oberthür, T., Woelki, D., & Krumm, S. (2018). Oxygen isotope and trace element compositions of platiniferous dunite pipes of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa – Signals from a recycled mantle component? Lithos, 310, 332-341. DOI
- Woelki, D., Haase, K. M., Schoenhofen, M. V., Beier, C., Regelous, M., Krumm, S. H., & Günther, T. (2018). Evidence for melting of subducting carbonate-rich sediments in the western Aegean Arc. Chemical Geology, 483, 463-473. DOI
- Woelki, D., Regelous, M., Haase, K. M., Romer, R. H., & Beier, C. (2018). Petrogenesis of boninitic lavas from the Troodos Ophiolite, and comparison with Izu–Bonin–Mariana fore-arc crust. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 498, 203-214. DOI