Esther Schmädicke

Professor Esther Schmädicke is a distinguished geoscientist specializing in Mineralogy and Petrology at the GeoCenter Northern Bavaria, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). She holds a dedicated professorship for Mineralogy (Petrology) and has established herself as a leading researcher in the field of mantle petrology and metamorphic processes.

Her research primarily focuses on:

• Water in nominally anhydrous mantle minerals and its distribution in the upper mantle
• Transport of water in subduction zones
• Petrology of mantle rocks including stability of hydrous minerals
• Reconstruction of pressure-temperature histories of metamorphic rocks
• Modeling of phase equilibria in various rock systems

Professor Schmädicke's research spans multiple geological settings worldwide, with field areas including the Bohemian Massif (Erzgebirge, Odenwald, Granulitgebirge), Rehoboth Terrane (Namibia), Cyclades (Greece), Shackleton Range (Antarctica), and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Her recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on water in mantle minerals, eclogite petrology, and high-pressure metamorphic processes. Analysis of her publication record shows consistent contributions to understanding mantle water content, subduction zone processes, and the petrogenesis of high-pressure rocks, with particular emphasis on the role of water as a critical component in deep Earth processes and tectonic evolution.

Her scientific contributions include:

• Investigating water incorporation in various mantle minerals like garnet, omphacite, and orthopyroxene
• Studying the petrology of ultrahigh-pressure rocks and their formation mechanisms
• Reconstructing metamorphic histories of various rock types across different tectonic settings
• Developing models for phase equilibria in complex rock systems

Professor Schmädicke has maintained a productive research career spanning over three decades, with continuous publication output from the 1990s to the present. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on the role of water in mantle processes and the petrology of high-pressure metamorphic rocks, making significant contributions to our understanding of deep Earth processes and the global water cycle within Earth's interior.