معرفی
Timon Kipfer is a doctoral student and research assistant in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Basel, Switzerland. He works under the supervision of Prof. Dominik Fleitmann in the Quaternary Geology research group.
His educational background includes a Master of Science in Geosciences (2022) and a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences (2021), both from the University of Basel. Prior to his Master's studies, he worked as a technician/research assistant in the Quaternary Geology Group from 2021-2022.
Timon's research focuses on paleoclimatology using speleothem fluid inclusions and their water isotopes as proxies to examine past climate change. His work provides direct information on past precipitation and moisture source changes. He is developing methods to measure stable isotopes of hydrogen (δ²H) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) in water combined with oxygen (δ¹⁸O) in calcite to calculate paleotemperature estimates for time intervals up to the Pleistocene.
His current PhD project involves setting up a new fluid inclusion extraction line to increase sample throughput and measure samples with very low water content. He is applying fluid inclusion water isotope paleo-thermometry on stalagmites from central and western European caves and investigating the paleo-lapse rate of water stable isotopes. Additionally, he is initiating an isotope survey for cave drip waters and precipitation across Switzerland and France, and using digital image analysis to improve knowledge on the petrography of speleothem fluid inclusions.
Timon is actively involved in the Quaternary Geology research group led by Prof. Dominik Fleitmann, working with advanced techniques for high temporal resolution and high precision measurement of water isotopes. His work contributes to understanding past climate dynamics in central and western Europe through cave systems in Switzerland and France.
