Research Objectives

1 Inter-laboratory calibration – samples to be distributed for cross-calibration. Development of environmental magnetic measurement techniques and protocols.
UTRECHT
2 Synthesis of pure magnetic phases to fill gaps in knowledge of magnetic properties of iron oxides (magnetite (< 0.08 microns), maghemite, hematite). Examine grain size and stoichiometry dependence and conduct thorough literature review.
EAST ANGLIA / UTRECHT / ZÜRICH
3 Modelling of mixtures of magnetic particles, including literature search.
LIVERPOOL / SOUTHAMPTON / ROMA
4 Sorption of radionuclides and heavy metals  by magnetic particles.
SOUTHAMPTON
5 Atmospheric aerosols – develop complete inventory of pollution source materials (fly ash, vehicle emissions, etc.) with full magnetic and chemical characterisation to discriminate among different aerosols. 
LIVERPOOL / MÜNCHEN / EAST ANGLIA / ZÜRICH
6 What does the inventory of pollution sources tell us about pollution in Europe? Need a mapping inventory. Has pollution varied with time? Have environmental regulations helped to reduce problems? Where are the problems? Collate existing knowledge.
LIVERPOOL / MARSEILLE
7 Health-related studies of magnetic pollutants (e.g. magnetic studies of lung tissue).
MÜNCHEN
8 Heavy metal pollution of soils – develop Austrian database as a European case study to determine diagnostic value of environmental magnetism for assessing soil pollution.
LEOBEN
9 Use of environmental magnetism to assess the fate of heavy metals in sedimentary environments and effects on ecosystems. Build database of existing data and complement with new work.
MARSEILLE / MADRID / SOUTHAMPTON
10 European soils and climate – measurements along climatically-sensitive transects. Database compilation, with emphasis on assessment of time resolution. To be done in conjunction with study of soil formation processes.
ZÜRICH / EAST ANGLIA / MADRID
11 Correlation of palaeoclimate records from marine and terrestrial environments. Focus on environmental magnetic studies to determine periods of relative aridity versus humidity in marine records for comparison with continental records.
SOUTHAMPTON / ROMA / UTRECHT / MARSEILLE / MADRID