RCOM

The Earth is a complex, interactive and dynamic system. The atmosphere, cryosphere, ocean, lithosphere and biosphere are closely linked by various interactions. The goal of the cluster of excellence is to promote a better understanding of the role of the ocean in the global Earth system. The overarching research themes are: "Oceans through Time", "Geosphere-Biosphere Interactions" and "Humans and Oceans". The study areas range from the shelf to the deep sea.
The DFG Research Centre Ocean Margins (RCOM) was founded in 2001. Initially, the RCOM was structured around four research fields: "Paleoenvironment", "Biogeochemical Processes", "Sedimentation Processes" and "Use Impact Research". In the second funding period (2005-2009), an additional research area "Seepage of Fluid and Gas" was established. With this cluster of excellence, a further research area E focusing upon "Lithosphere-Biosphere Interactions in Oceanic Hydrothermal Systems", and three new projects in research area A "Ocean and Climate" were established, including physical oceanography and ice-core climate research.
For these programmes the University of Bremen cooperates closely with the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, the Jacobs University Bremen (JU), the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI) in Bremen, the Senckenberg Institute by the Sea (SNG) in Wilhelmshaven and the Center for Marine Tropical Ecology (ZMT) in Bremen.
The topics are integrated with and address core problems of international programmes (IGBP, PAGES, IMAGES, IODP, InterRidge, etc.). Active participation in the international programmes results in mutual benefits for all parties. MARUM operates one of the three IODP deep-sea drilling core repositories in the world. Furthermore, MARUM is one of only six research institutes worldwide that deploy remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), an underwater drill rig and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in the deep sea. Through the development and operation of modern underwater instruments the MARUM has established itself as a leading centre of marine research technology.                            

          DFG Programme:       Clusters of Excellence        

            Participating subject areas            Meeresgeologie, Sedimentologie, Geochemie, Meereschemie, Paläozeanografie, Mikrobiologie, Geophysik, Physikalische Ozeanografie