Dr Mirjam Schaller

  • Senior Research Scientist – Earth Surface Geochemistry (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)

Biography

2024-               Senior Research Scientist, University of Glasgow, UK

2009-2024       Research Scientist, Universität Tübingen, Germany

2006-2009       Research Scientist, University of Michigan, USA

2003-2006       Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Michigan, USA

2002-2003       Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge, UK

1997-2001       PhD., Geochemistry (Surface processes), Universität Bern, Switzerland

1992-1997       MSc. (Diploma), Mineralogy/Petrology, Universität Bern, Switzerland

Research interests

Studying and quantifying Earth surface processes and landforms:

  • Quantification of denudation and soil production rates with in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides
  • Age determination of rock surfaces and sedimentary deposits with in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides
  • Quantification of weathering rates with major and trace elements
  • Influence of climate and biota on Earth surface processes

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Prior publications

ORCiD

(2020) Calibrating a long-term meteoric <sup>10</sup>Be delivery rate into eroding western US glacial deposits by comparing meteoric and in situ produced <sup>10</sup>Be depth profiles Geochronology (doi: 10.5194/gchron-2-411-2020)(issn: 2628-3719); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2020) Comparison of regolith physical and chemical characteristics with geophysical data along a climate and ecological gradient, Chilean Coastal Cordillera (26 to 38° S) SOIL (doi: 10.5194/soil-6-629-2020)(issn: 2199-398X); source: Mirjam Schaller

J. Starke, T. A. Ehlers, M. Schaller, (2020) Latitudinal effect of vegetation on erosion rates identified along western South America Science (doi: 10.1126/science.aaz0840); source: Crossref

(2019) Geophysical imaging of regolith in landscapes along a climate and vegetation gradient in the Chilean coastal cordillera CATENA (doi: 10.1016/j.catena.2019.04.023)(issn: 0341-8162); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2019) Quaternary evolution of the Ploučnice River system (Bohemian Massif) based on fluvial deposits dated with optically stimulated luminescence and in situ produced cosmogenic nuclides Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.12.019)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2018) Chemistry and microbiology of the Critical Zone along a steep climate and vegetation gradient in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera CATENA (doi: 10.1016/j.catena.2018.06.002)(issn: 0341-8162); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2018) Pedogenic and microbial interrelations to regional climate and local topography: New insights from a climate gradient (arid to humid) along the Coastal Cordillera of Chile CATENA (doi: 10.1016/j.catena.2018.06.018)(issn: 0341-8162); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2018) Spatial distribution of cosmogenic 10Be derived denudation rates between the Western Tian Shan and Northern Pamir, Tajikistan Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.08.007)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2017) Tectonic and Climatic Controls on the Spatial Distribution of Denudation Rates in Northern Chile (18°S to 23°S) Determined From Cosmogenic Nuclides Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface (doi: 10.1002/2016jf004153)(issn: 2169-9003); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2017) Middle and Late Pleistocene glaciations in the southwestern Pamir and their effects on topography Earth and Planetary Science Letters (doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.03.012)(issn: 0012-821X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2016) Spatial and temporal variations in denudation rates derived from cosmogenic nuclides in four European fluvial terrace sequences Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.08.018)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2016) Timing of European fluvial terrace formation and incision rates constrained by cosmogenic nuclide dating Earth and Planetary Science Letters (doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.07.022)(issn: 0012-821X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2016) 10Be surface-exposure age dating of the Last Glacial Maximum in the northern Pamir (Tajikistan) Quaternary Geochronology (doi: 10.1016/j.quageo.2016.03.007)(issn: 1871-1014); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2016) The erosion response to Quaternary climate change quantified using uranium isotopes and in situ - produced cosmogenic nuclides Earth-Science Reviews (doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.01.015)(issn: 0012-8252); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2015) Authigenic Be as a tool to date river terrace sediments? – An example from a Late Miocene hominid locality in Bulgaria Quaternary Geochronology (doi: 10.1016/j.quageo.2015.05.012)(issn: 1871-1014); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2015) The effect of permafrost on time-split soil erosion using radionuclides (137Cs, 239 + 240Pu, meteoric 10Be) and stable isotopes (δ 13C) in the eastern Swiss Alps Journal of Soils and Sediments (doi: 10.1007/s11368-014-0881-9)(issn: 1439-0108)(issn: 1614-7480); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2014) Cosmogenic Nuclides and Erosion at the Watershed Scale Elements (doi: 10.2113/gselements.10.5.369)(issn: 1811-5209)(issn: 1811-5217); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2010) Spatial and temporal variability in denudation across the Bolivian Andes from multiple geochronometers Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.05.014)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2010) Spatial variability of long-term chemical weathering rates in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, USA Geoderma (doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.10.017)(issn: 0016-7061); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2009) Combining cosmogenic nuclides and major elements from moraine soil profiles to improve weathering rate estimates Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.10.014)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2009) Spatial and temporal variations in denudation of the Wasatch Mountains, Utah, USA Lithosphere (doi: 10.1130/l15.1)(issn: 1947-4253)(issn: 1941-8264); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2006) Limits to quantifying climate driven changes in denudation rates with cosmogenic radionuclides Earth and Planetary Science Letters (doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2006.05.027)(issn: 0012-821X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2005) Fluvial bedrock incision in the active mountain belt of Taiwan fromin situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (doi: 10.1002/esp.1256)(issn: 0197-9337)(issn: 1096-9837); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2004) Initial results from isotope dilution for Cl and 36Cl measurements at the PSI/ETH Zurich AMS facility Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms (doi: 10.1016/j.nimb.2004.04.115)(issn: 0168-583X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2004) Paleoerosion Rates from Cosmogenic 10Be in a 1.3 Ma Terrace Sequence: Response of the River Meuse to Changes in Climate and Rock Uplift The Journal of Geology (doi: 10.1086/381654)(issn: 0022-1376)(issn: 1537-5269); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2003) Lithology, landscape dissection and glaciation controls on catchment erosion as determined by cosmogenic nuclides in river sediment (the Wutach Gorge, Black Forest) Terra Nova (doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3121.2003.00519.x)(issn: 0954-4879)(issn: 1365-3121); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2003) Influence of periglacial cover beds on in situ-produced cosmogenic 10Be in soil sections Geomorphology (doi: 10.1016/s0169-555x(02)00189-7)(issn: 0169-555X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2003) Increase of human over natural erosion rates in tropical highlands constrained by cosmogenic nuclides Geology (doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0597:iohone>2.0.co;2)(issn: 0091-7613); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2002) A 30 000 yr record of erosion rates from cosmogenic 10Be in Middle European river terraces Earth and Planetary Science Letters (doi: 10.1016/s0012-821x(02)00951-2)(issn: 0012-821X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2001) Large-scale erosion rates from in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides in European river sediments Earth and Planetary Science Letters (doi: 10.1016/s0012-821x(01)00320-x)(issn: 0012-821X); source: Mirjam Schaller

(2000) Electron-microscope and Ar isotope characterization of chemically heterogeneous amphiboles from the Palala Shear Zone, Limpopo Belt, South Africa European Journal of Mineralogy (doi: 10.1127/ejm/12/1/0045)(issn: 0935-1221); source: Mirjam Schaller

(1999) Exhumation of Limpopo Central Zone granulites and dextral continent-scale transcurrent movement at 2.0 Ga along the Palala Shear Zone, Northern Province, South Africa Precambrian Research (doi: 10.1016/s0301-9268(99)00015-7)(issn: 0301-9268); source: Mirjam Schaller

(1997) Pb stepwise leaching (PbSL) dating of garnet – addressing the inclusion proble Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. ; source: Mirjam Schaller

Grants

2022-2024      Euro 1,120,000, Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (German Nuclear Waste Disposal Agency, BGE), “Erosion rates across Germany with emphasis on the South German Scarplands – integrating surface analysis, thermochronology, cosmogenic nuclides and landscape evolution modelling”, Co-PIs (equal contributions) Glotzbach, Beer, Schaller and Ehlers

2016-2019      Euro 242,950, German Science Foundation, “Imaging the weathering front with geophysical and geochemical techniques”, PI Schaller, Co-PI van der Kruk

2011-2014      Euro 210,000, German Science Foundation, “Quantifying Paleo-denudation rates with cosmogenic nuclides from European river terraces”, PI Schaller, Co-PI Ehlers

2004-2008      $93,000, Swiss National Science Foundation, “Quantifying weathering rates and soil ages in a glacial chronosequence: Wind River Mountains, Wyoming, USA”, PI Schaller

2003                $6,350, measurements of 14 pilot samples, seed fund of PRIME lab “Soil weathering, mixing, and erosion: Wind River Mountains, Wyoming”, PI Schaller

2002                $30,000, Swiss National Science Foundation, “A 50 ka record of fluvial bedrock incision in the active mountain belt of Taiwan from in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides”, PI Schaller