CH-QUAT: Société suisse pour la recherche sur le quaternaire
The Swiss Society for Quaternary Research (CH-QUAT) is a network of scientists and professionals from research and applied fields who study the Quaternary period (the last 2.6 millon years of Earth’s History). The society focuses on environmental and climate change, geology, and human development. At our meetings and excursions, we promote the exchange of knowledge, ideas and contacts among students, scientists, and professionals from government institutions or private companies, as well as the greater public.
Highlights in 2024 included the CH-QUAT Annual Meeting in Bern, a two-day excursion to the Kandertal and a well-attended Quaternary Sciences session at the 22nd Swiss Geoscience Meeting in Basel. During the year, we provided financial support to 7 students and early-stage researchers to conduct fieldwork or to present their research at conferences.
CH-QUAT Annual Meeting
For the annual meeting in Bern on March 16, CH-QUAT invited seven keynote speakers who study "frozen worlds" found in and around glaciers, permafrost, and caves. CH-QUAT would like to thank the following keynote speakers for their excellent presentations: Regula Gubler (Archaeological Service, Kanton Bern), Gina Mosley (University of Innsbruck, A), Marcia Phillips (SLF), Giovanni Baccolo (PSI), Michael Sigl (University of Bern), and Martin Hoelzle (University of Fribourg). Photographer and caver Robbie Shone provided fantastic insights into the art of cave photography. Keynote talks were interspersed with breaks for networking, discussions, and additional poster presentations.
CH-QUAT Excursion to the Kander Valley
The 2024 CH-QUAT excursion took place on the weekend of September 21–22 in the Kander Valley, organized by René Löpfe, focusing on Quaternary history of this area and its relevance to applied geology. The excursion began on a Saturday in Frutigen, where Adrian Pfiffner introduced the regional geology at Tellenburg. Willy Tinner followed with results from paleoecological studies on the ecological effects of a major early Holocene rockfall in the Kander Valley, evidenced by organic-rich sediments beneath landslide deposits. After a picnic at Blausee, Corinne Singeisen discussed the dating of large boulders linked to a late Holocene rockslide. In the afternoon, René Löpfe and Marc Lütscher presented the Mitholz project, a multi-year effort to remediate a former army ammunition depot buried by a 1947 explosion. Drill cores provided insight into the geological and hydrogeological conditions of the site. The day concluded with a scenic hike above Kandersteg, where Corinne Singeisen and Christian Kienholz shared information on past landslides and current monitoring of the Allmeflue landslide. Participants ended the day with dinner and an overnight stay in Kandersteg.
On Sunday, the group took the cable car to Lake Oeschinen, enjoying views of the “Spitze Stei,” where Christian Kienholz explained ongoing slope monitoring, landslide modeling, and protective measures for Kandersteg. Adrian Gilli then presented the geological history of the lake using core samples and seismic data. During a hike along the Oeschibach stream, the group examined recent debris deposits and the local early warning system. The final stop featured a 3D model of the “Spitze Stei,” offering a detailed look at the monitoring techniques. The two-day trip concluded in Kandersteg after a rich exchange of knowledge at the intersection of geology, paleoecology, and applied research.
Scientific Session at the Swiss Geoscience Meeting
For the 22nd Swiss Geoscience Meeting in Bael (November 8–9) CH-QUAT organized the session “Quaternary environments: landscapes, climate, ecosystems and human activity during the past 2.6 million years”. This session provides a platform for the Swiss Quaternary community to present their latest research. The session included 11 talks and 25 posters. All of the contributions were of excellent quality, and the session was well attended throughout the day.
In 2024, seven students and early-career researchers received financial support from CH-QUAT's Support for Young Scientists program to cover expenses related to fieldwork, research trips, conferences, and courses.
Support for was granted to:
- Michelle Worek, Paul Scherrer Institute: Attendance to the American Geoscience Union (AGU) Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
- Julia Hasler, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel: Attendance to the American Geoscience Union (AGU) Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.
- Balthasar L. Epprecht, Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern: Support for MSc thesis fieldwork in the Alpstein area, Sämtisersee (Switzerland)
- Gabriel Graf, Institute of Geological Sciences, Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern: Support for MSc thesis fieldwork in the Alpstein area, Sämtisersee (Switzerland)
- Leah Forsythe, ETH Zurich: Attendance to a workshop on micromorphology in Edinburgh, UK
- Simona Breu, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel: Attendance to the International Symposium on Chironomidae in Niš
- François Burgay, Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern: Attendance to the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Vienna
CH-QUAT regularly informs its members about current events from other associations and projects related to national and international Quaternary research. The organization also coordinates external requests in the field of Quaternary Sciences. Current and future events are continuously uploaded to our homepage on the SCNAT portal.
CH-QUAT also supports the International Geochronology Summer School, which teaches dating techniques in Quaternary research to young researchers, including PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The 15th summer school took place in the Morteratsch area from September 1–7, 2024. With support from CH-QUAT, 18 international participants were trained in relevant subdisciplines of geochronology, including dendrochronology, dendroecology, soil development and chronosequences, Quaternary glacial stratigraphy, lake sediment analysis (210Pb and 137Cs), loess archives, archaeomagnetic applications, luminescence dating, and cosmogenic nuclide dating techniques (14C, 10Be, and 36Cl).