Dr. Lorenzo Gemignani

Department of Earth Sciences
Institute of Geological Sciences
Tectonics and Sedimentary Systems
Researcher
Room B 137
12249 Berlin
Education and employment
November 2018 | Post Doctoral Research Associate at the Tectonics and Sedimentary Systems Group, Freie Universität Berlin |
2017/2018 | Lecturer and researcher (project Mineral – EU) at the University of Turin, Italy |
2013/2017 |
PhD in Tectonics and Thermochronology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA) Marie Curie Fellowship: iTECC (investigating Tectonics-Erosion-Climate Coupling) ITN, supported by the EU FP7 (grant agreement no. 316966) |
2011/2013 | Exploration Geologist: Geothermal Energy, Tuscany (It). Geonergy srl., Cascina-Pisa (It) |
2009/2011 |
MSc of Geology at University of Pisa, Italy Thesis title: “La zona di taglio Kalopani KSZ (massiccio dell'Annapurna, Mustang, Nepal): analisi strutturale e geocronologia”, in Italian, 107 pages |
View on the Annapurna 1 North-Face, Mustang, Nepal (October-2010); Geological expedition, University of Pisa (MSc thesis project).
Academic activity:
Since 2019 | Secretary General of the Tectonics and Structural Geology (TecTask) IUGS commission |
2013 - 2017 | Member of the iTECC FP7-People- 2012-ITN Marie-Curie Action: “Initial Training Networks” |
Since 2015 | Fellow of the Italian Group of Himalayan Geology (Italian Geological Society) |
Conference organization | HKT 2016, Aussois, France; Yorsget 2020, Catania, Italy 2020 |
Peer-review activity | Since 2019, Solid Earth; Since 2020, Geosphere |
At The FU-Berlin (From November 2018)
- Advanced cartography (MSc Students)
- Field mapping (MSc Students)
- Laboratory Methods (MSc students)
At the university of Torino:
- Introduction to fold and thrust belts (MSc of Earth Science)
- Radio-Isotopic dating techniques (MSc of Earth Science)
- Seminars for current research
- Field Mapping and GIS (MSc of Earth Science)
My research interests focus on tectonics, erosion, and climate interactions. In particular, how these processes relate to the evolution of mountain belts and their sedimentary environments. Current research projects are deep-rooted upon laboratory analysis, field-based studies, and using numerical models and includes:
- Exhumation and erosion on Earth surface processes
- Quantification of exhumation and erosion using thermochronology, cosmogenic nuclides, remote sensing, and numerical modelling techniques.
I use a multidisciplinary approach to tackle problems using an integration of the following approaches:
- Field observations and field geology, structural geology, stratigraphy and geomorphology.
- Low-temperature thermochronology: Noble Gas 40Ar/39Ar dating and fission track methods.
- Analysis and modelling of Digital elevation Models (DEMs).
- Geographic information systems (GIS) integrated with Python spatial analysis
- Cosmogenic isotopes (36Cl) on fluvial terraces.
At the FU Berlin I manage the fission track laboratory. We are equipped to perform mineral separation from rocks and river sands specimens. The mineral separation laboratory includes jaw crushers, a Wilfley shaker table, and heavy liquids to separate apatite and zircon. After separation, we can perform grains mount and etching procedures of the apatite grains in collaboration with the University of Potsdam. For counting of the fission tracks, we have a Zeiss Axioplan2 microscope set-up.
Peer-reviewed publications:
2022
Gemignani, L., Mittelbach, B., A. Rohrmann, M. U. Grund, A. Bernhardt, K. Hippe, J. Giese, M. R. Handy, (2022). Response of drainage pattern and basin evolution to tectonic and climatic changes along the Dinarides-Hellenides orogen. Front. Earth Sci. 10:821707.
2020
Govin, G., van der Beek, P., Najman, Y., Millar, I., Gemignani, L., Huyghe, P., Dupont-Nivet, G., Bernet, M., Mark, C., Wijbrans, J., (2020). Early onset and late acceleration of rapid exhumation in the Namche Barwa syntaxis, eastern Himalaya. Geology, 48 (12), 1139-1143, DOI: 10.1130/G47720.1
Xilin Sun, Kuiper, K.F., Yuntao Tian, Chang'an Li, Zengjie Zhang, Gemignani, L., Rujun Guo, Wijbrans, J.R., (2020). 40Ar/39Ar mica dating of late Cenozoic sediments in SE Tibet: Implications for sediment recycling and drainage evolution. Journ. of the Geo. Soc., DOI: 10.1144/jgs2019-099
Huyghe, P., Bernet, M., Galy, A., Naylor, M., Cruz, J., Gyawalie, B.R., Gemignani, L., Mugnier, J-L. (2020), Rapid exhumation since at least 13 Ma in the Himalaya recorded by detrital apatite fission-track dating of Bengal fan (IODP Expedition 354) and modern Himalayan river sediments. Earth and Plan. Sci. Lett., 534, DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116078
Xilin Sun, Kuiper, K.F., Yuntao Tian, Chang'an Li, Gemignani, L., Zengjie Zhang, J.R. Wijbrans, (2020). Impact of hydraulic sorting and weathering on mica provenance studies: An example from the Yangtze River. Chemical Geology, 532, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2019.119359
2019
Gemignani, L., Kuiper, F.K., Wijbrans, J., Xilin Sun, Santato, A., (2019). Improving the precision of single grain mica 40Ar/39ArdatingonsmallerandyoungerMuscovite grains: application to provenance studies. Chemical Geology, 511, pp. 100-111, DOI: 110. 1016/j.cherngeo,2019.02.013.
Najman, Y., Mark, C., Barfod, D. N., Carter, A., Parrish, R., and Gemignani, L., (2019), Spatial and temporal trends in exhumation of the Eastern Himalaya and syntaxis as determined from a multitechnique detrital thermochronological study of the Bengal Fan. GSA Bulletin, DOI: 10.1130/B35031.1
Van der Beek, P., Govin, G., Najman, Y., Millar, I., Gemignani, L., Huygle, P., Dupont-Nivet, G., Bernet, M., Mark, C., Wijbrans J.R., (2019). Early Onset and Late Acceleration of Rapid Exhumation in the Namche Barwa Syntaxis, Eastern Himalaya. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2019, abstract #T54A-07, Bibcode: 2019AGUFM.T54A..07V
2018
Gemignani, L., Beek van der, P., Braun, J., Najman, Y., Bernet, M., Garzanti, E.A., Wijbrans R.J., (2018). Downstream evolution of the thermochronologic age signal in the Brahmaputra catchment (eastern Himalaya): implications for the detrital record of erosion. Earth Plan. Sci. Lett., n. 499, DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2018.07.019
Gemignani, L., (2018). Extracting erosion and exhumation patterns form detrital thermochronology: an example from the eastern Himalaya. ISBN: 978-90-9030865-4
Braun J, Gemignani, L., Beek van der, P. (2018). Extracting information on the spatial variability in erosion rate stored in detrital cooling age distributions in river sands. ESurf, vol. 6, p. 257-270, DOI: 10.5194/esurf-6-257-2018
Zhuang, G., Najman, Y., Tian, Y., Carter, A., Gemignani, L., Wijbrans, J., Qasim, M.J., Asif Khan, J. M., (2018). Insights into the evolution of the Hindu Kush- Kohistan- Karakoram from modern river sand detrital geo- and thermochronological studies. Journ. of the Geol. Society, ISSN: 0016-7649, DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4124573
2017
Gemignani, L., Sun, X., Braun, J., Gerve van der, T.D., Wijbrans, J. R., (2017). A new detrital mica 40Ar/39Ar dating approach for provenance and exhumation of the Eastern Alps. Tectonics, vol. 36, p. 1521-1537, DOI: 10.1002/2017TC004483
Pre 2017
Carosi, R., Montomoli, C., Iaccarino, S., Massonne, H., Rubatto, D., Langone, A., Gemignani, L., Visonà, D. (2016). Middle to late Eocene exhumation of the Greater Himalayan Sequence in the Central Himalayas: Progressive accretion from the Indian plate. GSA Bulletin, vol. 128, DOI: 10.1130/B31471.1.
Carosi, R., Gemignani, L., Godin, L., Iaccarino, S., Larson, K.P., Montomoli, C., Rai, S.M. (2014). A geological journey through the deepest gorge on earth: The Kali Gandaki valley section, west-central Nepal. Journal of the Virtual Expr., ISSN: 1441-8142, DOI: 10.3809/jvirtex.vol.2014.052.
Selected conference Abstracts:
2021
Gemignani, L., Mittelbach, B., Simon, D., Hippe, K., Grund, M., Rohrmann, A., Bernhardt, A., (2021). Pleistocene to Holocene river terraces in the Tropoja Basin (northeastern Albania) record tectonic and climatic fluctuations modulated by drainage integration processes. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, EGU21-10781, Bibcode: 2021EGUGA..2310781G
Najman, Y., Zhuang, G., Gemignani, L., Carter, A., Millar, I., Wijbrans, J.R. The evolution of the Indus River drainage basin, and its influence on the Indus Fan sediment archive. (Invited), American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2021, abstract EP34B-03. Link
Grund, M.U., Giese, J., Gemignani, L., Pleuger, J., Handy, M., Onuzi, M., (2021). Faulting, doming and basin formation during orogenic arcuation-the case of the Shkoder-Peja Normal Fault System (northern Albania and Kosovo). EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, EGU21-14816, Bibcode: 2021EGUGA..2314816G
2020
Gemignani, L., Simon, D., Mittelbach, B., Hippe, K., Handy, M.R., (2020). Tectonic, erosional and climatic controls on sedimentary basin evolution a case study from the Tropoja Basin (Albania). EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 9824, Bibcode: 2020EGUGA..22.9824G
Najman, Y., Blum, M., Gleason, J., Rogers, K., Orme, D., Mark, C., Barfod, D., Carter, A., Parrish, R., Chew, D., Gemignani, L., (2020). The Bengal Fan sediment archive: a record of Himalayan tectonics, climate, and/or drainage routing change between source and sink? EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 3798, Bibcode: 2020EGUGA..22.3798N
2017
Gemignani, L., Xilin Sun, T., Van Gerve, T. Braun, J., Wijbrans, J.R., (2017). Detrital mica 40Ar/39Ar dating approach for provenance and exhumation of the Eastern Alps. Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 19, EGU General Assembly 2017, EGU2017-4562.
Gemignani, L., van der Beek, P., Najman, Y., Braun, J., Garzanti, E., Bernet, M. (2017). Long-term and present-day erosion of the Eastern Himalaya as detected by detrital thermochronology. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 13123, Bibcode: 2017EGUGA..1913123G
G Govin, Y Najman, P van der Beek, P Huyghe, I Millar, M Bernet, Wijbrans, J., Gemignani, L., (2017). Onset of rapid exhumation in the Namche Barwa syntaxis. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 9221, Bibcode: 2017EGUGA..19.9221G.
2015
Gemignani, L., Wijbrans, J.R., Najman, Y., van der Beek, P., Intense dilution of the Eastern Himalayan syntaxis detrital signal as recorded by thermochronology in the Yarlung-Siang-Brahmaputra river sediments. AGU Fall meeting, SF, 2015.