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Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Froitzheim
Born on April 27, 1958 in Castrop-Rauxel, North-Rhine Westphalia
1977-82 Studied geology at the Munich Polytechnic
1983-6 Studied for his doctorate at the University of Bonn, nine month research trip to
Morocco
1986 Doctorate in geology and paleontology at the University of Bonn. Dissertation on
"Research into the tectonic genesis of Marrakech in the northern sub-Atlas zone, SW (High
Atlas, Morocco)"
1987-92 Post-doctoral post at the Swiss Federal Technical University in Zurich. Work on the
tectonics of the East Alpine region of Graubünden
1992-9 Scientific assistant at the University of Basle's Geological-Paleontological Institute
1997 Professorial thesis at the University of Basle
Since March 1, 1999 Professor of Structural Geology and Regional Geology at the University
of Bonn's Geological Institute.
Research topics: the genesis of mountain ranges; the elongation of the continental crust and
the formation of the oceans. The tectonic development of the Alps especially the Pennine and
East Alpine plates, computer models of trough systems.
Fields of geological work: the Alps (especially Switzerland and Italy); the Carpathian
Mountains (Romania, Slovakia); the High Atlas (Morocco); the Mojave Desert (California);
the Atlantic shelf edge on the Iberian plate (Spain, Portugal; research trips with the "Nautile"
submarine and the "Joides Resolution" drilling ship); the bay of the Lower Rhine.
Selected publications
Froitzheim, N., 1988, Synsedimentary and synorogenic normal faults within a thrust-sheet of
the Eastern Alps (Ortler zone, Graubünden, Switzerland).- Eclogae geol. Helv., 81, 593-610.
Schmid, S.M. & Froitzheim, N., 1993, Oblique slip and block rotation along the Engadine
line.- Eclogae geol. Helv., 86, 569-593.
Froitzheim, N., Schmid, S.M. & Conti, P., 1994, Repeated change from crustal shortening to
orogen-parallel extension in the Austroalpine units of Graubünden.- Eclogae geol. Helv., 87,
559-612.
Florineth, D. & Froitzheim, N., 1994, Transition from continental to oceanic basement in the
Tasna nappe (Engadine window, Graubünden, Switzerland): evidence for Early Cretaceous
opening of the Valais ocean.- Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt., 74, 437-448.