Digitization of the GeoMuseum's Eifel collection as the start of an Eifel collection from multiple locations
Dr. Yannick Bussweiler
GeoMuseum
Motivation
The GeoMuseum of the Institute of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Cologne houses a large collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils. Among them are numerous samples from the Eifel volcanic region. There is a special focus on so-called xenoliths from the lower crust and upper mantle, which were brought to the Earth's surface by the volcanoes of the Eifel. To make this rock collection more accessible for research and teaching, it will be re-documented, sorted, and stored. It may then be possible to expand the Cologne collection to include Eifel samples from other collections. The consolidation of such an extensive, well-documented Eifel collection would have considerable advantages for Cologne as a location, including increased visibility and research collaborations.
Plan
The storage rooms of the GeoMuseum are to be inspected with regard to rocks from the Eifel region. The collection is then to be re-documented (with petrographic descriptions and the assignment of sample identification numbers) and brought together in one location. The newly established photogrammetry laboratory on the premises of the GeoMuseum can be used to digitize the samples (see KPA 008). For this purpose, the samples will be weighed and photographed (from several perspectives to create a 3D model). The data and information will be put into a digital database (e.g., easyDB) and made public at the end of the project.
Status
Samatha Bürger started as a student assistant on December 1, 2025.