Diffusion Shortcourse 2026

Content: This course is designed for petrologists, geochemists, volcanologists, and planetary scientists interested in extracting timescale information from rocks. Such information might include the residence times of magmas in reservoirs, the cooling or exhumation rates of rocks, the durations of terrestrial and extraterrestrial metamorphism (e.g., meteorite parent bodies), the duration of fluid flow (e.g., metasomatism by fluids/melts in the crust or mantle), and the evaluation and application of closure temperatures. The focus will be on high-temperature processes, making it relevant for those interested in high-temperature thermochronometry, diffusion chronometry, and geospeedometry. The course will run from Monday (28 September) till Friday (02 October), with a combination of lectures to introduce the topic and accompanying hands-on practical exercises.

Goals and expected profile of participants: Previous experience with numerical modelling or programming is not required, but an interest in learning the rudiments of these tools is. One of the objectives of the course, however, is to demonstrate how much it is possible to accomplish without any or with very little programming. The basic information on diffusion that is required for carrying out such calculations will be provided, but this is not a course designed to cover all aspects of diffusion in minerals and melts.

The course material will be designed for graduate students or postdocs starting off in the fields mentioned above, but participants with all levels of experience and expertise are welcome.

In addition to instruction via lectures, a major component of the course will be hands on training to enable participants to “do your own” modelling. We will use Excel and Python (Jupyter Notebooks) to do the calculations. Participants will be expected to bring their own laptop computers with Excel and Python installed. We will send instructions later, on how to install the version of Python to be used. Knowledge of Python is not required – instructions will be provided during the course. All instruction and exercises will be in English.

Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44780 Bochum

Building: IA
Room: 02/473

A campus map showing the location will be posted here before the short course.

tba

tba

Airports: Bochum is conveniently located in the heart of Europe, making it easily accessible by road, train, and air. The nearest airports are Düsseldorf (DUS) and Dortmund (DTM), with Düsseldorf Airport offering extensive international connections. Trains to Bochum from Düsseldorf include ICE, IC, RE, and S-Bahn options (35–60 minutes). Dortmund-Wickede Airport is also an option, though it primarily serves European no-frills airlines and is harder to reach by public transport.

Train: Ruhr-Universität Bochum is well connected by public transport. Fast ICE/IC/EC trains serve major German cities (https://int.bahn.de/en). Consider purchasing the „Deutschland ticket“ for 63€ via the DB-Navigator app, offering unlimited travel on RE, S-Bahn, buses, and the Bochum subway for a month (not valid on fast trains like ICE, EC, IC without additional tickets). There are fast train connections (2-3 hours) from Frankfurt International Airport as well.

Car: Ruhr-Universität Bochum is accessible by car via Autobahn A 43 (Exit 19, Bochum-Querenburg/Ruhr-Universität). Use Universitätsstraße 150 for navigation. Note that parking is limited when classes are in session.

The U-35 Subway (U-Bahn) line connects Bochum’s main train station (Hauptbahnhof) to Ruhr-Universität Bochum every 5 minutes during the day, with a travel time of about 10 minutes (https://www.vrr.de/en/). Tickets can be purchased at the train station, U-Bahn stops, via the DB-Navigator app or the eezy.nrw app . Single rides cost 3,80 Euros, and multi-ride, day, and week passes are available. The Deutschland ticket is also valid on this route.

Accommodation is available through platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. While options near the university are limited, we recommend staying in Bochum’s city centre or near the U-35 subway line for easy access to Ruhr-Universität Bochum.

Useful links:

• • Bochum Tourism
  • Airbnb | Holiday rentals
  • IBIS Hotels in Bochum
  • Booking.com