Dr. Michael Wack
Scientist
1999 - 2002 Studies of Physics at TUM
2002 - 2006 Diploma in Geophysics at LMU
2008 - 2012 PhD in Geophysics at LMU
2012 - present Permanent scientist at LMU
- Sicherheitsbeauftragter
2008 Outstanding Student Presentation Award, 11th Castle Meeting 2008, Bojnice, Slovakia 2011 Foreign Student Award, IPGP Doctoral Student Congress 2011, Paris, France
Research
- Paleo- and rockmagnetic studies
- Magnetotactic bacteria
- Instrument development
Drilling for paleomagnetic samples | © Michael Wack
Paleomagnetism
My paleomagnetic research focuses on how rocks record Earth’s ancient magnetic field and how that signal can be used to reconstruct geological processes through time. I work on magnetic remanence in rocks, including its anisotropy, to understand how rock fabric and mineral alignment influence the direction and intensity of preserved magnetization. A central part of my work involves magnetostratigraphy, where I use magnetic polarity patterns and rock magnetic properties to establish high-resolution age models and correlate sedimentary sequences across basins. I also develop and apply laboratory methods and software for precise measurements on magnetometers, susceptibility meters, and magnetizing/demagnetizing systems, improving data quality for studies of plate motions, geomagnetic field behavior, and geological time correlation.
© Julia Kollofrath
Magnetotactic bacteria
I study how magnetotactic bacteria (MTBs) record and respond to magnetic fields in sediments by pairing controlled redeposition experiments with analyses of natural samples. My work examines how magnetic particles align, settle, and become locked into the sedimentary record under varying field strengths, flow regimes, and redox conditions. By comparing bacterial magnetofossils with physically redeposited grains, I aim to distinguish biological contributions from detrital signals and evaluate how post-depositional processes modify magnetic records. Because diverse MTBs in aquatic environments form chains of magnetite or greigite crystals that act like microscopic compass needles, I am particularly interested in testing the predicted equal distribution of swimming polarities in the nearly horizontal fields near the geomagnetic equator—an area where data remain sparse. I am also working to advance methodology through the development of an easy-to-build digital microscope with controlled magnetic fields for direct observation of MTB behavior.