Dates: 16th – 20th March and 23th – 27nd March 2026
The Flügel Course is an internationally renowned course in carbonate microfacies which has been running in Erlangen since 1974. Demand has increased through time, and since 2015 the course has been running twice a year. Language during the course is English.
It is organized by the Paleontology department of the GeoZentrum Nordbayern (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg) and has been attended by over 2000 colleagues from both academia and industry.
It covers a wide range of topics, and is in the form of short presentations and accompanying microscope exercises. Skills will be developed on both thin sections and loose sediments.
Great emphasis is placed on recent research developments in carbonate systems (e.g., cold-water carbonates, deep-water reefs, bioerosion, cold seep carbonates). The GeoZentrum Erlangen has a unique collection of carbonate samples from around the world. It is also possible to bring your own samples to discuss with specialists.
To register or if you are on the waiting list, please send a brief message to axel.munnecke@fau.de.
Courses slightly vary each year; topics include:
Fundamentals of carbonate sedimentology
Component-Identification / Carbonate classification
Tropical carbonates / Cool-water carbonates / Seep carbonates
Deep-water reefs / Shallow-water reefs through time
Microfacies analysis of thin sections
Diagenesis (hot topic!) / Dolomite / Dolostones / Evaporites
Staining methods for thin sections
Bioerosion
Follow us on Facebook and see the “photo of the month”, groups photos and impressions from the Flügel Courses!