Capture of the Leybucht of the national park "Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer".

Fieldwork Aurich March 2023

March 5th - March 8th 2023
Capture of the Leybucht of the national park "Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer".
Image: Beatrix Heinze

Although still accompanied by winter temperatures, very first nuances of spring made our hearts smile during groundwater sampling at the beautiful Aurich/East-Frisia close to the border of our friendly dutch neighbors.

Two of the sampling wells were particulary interesting, since the freshly sampled, almost transparent water turned completely dark within a minute. A potential reason might be the comparably high levels of Manganese (Mn) in the groundwater, which quickly oxidized to a permanganate once it came in contact with the oxygen of the air. Permanganates express a deep purple color.

  • Beatrix Heinze poses infront of an old dutch windmill.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Scientists sample groundwater close to a empty field. Electrical wind turbines are depicted in the background.
    Image: Beatrix Heinze
  • Equipment for groundwater sampling during a beautiful sunset with blue sky in a garden.
    Image: Andreas Roskam
  • Room containing many filled sampling bottles and in the back close to a wall are filtrations systems.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Scientists posing for a group picture with the north sea in the background at cloudy weather.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Rene smiles and show Thumbs Up while sampling groundwater on a field with straw bales in the background.
    Image: Beatrix Heinze
  • Typical landscape in northwest-Germany. Depicted is a pastry with few trees. In the background is a farm.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Transparent water poured into a vessel turns dark.
    Image: Beatrix Heinze
  • Beatrix Heinze post-processes groundwater samples on the balcony of their accomodation.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Freshly sampled groundwater is poured into a bucket trough a hose. Top-view.
    Image: Rene Maskos
  • Scientists collect groundwater samples from a well on a meadow.
    Image: Rene Maskos