Institute of Resource Ecology


Mission

The Institute for Resource Ecology (IRE) conducts applied basic research to protect humans and the environment from the effects of radioactive radiation. For this purpose, we create molecular process understanding using state-of-the-art methods of microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, numerical simulation, theoretical chemistry and systems biology. This is done in a unique research environment at the HZDR. The interdisciplinarity practiced at the IRE combines radiochemistry, geosciences and biosciences as well as materials sciences and reactor physics. This generates knowledge with application especially for reactor and repository safety as well as in radioecology.

We achieve these goals with a unique infrastructure comprising chemical and biological laboratories as well as hot cells in corresponding control areas in Dresden, Leipzig and Grenoble. To enable future cross-scale investigations, the infrastructure in Dresden will be extended by a radiotechnical center (HOVER). In Grenoble, at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the institute operates a beamline with four experimental stations for continuously advanced synchrotron spectroscopy and diffraction of radioactive samples, which is also available to external users.

The IRE focuses on geomaterial research with experimental-analytical and numerical-theoretical methods in Leipzig. In Dresden, we develop and validate advanced computational programs for accident analysis of currently operating reactors as well as innovative reactor concepts.


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