Main Focus
I am a geoscientist with an expertise in Cosmochemistry, Geochemistry, and Petrology, and I am currently working as a Postdoc in the Planetary Department at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Göttingen, Germany. My scientific interest is focused on understanding the early evolution of the protoplanetary disk and the formation of terrestrial planets, using high-precision isotope measurements of meteorites and terrestrial samples. Within this framework I am particularly interested in understanding planetary genetics, mixing processes in the Solar System, and volatile depletion processes on Earth and within other planetary materials.
Curriculum Vitae
Education:
Sep 2022 – Feb 2025: Ongoing PhD studies – Planetary Science Department, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research; Part of the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS), Georg-August University School of Science (GAUSS), and the Integrated Research Training Group in Planetary Sciences of the SFB TRR170 – Late Accretion onto Terrestrial Planets; Thesis: see below.
Sep 2020 – Aug 2022: PhD studies – Geosciences (Planetology), University of Münster; Part of the Integrated Research Training Group in Planetary Sciences of the SFB TRR170 – Late Accretion onto Terrestrial Planets, Thesis: "Tracing volatile element fractionations in the early Solar System: Evidence from Ge isotopes in meteorites and planetary bodies".
Oct 2018 – Jun 2020: Master of Science (M.Sc.) – Geosciences (Focus: Geochemistry, Petrology, and Planetology), University of Münster, Thesis: Dynamic evolution of the inner Solar System inferred from Titanium and Chromium isotopes in meteorites.
Oct 2015 – Sep 2018:
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Geosciences, University of Münster,
Thesis: Hafnium-tungsten chronology of CB/CH chondrites.
Employment:
Mar 2025 – Present: Post-Doctoral Researcher – Planetary Science Department, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research.
Sep 2022 – Feb 2025: Research Assistant – Planetary Science Department, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research.
Sep 2020 – Aug 2022: Research Assistant – Institute for Planetology, University of Münster.
Jul 2018 – Aug 2020: Student Assistant – Institute for Planetology, University of Münster.
Selected Publications:
chondrites. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 361, 288–301, DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2023.10.010.
Wölfer, E., Burkhardt, C., Kleine, T., 2025. Germanium stable isotope measurements by
double-spike MC–ICPMS. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 40, 1023–1036, DOI: 10.1039/d4ja00359d.
Wölfer, E., Burkhardt, C., Nimmo, F., Kleine, T., 2025. Origin of moderately volatile elements
in Earth inferred from mass-dependent Ge isotope variations among chondrites. Earth Planet.
Sci. Lett., 663, 119435, DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119435.
Wölfer, E., Renggli, C. J., Burkhardt, C., Kleine, T., 2025. Germanium isotope fractionation
during evaporation from metal and sulfide melts: Implications for volatile element loss from
planetary materials. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 401, 17–30, DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2025.05.044.
Wölfer, E., Hellmann, J., Burkhardt, C., Kleine, T., 2025. Ge, Te, and Zn isotopic link between
Ryugu and CI chondrites. Geochem. Persp. Let., 37, 1–6, DOI: 10.7185/geochemlet.2537.
Jansen, C. A., Burkhardt, C., Marrocchi, Y., Schneider, J. M., Wölfer, E., Kleine, T., 2024.
Condensate evolution in the solar nebula inferred from combined Cr, Ti, and O isotope analyses
of amoeboid olivine aggregates. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 627, 118567.
Hellmann, J. L., Schneider, J. M., Wölfer, E., Drążkowska, J., Jansen, C. A., Hopp, T.,
Burkhardt, C., Kleine, T., 2023. Origin of isotopic diversity among carbonaceous chondrites.
Astrophys. J. Lett., 946, L34.
Kerraouch, I., Kebukawa, Y., Bischoff, A., Zolensky, M. E., Wölfer, E., Hellmann, J. L., Ito,
M., King, A., Trieloff, M., Barrat, J.-A., Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Pack, A., Patzek, M., Hanna, R.
D., Fockenberg, T., Marrocchi, Y., Fries, M., Mathurin, J., Dartois, E., Duprat, J., Engrand, C.,
Deniset, A., Dazzi, A., Kiryu, K., Igisu, M., Shibuya, T., Wakabayashi, D., Yamashita, S.,
Takeichi, Y., Takahashi, Y., Ohigashi, T., Kodama, Y., Kondo, M., 2022. Heterogeneous nature
of the carbonaceous chondrite breccia Aguas Zarcas – Cosmochemical characterization and
origin of new carbonaceous chondrite lithologies. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 334, 155–186.
Bischoff, A., Alexander, C. M. O., Barrat, J.-A., Burkhardt, C., Busemann, H., Degering, D., Di
Rocco, T., Fischer, M., Fockenberg, T., Foustoukos, D. I., Gattacceca, J., Godinho, J. R. A.,
Harries, D., Heinlein, D., Hellmann, J. L., Hertkorn, N., Holm, A., Jull, A. J. T., Kerraouch, I.,
King, A. J., Kleine, T., Koll, D., Lachner, J., Ludwig, T., Merchel, S., Mertens, C. A. K., Morino,
P., Neumann, W., Pack, A., Patzek, M., Pavetich, S., Reitze, M. P., Rüfenacht, M., Rugel, G.,
Schmidt, C., Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Schönbächler, M., Trieloff, M., Wallner, A., Wimmer, K.,
Wölfer, E., 2021. The old, unique C1 chondrite Flensburg – Insight into the first processes of
aqueous alteration, brecciation, and the diversity of water-bearing parent bodies and lithologies.
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 293, 142–186.
Metzler, K., Hezel, D. C., Barosch, J., Wölfer, E., Schneider, J. M., Hellmann, J. L., Berndt, J.,
Stracke, A., Gattacceca, J., Greenwood, R. C., Franchi, I. A., Burkhardt, C., Kleine, T., 2021.
The Loongana (CL) group of carbonaceous chondrites. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 304, 1–31.