İTÜ/Kozmo-Lab

ITU/Kozmo-Lab was established in the Eurasian Institute of Earth Sciences, Istanbul Technical University. ITU/Kozmo-Lab is a sample preperation laboratory for cosmogenic isotope analysis. All types of rocks can be used in Cl-36 isotope analyzes. In ITU/Kozmo-Lab, service is provided to all areas from field sampling to final sample preparation, AMS analysis to age calculation under the supervision of expert academicians.

http://www.kozmo-lab.itu.edu.tr

Prof. Dr. Aral Okay Mineral Preparation and Separation Laboratory

The Prof. Dr. Aral Okay Mineral Preparation and Separation Laboratory operates within the Istanbul Technical University Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences and provides services for the preparation of rock samples and mineral separation for geochronological and geochemical analyses. The laboratory carries out rock crushing, milling, grinding and sieving, as well as the separation of minerals such as zircon, monazite, apatite, muscovite, biotite and hornblende using magnetic and density-based methods. Grinding of rock samples for whole-rock geochemical analyses is also among the laboratory’s main activities.

The laboratory is located on the lowest floor of the Engines Laboratory Building of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The laboratory is supervised by Remziye Akdoğan, with support from Sinan Yılmazer. Its infrastructure has been developed progressively since 1996 through equipment acquired within the scope of TÜBİTAK, BAP and other research projects. As one of the important mineral preparation and separation laboratories in the field of earth sciences in Türkiye, the laboratory is used not only by ITU researchers but also by researchers from various other universities. Mineral separates prepared in the laboratory are analysed in advanced analytical laboratories in Türkiye and abroad, forming the basis of scientific studies that contribute to a better understanding of Türkiye’s geological evolution and tectonic processes.

Main equipment available in the laboratory

- Hydraulic press
- Jaw crusher and roller mill
- Vibratory sieve shaker and sieve set
- Desktop bag sealing machine
- Drying oven
- Magnetic separator
- Heated magnetic stirrers
- Distilled water unit
- Ultrasonic bath
- Fume hood
- Disc mill with agate grinding set
- Core/rock cutting saw
- Binocular microscope
- Precision balance

Thin Section Preparation Laboratory

The Thin Section Preparation Laboratory provides services for the preparation of rock, mineral and ore samples for petrographic, mineralogical and microanalytical studies. The laboratory prepares standard petrographic thin sections, coverslipped thin sections, and polished thin sections for electron microscopy and microanalytical applications.

In addition, the laboratory carries out the embedding of mineral separates in epoxy and polishing of their surfaces, as well as the polishing of ore samples for reflected-light microscopy. The laboratory provides technical support for sample preparation required within the scope of graduate theses, academic research and project-based studies.

Main equipment available in the laboratory

- Core/rock cutting saw
- Thin section grinding and polishing machine
- Automatic polishing machine
- Epoxy embedding system
- Thin section grinding and bonding machine
- Binocular microscope

3D Earth Modeling Laboratory – Earth3Bee Lab

It was established within the ITU Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences to generate high-resolution data using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and to provide undergraduate/postgraduate education.

Its primary objective is to execute field studies under all types of terrain conditions for data procurement, to ensure data generation and analysis through high-performance computers, and to develop visual presentations of 3D models for dissemination across requested platforms.

The fields of study within the scope of Earth3Bee Lab comprise: photogrammetric map production via UAVs, 3D model generation, production of heat maps through thermal imaging, monitoring and analysis of instantaneous natural disaster zones, post-disaster mapping operations, monitoring and inspection of dams, river basins, coastlines, archaeological sites, and erosion areas, virtual reality production via 3D modeling (virtual campus, virtual museum, etc.), data generation for the reconstruction of cultural and historical sites, production of environmental health maps to identify air pollution areas, vegetation mapping via UAVs, and agricultural, agronomic, and phenological stage monitoring studies.

Within the framework of interdisciplinary studies, Earth3Bee Lab provides support to relevant faculty members and students within faculties and project-development courses in line with their academic work.

UAV-integrated study topics within the laboratory

- Hydraulic and hydrological modeling, monitoring, and mapping
- Landslide modeling, monitoring, and mapping
- Agricultural monitoring and mapping
- Forest management and planning
- Urban planning and modeling
- Mining
- Environmental protection
- River environments monitoring and mapping
- Coastal modeling, monitoring, and mapping
- Geological modeling and mapping
- Mapping and modeling of archaeological sites
- Oil and natural gas pipeline monitoring
- Thermal zone monitoring and mapping
- Presentation of final products obtained through AR and VR applications

https://www.earth3bee.com/

Marine Biogeochemistry Laboratory

This laboratory hosts measurement/analysis and experimental studies aimed at investigating present-day and past changes in marine, atmospheric, and terrestrial interactions.

Analyses Conducted
- Oceanographic parameters: Chlorophyll-a, pH, EC, temperature, alkalinity
- Sedimentological parameters: Grain size in core samples, micropaleontology, and preparatory stages for elemental and isotopic analyses
- Atmospheric parameters: Inorganic carbon and organic carbon analyses in filter samples
- Satellite data analyses and ground-truth validation (Chlorophyll-a, total suspended matter, temperature, aerosol optical depth)

Instruments

- UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
- OC-EC Analyzer, Gas Chromatograph
- Oven, Fume Hood, Analytical Balance, Centrifuge, Sieve Sets, Stereo Microscope
- Field equipment, filtration equipment, sampling equipment

Palynology Laboratory

The Palynology Laboratory is a research unit focused on the investigation of past environmental and climatic changes through the analysis of pollen, spores, and other microfossils. Pollen and non-pollen palynomorph (NPP) analyses are carried out on sediment samples obtained from lacustrine, peat, marine, and archaeological settings.

Palynological analyses provide valuable information for reconstructing past vegetation dynamics, paleoclimatic conditions, biodiversity, human–environment interactions, and ecosystem dynamics. The laboratory also generates data for interdisciplinary research spanning paleoecology, geology, geography, environmental science, and archaeology.

The Palynology Laboratory further contributes to postgraduate education, as well as national and international research projects and scientific collaborations.

İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Laboratuvar Altyapısı http://itulabs.itu.edu.tr/Default.aspx