Research Group on Quaternary and Landscape Evolution Processes
Research topics:
Reconstruction of glacial-interglacial environmental changes and the mechanism of dust-deposition that formed the sedimentary loess sequences archiving them, with particular attention to the granulometric proxies and the relationship between paleosols formed during warming periods and the long-distance transport of dust. 2. Identification of sedimentary and geomorphological environments based on granulometric data
Deeper understanding of grain size and grain shape analyses of sedimentary deposits, both in terms of measurement and interpretation. 3. Understanding of terrestrial sedimentation mechanisms, based on recent analogies
Emphasis on windblown dust sedimentation and the study of long-range (Saharan) dust storm events in the Carpathian Basin, the Mediterranean environment and higher latitudes of the Europe. 4. Investigating the relationships between meridional dust transport and climate change
5. The role and importance of atmospheric dust in climate and other environmental processes
Socio-economic significance: the impact of atmospheric particulate matter on forecast errors in photovoltaic power generation.
Members of the Research Group
György Varga
Fruzsina Holman-Gresina
József Szeberényi
Gábor Újvári (CSFK FGI)
István Viczián
External member:
Kovács János (PTE)
Selected publications
Varga, Gy., Gresina, F., Szeberényi, J., Gelencsér, A., Rostási, Á. (2024) Effect of Saharan dust episodes on the accuracy of photovoltaic energy production forecast in Hungary (Central Europe) Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 193. 114289 
Varga, Gy., Rostási, Á., Meiramova, A., Dagsson-Waldhauserová, P., & Gresina, F. (2023) Increasing frequency and changing nature of Saharan dust storm events in the Carpathian Basin (2019–2023)–the new normal? Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 72(4), 319-337
Varga, Gy; Meinander, O.; Rostási, Á.; Dagsson-Waldhauserova, P.; Csávics, A ; Gresina, F. (2023)Saharan, Aral-Caspian and Middle East dust travels to Finland (1980-2022). Environment International Paper: 108243
Gresina, F., Beáta Farkas, B., Fábián, SzÁ., Szalai, Z., Varga, Gy. (2023) Morphological analysis of mineral grains from different sedimentary environments using automated static image analysis. Sedimentary Geology, 455, 106479
Varga, Gy., Dagsson-Waldhauserová; P., Gresina, F., Helgadottir, A. (2021) Saharan dust and giant quartz particle transport towards Iceland. Scientific Reports 11. 11891
Varga, Gy. (2020). Changing nature of Saharan dust deposition in the Carpathian Basin (Central Europe): 40 years of identified North African dust events (1979–2018). Environment International 139. 105712
Gresina F. (2020). Comparison of pipette method and state of the art analytical techniques to determine granulometric properties of sediments and soils. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, 69(1), 27-39.
Szeberényi J., Kovács J., Bradák B., Barta G., Csonka D., Medveďová A., Rostinsky P., Kiss K., Varga Gy.: Experiencing new perspectives in the application of reflectance spectroscopy in loess research. QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL 552 pp. 36-49. (2020)
Varga, Gy., Újvári, G., Kovács, J. (2019). Interpretation of sedimentary (sub)populations extracted from grain size distributions of Central European loess-paleosol series. Quaternary International 502, pp. 60-70.
Varga, Gy., Kovács, J., Szalai, Z., Cserháti, Cs., Újvári, G., (2018). Granulometric characterization of paleosols in loess series by automated static image analysis. Sedimentary Geology 370, pp. 1-14.
Újvári, G., Stevens, T., Molnár, M., Demény, A., Fabrice, L., Varga, Gy., Jull, A.J.T., Páll-Gergely, B., Buylaert, J.P., Kovács, J. (2017). Coupled European and Greenland last glacial dust activity driven by North Atlantic climate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 114(50), pp. E10632-E10638
Varga, Gy, Cserháti, Cs., Kovács, J., Szalai, Z. (2016). Saharan dust deposition in the Carpathian Basin and its possible effects on interglacial soil formation. Aeolian Research 22. pp. 1-12.
Újvári, G., Kok, J.F., Varga, Gy., Kovács, J. (2016). The physics of wind-blown loess: Implications for grain size proxy interpretations in Quaternary paleoclimate studies. Earth-Science Reviews 154. pp. 247-278.
Projects
POST-COVID2021-29: Atmospheric environmental changes in response to COVID sanctions in different geographical regions of Eurasia
FK138692: FK138692: Giant Saharan dust in Europe: changing climate or uncertain analyses?
KH130337: Granulometric analysis of recent Saharan dust
K120620: Paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on particle size and shape of aeolian dust deposits