"If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants" Sir Isaac Newton My work has been made possible through the direct and indirect contribution of many people. This includes proffesional and personal supporters, my dear colleagues with whom I am collaborating and the financial support of funding agencies and institutions without whom I would be doing dishes instead of venturing and exploring the world. Special thank goes to my Parents Hans und Irene Vogel - who raised me and taught me the love for Mother Earth - who taught me to be adventuresome, inquisative, and exploratory, to question and to follow my instincts - who encouraged me to take risks while always remaining a rock in the surf Special thanks also to my sister, my brother in law and my nice and neffew --- My early work was supported by my teachers at the Maximilian Kolbe Schule and the Leibniz Gymnasium Rottweil. Herr Bielefeld (English), Herr Hipp (Math), Herr Klein (Biology) und Frau Striegel (French) Herr Ackermann (Swim trainer) My early scientific career at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany Institute fuer Physische Geographie Prof. Dr. Hermann Gossmann, Dr. Christoph Schneider, Prof. Dr. Joachim Haertling, Prof. Dr. Ruediger Maeckel, Prof. Dr.Bernhard Metz, Dr. Frank Rau, Dr. Mathias Braun, Dr.Frank Weber, Dr. Steffen Vogt, Dr. Hans Peter Thamm, Dr. Stefan Wunderle and many others Institute fuer Kulturgeographie Prof. Dr. Krings Sportwissenschaften Dr. Strass Medicine all my instructors, tutors and colleagues My Ph.D. years all my friends and colleagues at the University of Kentucky and at UC-Santa Cruz, My Ph.D adviser Slawek Tulaczyk, and my committee members, Andy Fischer, Susan Pestrud Anderson, Paul Koch, Hermann Engelhardt (Caltech), Ian Joughin (JPL now U Washington) Special thanks to Hermann Engelhardt, Barclay Kamb and Robin Bolsey (Caltech) and the S-157 2000/01 hot water drilling team as well as all those who came before me.

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