Dating of soil layers in a young floodplain using iron oxide crystallinity

Dating of fluvial deposits is essential for a more quantitative understanding of landscape evolution and soil development in floodplain environments. We collected soil layers in defined depth intervals down to 60 cm along a substrate age gradient in a floodplain of the Danube River near Vienna, Austria. Depth profiles of fallout ¹³⁷Cs were used to assess short-term sedimentation, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was used to attribute sediment deposits to time periods between the early last millennium BC and the 18th century AD. In the studied soils, the ratio of oxalate- to dithionite-extractable iron (Fe_o/Fe_d), which indicates the degree of iron oxide crystallinity, progressively decreased from ratios greater than 0.5 to values less than 0.2 with increasing soil age and proved to be a reliable indicator of soil maturity. We linked the observed Fe_o/Fe_d ratios to the radiometric and OSL ages in a chronofunction, which allows to approximately date soil layers that lack an independent age control. The soil ages calculated with this chronofunction accurately reflected their geomorphological position, resulted in consistent age trends with depth, and highlighted the active morphodynamics of the studied floodplain. The chronofunction was further validated by dating a soil profile near the studied chronosequence that contained an archaeological find dated to the La Tène period (5th to 1st century BC).     

Development of instrumental seismology in Sweden in 1949–1958

Summary A review is given of the present (1959) seismological stations in Sweden, i.e. Uppsala, Kiruna, Skalstugan, and Göteborg, as well as of older stations, which are no longer in operation, i.e. Vassijaure, Abisko, and Lund, including all pertinent information. The disturbing effect of the loose ground at Lund in distinction from the four first-mentioned stations is clearly demonstrated. The very good ground at Uppsala, Kiruna, Skalstugan, and Göteborg, together with the use of modern equipment of high magnification has made these stations, especially Uppsala and Kiruna, very sensitive. This is obvious from the number of recorded earthquakes. The method of time measurements, including direct recording of time signals, is described, and means to reach a high time accuracy are outlined, including the recommendation to use quartz clocks. Long-period (0.5–2 min) disturbances on the long-period Benioff combinations were mainly due to air currents in the seismometer room and were eliminated by providing the seismometers with special covers. The method of ground amplitude determinations is outlined, especially for the Benioff instruments, and typical magnification curves are given. Comparisons of ground amplitudes from simultaneous records of BenioffE, N and WiechertE, N and of BenioffZ and GrenetZ have been made. The amplitude comparison between Benioff and Wiechert has given a new estimate of the effect of friction (especially of the recording pen against the paper) in the Wiechert apparatus.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Übersicht sowohl von den gegenwärtigen (1959) seismologischen Stationen in Schweden, d.h. Uppsala, Kiruna, Skalstugan und Göteborg, als auch von früheren Stationen, die nicht mehr im Betrieb sind, d.h. Vassijaure, Abisko und Lund, wird gegeben. Die störende Wirkung des lockeren Bodens in Lund zum Unterschied gegen die vier erstgenannten Stationen wird deutlich hervorgehoben. Der sehr gute Untergrund in Uppsala, Kiruna, Skalstugan und Göteborg und die Verwendung moderner Apparate hoher Vergrösserung haben diese Stationen, besonders Uppsala und Kiruna, sehr empfindlich gemacht. Dieser Umstand geht aus der Anzahl registrierter Beben hervor. Die Methode der Zeitmessungen (direkte Registrierung der Zeitsignale einbegriffen) wird beschrieben, und Massnahmen eine hohe Zeitgenauigkeit zu erreichen werden erwähnt, die auch die Verwendung von Quarz-Uhren umfassen. Langperiodische Störungen (Perioden 0.5–2 Min) auf den langperiodischen Benioff-Registrierungen waren hauptsächlich durch Luftströmungen im Seismometerraum verursacht und wurden durch spezielle Kappen über den Seismometern eliminiert. Die Methode der Bestimmung von Boden-Amplituden wird beschrieben, hauptsächlich für die Benioff-Instrumente, und typische Vergrösserungskurven sind gegeben. Vergleichungen der Bodenamplituden von parallelen Registrierungen von BenioffE, N und WiechertE, N und von BenioffZ und GrenetZ sind ausgeführt worden. Die Amplitudenvergleichung zwischen Benioff und Wiechert hat eine neue Schätzung des Einflusses der Reibung (speziell vom Schreibfeder gegen das Papier) im Wiechert-Seismographen gegeben.

     

Propagation ofSn andPn to teleseismic distances

Summary Sn andPn waves propagated to teleseismic distances are investigated by means of short-period seismograph records of the Swedish network.Sn is found in the distance range of 2400 to 4600 km andPn in the range 3500 to 3900 km, but only provided the path is exceptionally homogeneous. Almost all paths are restricted to the Russian platform. There are probably very few areas in the world offering similar propagation paths. The velocities just under the Mohorovii discontinuity are found to be 4.72 km/sec and 8.26 km/sec for transverse and longitudinal waves respectively. In addition, other properties of the teleseismicSn andPn are investigated, such as periods, dispersion, amplitudes, particle motions, propagation mechanisms, and comparisons are made withPa, Sa, withLi, Lg1, Lg2 and withP. The fact that teleseismicPn occurs much more seldom than teleseismicSn could be explained by different velocity profiles just under the crust.     

A Mediterranean earthquake project

Cumulative frequency and cumulative energy may vary from one sample of earthquakes to another either in the same or in the opposite sense. Conditions for the variations are deduced theoretically and illustrated by numerical examples.