Geochemistry of metabauxites in the Bergsträsser Odenwald (Mid German Crystalline Rise) and palaeoenvironmental implications

Summary Pre- to early Variscan metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary series of the western (Bergstr?sser) Odenwald have been intruded by Variscan calc-alkaline magmatites with plate margin affinities. Within the NE-SW trending metabasic and metapelitic series, intercalations of anomalously aluminous- and iron-rich compositions representing former bauxites are distinguishable. Geochemical data indicate that the Al-, Fe-rich rocks are the metamorphic equivalents of a former bauxitic-ferralitic weathering profile, now comprising spinel fels (top) with relics of pisolitic structures, corundum-chlorite fels, corundum-cordierite-plagioclase gneiss, sillimanite-cordierite-plagioclase gneiss, cordierite-plagioclase gneiss and kinzigite (base) displaying a decrease of weathering in the order as listed. The evolution of such terrestrial sediments is related to specific climatic, environmental, and physico-chemical conditions similar to those of the present-day tropical to subtropical humid regions with high seasonal rains and intensive drainage. Comparison with palaeomagnetic and palaeoclimatic data indicate that the Odenwald metabauxites originally formed during the Lower to Mid-Devonian. Our results imply that, during this geological time span, parts of the precursors of the Mid-German Crystalline Rise not only transversed low latitudes but also were exposed to terrestrial weathering.

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Zusammenfassung Die Geochemie der Metabauxite im Bergstr?sser Odenwald (Mitteldeutsche Kristallinschwelle) und ihre Bedeutung für das Pal?omilieu Im westlichen (Bergstr?sser) Odenwald intrudierten variszische Plattenrand-Kalkalkali-Magmatite in pr?- bis früh-variszische, ehemalige vulkano-sediment?re Serien. Innerhalb der heute NE-SW streichenden Metabasit- und Metapelitzüge treten lokal Al-Fe-reiche Einschaltungen auf, die strukturell und geochemisch als metamorphe ?quivalente eines ehemaligen bauxitisch-ferralitischen Verwitterungsprofils klassifiziert werden k?nnen. Sie umfassen Spinellfelse mit erhaltenen, ehemaligen zonierten Pisolithen, Korund-Chloritfelse, Korund-Cordierit-Plagioklasgneise, Sillimanit-Cordierit-Plagioklasgneise, Cordierit-Plagioklasgneise und Kinzigite. Bauxite k?nnen als terrestrische Bildungen nur unter speziellen klimatischen und physiko-chemischen Bedingungen entstehen. Pal?omagnetische und pal?oklimatische Daten legen die Bildung der ehemaligen Bauxite im unteren bis mittleren Devon nahe. Daraus folgt, da? w?hrend dieser geologischen Zeitspanne die Vorl?ufer der mitteldeutschen Kristallinschwelle bei der Norddrift nicht nur ?quatorn?he passierten, sondern auch partiell ungest?rte, terrestrische, tropisch-subtropische Verwitterungsprozesse abliefen.

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Received June 10, 1999; revised version accepted October 30, 2000     

On the possibility of earth-type habitable planets around 47 UMa

We investigate whether Earth-type habitable planets can in principle exist in the planetary system of 47 UMa. The system of 47 UMa consists of two Jupiter-size planets beyond the outer edge of the stellar habitable zone, and thus resembles our own Solar System most closely compared to all exosolar planetary systems discovered so far. Our study of habitability deliberately follows an Earth-based view according to the concept of Franck and colleagues, which assumes the long-term possibility of photosynthetic biomass production under geodynamic conditions. Consequently, a broad variety of climatological, biogeochemical, and geodynamical processes involved in the generation of photosynthesis-driven life conditions is taken into account. The stellar luminosity and the age of the star/planet system are of fundamental importance for planetary habitability. Our study considers different types of planetary continental growth models and takes into account a careful assessment of the stellar parameters. In the event of successful formation and orbital stability, two subjects of intense research, we find that Earth-type habitable planets around 47 UMa are in principle possible! The likelihood of those planets is increased if assumed that 47 UMa is relatively young (?6 Gyr) and has a relatively small stellar luminosity as permitted by the observational range of those parameters.     

The Market Gate of Miletus: damages, material characteristics and the development of a compatible mortar for restoration

The indoor exhibit of the Market Gate of Miletus is unique for an archaeological monument. The reconstruction of the gate was done in such a way that most marble fragments were removed leaving cored marble columns 3–4 cm in thickness. These cored columns were mounted on a steel construction and filled with different mortars or filled with specially shaped blocks of brick combined with mortar. All the missing marble elements were replaced by copies made of a Portland cement based concrete, which is compositionally similar to the original building materials. During the Second World War the monument was heavily damaged by aerial bombardment. For 2 years the Market Gate of Miletus was exposed to weathering, because a brick wall protecting the gate was also destroyed. The deterioration phenomena observed are microcracks, macroscopic fractures, flaking, sugaring, greying, salt efflorescence, calcitic-sinter layers and iron oxide formation etc. The rapid deterioration seems to be due to indoor atmospheric effects, and also by a combination of incompatible materials (e.g. marble, steel, mortar, concrete, bricks etc.). Compatible building materials like mortars or stone replacing materials have to be developed for the planned restoration. The requirements for restoration mortars are chemical-mineralogical and physical-mechanical compatibilities with the existing building materials. In detail this means that the mortar should ensure good bonding properties, adapted strength development and not stain the marble when in direct contact. The favoured mortar was developed with a hydraulic binder based on iron-free white cement and pozzolana based on activated clay. A special limestone and quartz sand mixture was used as an aggregate. The cement was adjusted using chemical additives. Specially designed tests were applied extensively to prove whether the developed mortar is suitable for the restoration of this precious monument.     

Neue ZnS-Polytypen (9R, 12R und 21R) in mesozoischen Sedimenten NW-Deutschlands

Summary Argillaceous sediments of jurassic and lower cretaceous age in NW-Germany contain in several localities authigenous ZnS-polytypes. The crystals with a maximum height of 2 mm exhibit hexagonal-pyramidal and trigonal-pyramidal habit.With X-ray rotation and precession technique the following polytypes could be identified: Sphalerite (3 R = 3 C) 211, 411, 6H 9R, 12R, 15R and 21R.The 9 R-, 12 R- and 21 R-polytypes have not until now been described elsewhere.The structures of the new polytypes were determined as 9R=(21), 12R=(13) and 21R=(3112).Oriented intergrowths of R- and H-polytypes were frequently observed. From the intergrowth-phenomena arguments for the environmental conditions of formation can be deducted.[/p]     

Late-Quaternary supply of terrigenous organic matter to the Congo deep-sea fan (ODP site 1075): implications for equatorial African paleoclimate

Late-Quaternary sections (about 1 Ma) from the Congo deep-sea fan (ODP Leg 175, site 1075) were used to reconstruct the terrigenous organic matter supply to the easternmost equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Variations in quantity and quality of the riverine organic matter reflect the interaction between the paleoclimatic development within the continental catchment area and the paleoceanographic conditions in the Congo river plume. To characterize the delivery of organic matter from terrigenous and marine sources, we used elemental and bulk carbon isotopic analyses, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, lignin chemistry, and organic petrology. High-amplitude fluctuations occurring about every 15-25 ka reveal a mainly precessional control on organic sedimentation. Results from Rock-Eval pyrolysis indicate a mixed kerogen type III/II, as would be anticipated in front of a major river. Fluctuations in T_max from Rock-Eval pyrolysis demonstrate pronounced cyclic changes in the delivery of low- and high-mature organic matter. Contribution of the low-mature organic fraction was strongest during warm climates supporting enhanced marine production offshore of the Congo. Organic petrological observations confirm the existence of abundant terrigenous plant tissues, both non-oxidized (vitrinite) and oxidized (inertinite). Charcoal-like organic matter (fusinite) is attributed to periods of increased bush fires in the continental hinterland, and implies more arid climatic conditions. Results from ratios of specific phenolic lignin components suggest that terrigenous organic matter in Late-Quaternary sections of site 1075 mainly derives from non-woody angiosperm tissue, i.e., grasses and leaves. Correlation between the amount of specific lignin phenols and the bulk '¹³C_org signature fosters the conclusion that an appreciable amount of the terrigenous organic fraction derives from C4 plant matter. This may cause an underestimation of the terrigenous proportion of bulk organic matter when assessments are based on bulk carbon isotopic signatures alone.     

Acoustic-gravity waves in the thermosphere of Venus

Properties of acoustic-gravity waves in the upper atmosphere of Venus are studied using a two-fluid model which includes the effects of wave-induced diffusion in a diffusively separated atmosphere. In conjunction with neutral mass spectrometer data from the Pioneer Venus orbiter, the theory should provide information on the distribution of wave sources in the Venus upper atmosphere. Observed wave structure in species density measurements should generally have periods ?30–35 min, small N₂, CO, and O amplitudes, and highly variable phase shifts relative to CO₂. A near resonance may exist between downward phase-propagating internal gravity and diffusion waves near the 165-km level at periods near 29 min. As a result, if very large He wave amplitudes are observed near this level, it will indicate that the wave source is below the 150- to 175-km level and that the exospheric temperature is close to 350°K. Wave energy dissipation may be an important mechanism for heating of the nightside Venus thermosphere. Large-density oscillations in stratospheric cloud layer constituents are also possible and may be detectable by the Pioneer Venus large probe neutral mass spectrometer.     

A statistical model to downscale local daily temperature extremes from synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation patterns in the Australian region

 The study seeks to describe one method of deriving information about local daily temperature extremes from larger scale atmospheric flow patterns using statistical tools. This is considered to be one step towards downscaling coarsely gridded climate data from global climate models (GCMs) to finer spatial scales. Downscaling is necessary in order to bridge the spatial mismatch between GCMs and climate impact models which need information on spatial scales that the GCMs cannot provide. The method of statistical downscaling is based on physical interaction between atmospheric processes with different spatial scales, in this case between synoptic scale mean sea level pressure (MSLP) fields and local temperature extremes at several stations in southeast Australia. In this study it was found that most of the day-to-day spatial variability of the synoptic circulation over the Australian region can be captured by six principal components. Using the scores of these PCs as multivariate indicators of the circulation a substantial part of the local daily temperature variability could be explained. The inclusion of temperature persistence noticeably improved the performance of the statistical model. The model established and tested with observations is thought to be finally applied to GCM-simulated pressure fields in order to estimate pressure-related changes in local temperature extremes under altered CO₂ conditions. Received: 26 March 1996 / Accepted: 20 September 1996     

Roll Vortices and Boundary-Layer Development during a Cold Air Outbreak

The development of the boundary layer during a cold air outbreak in the FramStrait is documented by aircraft measurements. The convection was organisedinto roll vortices with aspect ratios increasing from 2.9 near the ice edgeto more than 6 at 100 km further downstream. This increase coincides with anincrease of the latent heat release in the cloud layer. The stability parameter-zi/L varies from about zero at the ice edge to 30 at a distance of 200 kmdownstream over open water where the satellite picture still shows cloudstreets. The increase is mainly due to the deepening of the boundary layer.The turbulent vertical sensible and latent heat fluxes near the surface amountto 400 W m^-2 within a 300 km off-ice zone. 25% of the upward heat fluxin the subcloud layer is carried out by organised roll motions. Experimentswith a 2-dimensional non-hydrostatic model show a similar roll aspect ratio inthe first 50 km, but further downstream where condensational heating is moreimportant the modelled roll wavelengths are distinctly smaller than the observedones.     

Reminiscences of my life in science

With a great deal of humility I attempt in the following to recall important events in my life and in my scientific career of more than five decades. I am not through yet. I continue to do research though, I admit, not with the energy and fervor I once had. Still, I hope to contribute to science in meaningful ways.