Characteristics of debris flows from the lower part of the Lotru River basin (South Carpathians,Romania)

This paper focuses on characteristics of debris flows from the lower part of the Lotru River basin (South Carpathians, Romania). The damage produced by these debris flows has included burial of agricultural land, roads covered by debris flows, and even the obstruction of the Lotru River. Simple statistical analysis has been used to emphasize the characteristics of the debris flow sites. The collected data show that heavy rainfall is the main triggering mechanism of debris flow events in the Lotru hydrographic basin. The daily rainfall data for this region show that important debris flow events generally occur when rainfall exceeds 40 mm in 24 h, while rainfall levels between 25 and 40 mm in 24 h result in hyperconcentrated flows. For 11 of 14 studied debris flow sites, the fan area is greater than the source area, probably due to the thickness of the regolith, which is up to 5–10 m deep. Both source area and deposition area are very dynamic. The retreat rate calculated for five debris flow sites ranges from 5 to 30 m in 30 years (from 1975 to 2005). Channel cross section measurements on one of the debris flows show that velocity values vary from 1.31 to 2.64 m/s; corresponding discharge values vary from 4 to 10.03 m³/s.     

Digital filtering as a tool for the study of some flysch deposits from the East Carpathians (Romania)

Results from the application of digital filtering (simple and weighted averaging) to the analysis of sedimentary series are given. Two flysch sequences from the East Carpathians (Upper Eocene, Damacua Valley; and Lower Cretaceous, Sbrancani Valley) were studied. Individual components, affecting the conditions of deposition, were separated, and establishment of the geological significance of the components separated by digital filtering was investigated.     

Conditions and timing of high-pressure Variscan metamorphism in the South Carpathians, Romania

High-pressure (HP) metamorphic rocks, including garnet peridotite, eclogite, HP granulite, and HP amphibolite, are important constituents of several tectonostratigraphic units in the pre-Alpine nappe stack of the Getic–Supragetic (GS) basement in the South Carpathians. A Variscan age for HP metamorphism is firmly established by Sm–Nd mineral–whole-rock isochrons for garnet amphibolite, 358±10 Ma, two samples of eclogite, 341±8 and 344±7 Ma, and garnet peridotite, 316±4 Ma.

A prograde history for many HP metamorphic rocks is documented by the presence of lower pressure mineral inclusions and compositional zoning in garnet. Application of commonly accepted thermobarometers to eclogite (grt+cpx±ky±phn±pg±zo) yields a range in “peak” pressures and temperatures of 10.8–22.3 kbar and 545–745 °C, depending on tectonostratigraphic unit and locality. Zoisite equilibria indicate that activity of H₂O in some samples was substantially reduced, ca. 0.1–0.4. HP granulite (grt+cpx+hb+pl) and HP amphibolite (grt+hbl+pl) may have formed by retrogression of eclogites during high-temperature decompression. Two types of garnet peridotite have been recognized, one forming from spinel peridotite at ca. 1150–1300 °C, 25.8–29.0 kbar, and another from plagioclase peridotite at 560 °C, 16.1 kbar.

The Variscan evolution of the pre-Mesozoic basement in the South Carpathians is similar to that in other segments of the European Variscides, including widespread HP metamorphism, in which P–T–t characteristics are specific to individual tectonostratigraphic units, the presence of diverse types of garnet peridotite, diachronous subduction and accretion, nappe assembly in pre-Westphalian time due to collision of Laurussia, Gondwana, and amalgamated terranes, and finally, rapid exhumation, cooling, and deposition of eroded debris in Westphalian to Permian sedimentary basins.     

Late Neogene low-angle thrusting on the northwestern margin of the South Carpathians (Poiana Rusca, West Romania)

Mineral exploration drillholes and geoelectric prospecting provide for the first time evidence for thrusting of the South Carpathian Paleozoic basement over northerly adjacent Middle Miocene sediments. Investigations were carried out in two locations, 30 km apart, along the northern margin of the Poiana Rusca Mountains, Romania, southwestern Carpathians. Drill holes in both locations encountered weakly consolidated Middle Miocene clay, sand, and fine gravel below Paleozoic low-grade metamorphic rocks. Intersections from various drill holes demonstrate the presence of low-angle thrusting. Kinematic indicators are so far lacking, but with a thrust direction oriented roughly normal to strike of the Poiana Rusca Mountains, minimum displacement is 1–1.4 km in northwestern or northern direction, respectively. Thrusting occurred most likely during the Late Miocene–Pliocene, whereafter Quaternary regional uplift dissected the thrust plane. In the tectonic framework of Neogene dextral translation of the Tisza–Dacia Block against the southerly adjacent Moesian Platform, transtension appears responsible for Middle Miocene basin formation along the northern margin of the Poiana Rusca region. Proceeding collision of the Tisza–Dacia Block with the East European Craton introduced stronger impingement of the Tisza–Dacia Block against the Moesian Platform, leading to a Late Miocene–Pliocene transpressional regime, in which the northern Poiana Rusca basement was thrust over its adjacent Middle Miocene sediments.     

Shoshonitic liquid line of descent from diorite to granite: the Late Precambrian post-collisional Tismana pluton (South Carpathians, Romania)

The post-collision late-kinematic Tismana pluton belongs to the shoshonitic series. It is part of a Late Precambrian basement within the Alpine Danubian nappes of the South Carpathians (Romania). This pluton displays an exceptionally complete range of compositions from ultramafic to felsic rocks (granites). Widespread mingling/mixing relationships at all scales give rise to a variety of facies. A liquid line of descent from the diorites to the granites is reconstructed by considering the variation in major and trace elements (REE, Sr, Rb, Ba, Nb, Zr, Hf, Zn, V, Co, Cr, U, Th, Ga, Pb) from 33 selected samples as well as mineral/melt equilibrium relationships. The first step of fractional crystallization is the separation from a monzodioritic parent magma of a peridotitic cumulate similar to the ultramafic rock found in the massif. A possible contamination by lower crustal mafic component takes place at this stage. The second step marks the appearance of apatite and Fe–Ti oxide minerals as liquidus phases, and the third step, saturation of zircon. Mixing by hybridisation of magmas produced at different stages of the evolution along the liquid line of descent is also operating (endo-hybridisation). As depicted by Nd and Sr isotopes, fractional crystallization was combined to an important early contamination by a mafic lower crust in a deep-seated magma chamber and to a later and mild contamination by a felsic medium crust in an intermediate chamber. The mingling essentially occurred during the final emplacement in the high-level magma chamber. The monzodioritic parent magma, identified by major and trace element modelling, is shown by Sr and Nd isotopes to have its source in the lithospheric mantle or in a juvenile mafic lower crust derived from it. The necessarily recent enrichment in K₂O and associated elements of the lithospheric mantle is likely to be related to the preceding Pan-African subduction period. The partial melting of this newly formed deep source has to be linked to a major change in the thermal state of the plate.     

Age and significance of core complex formation in a very curved orogen: Evidence from fission track studies in the South Carpathians (Romania)

Twenty-four new zircon and apatite fission track ages from the Getic and Danubian nappes in the South Carpathians are discussed in the light of a compilation of published fission track data. A total of 101 fission track ages indicates that the Getic nappes are generally characterized by Cretaceous zircon and apatite fission track ages, indicating cooling to near-surface temperatures of these units immediately following Late Cretaceous orogeny.The age distribution of the Danubian nappes, presently outcropping in the Danubian window below the Getic nappes, depends on the position with respect to the Cerna-Jiu fault. Eocene and Oligocene zircon and apatite central ages from the part of the Danubian core complex situated southeast of this fault monitor mid-Tertiary tectonic exhumation in the footwall of the Getic detachment, while zircon fission track data from northwest of this fault indicate that slow cooling started during the Latest Cretaceous. The change from extension (Getic detachment) to strike-slip dominated tectonics along the curved Cerna-Jiu fault allowed for further exhumation on the concave side of this strike-slip fault, while exhumation ceased on the convex side. The available fission track data consistently indicate that the change to fast cooling associated with tectonic denudation by core complex formation did not occur before Late Eocene times, i.e. long after the cessation of Late Cretaceous thrusting.Core complex formation in the Danubian window is related to a larger-scale scenario that is characterized by the NNW-directed translation, followed by a 90° clockwise rotation of the Tisza-Dacia “block” due to roll-back of the Carpathian embayment. This led to a complex pattern of strain partitioning within the Tisza-Dacia “block” adjacent to the western tip of the rigid Moesian platform. Our results suggest that the invasion of these southernmost parts of Tisza-Dacia started before the Late Eocene, i.e. significantly before the onset of Miocene-age rollback and associated extension in the Pannonian basin.     

High-grade metamorphic rocks in the pre-Alpine nappe stack of the Getic-Supragetic basement (Median Dacides, South Carpathians, Romania)

Summary Metamorphic rocks in the pre-Alpine basement of the Getic-Supragetic units (Median Dacides of the Carpathian belt) are spatially related to different lithotectonic units, some of which contain high-pressure relicts reflecting an early stage of oceanic and continental subduction, locally synchronous with mylonitic shear zones. Kyaniteamphibole ± quartz-bearing eclogites preserve a complete metamorphic clockwise loop; the estimated peak conditions within the outer part of the Cumpana unit were at least 20 kb at 780–860 °C. Pre-eclogite-stage magmatic phases occur in some units with true equilibrated eclogites. Clinopyroxene-plagioclase inclusions in garnet of a garnet-clinopyroxene assemblage within a metagabbro indicate a temperature around 760–790 °C at a maximum pressure of about 19 kb. The units finally evolved together during stages of exhumation under metamorphic conditions ranging from the Barrovian-type (minimum age of 330 Ma) to the high-temperature/low-pressure type. The absolute age of the high-pressure stage and the eclogite protoliths is unknown. In comparison with other collision belts, it is likely that the gneiss units of the Median Dacides underwent a complete cycle of underthrusting and exhumation similar to other segments of the European Variscides, and that the formation of the eclogite occurred during the early stages of subduction.

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Résumé Les roches métamorphiques du socle pré-alpin des domaines Gétiques et Supragétiques (Dacides médianes de la chaîne des Carpathes) appartiennent à des unités lithotectoniques différentes dont certaines contiennent des reliques de métamorphisme haute pression reflétant un stade précoce de subduction continentale et océanique, localement synchrone de zones de cisaillement mylonitiques. Des éclogites é disthène-amphibole ± quartz permettent de reconstituer un trajet PT horaire complet. Les conditions paroxysmales sont estimées au sein de l'unité de Cumpana é plus de 20 kb pour 780–860 °C. Des phases magmatiques pré-éclogitiques coexistent avec des phases de haute pression dans les éclogites de certaines unités et des inclusions de clinopyroxene-plagioclase dans les grenats d'un métagabbro indiquent une température de 760–790 °C pour une pression maximale de 19 kb. L'ensemble des unités évolue finalement durant les stades d'exhumation sous les mêmes conditions de métamorphisme barrovien (âge minimum de 330 Ma) puis de haute température-basse pression. L'âge du stade de haute pression et des protholithes reste inconnu. En comparaison avec d'autres chaînes de collision, il est vraisemblable que les Dacides médianes ont subi un cycle d'enfouissement et d'exhumation similaire é celui décrit dans d'autres segments de la chaîne varisque européenne, la formation des éclogites étant attribuée aux premiers stades de la subduction.

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With 9 Figures     

A deep-seated landslide dam in the Siriu Reservoir (Curvature Carpathians, Romania)

The Groapa Vântului (Wind’s Dip) landslide, situated in the Buz?u Carpathians, on the right-hand slope of the Siriu Reservoir, occurred in April 2006, after the first local movements were signaled in September–October 2005. It represents a reactivation of an older, apparently relict (and well covered by a secular beech forest) landslide, which blocked Siriu Reservoir for several weeks and caused a major change in the sedimentation regime downstream of it. The volume of the displaced material reached almost 2.5 million m³, affecting a surface of more than 250,000 m² and reducing the reservoir’s volume by almost 2 million m³. The landslide developed on a lithological contact of Paleogene flysch formations and features steep (40–50°) and high (up to 30 m) scarps, as well as complex inner sectors, of rotational, translational, and compresional movement. The assessment of landslide’s morphodynamic behavior is based on repeated geomorphological field mapping and measurements, differential Global Positioning System, and total station profiles, and mobile and fixed landmarks. This preliminary assessment contributes to the understanding of the behavior of old, peri-glacial landslide reactivations and also represents progress towards a better hazard assessment.     

A chironomid-based reconstruction of late glacial summer temperatures in the southern Carpathians (Romania)

Late glacial and early Holocene summer temperatures were reconstructed based on fossil chironomid assemblages at Lake Brazi (Retezat Mountains) with a joint Norwegian–Swiss transfer function, providing an important addition to the late glacial quantitative climate reconstructions from Europe. The pattern of the late glacial temperature changes in Lake Brazi show both similarities and some differences from the NGRIP δ¹⁸O record and other European chironomid-based reconstructions. Our reconstruction indicates that at Lake Brazi (1740 m a.s.l.) summer air temperature increased by ~ 2.8°C at the Oldest Dryas/Bølling transition (GS-2/GI-1) and reached 8.1–8.7°C during the late glacial interstade. The onset of the Younger Dryas (GS-1) was characterized by a weak (< 1°C) decrease in chironomid-inferred temperatures. Similarly, at the GS-1/Holocene transition no major changes in summer temperature were recorded. In the early Holocene, summer temperature increased in two steps and reached ~ 12.0–13.3°C during the Preboreal. Two short-term cold events were detected during the early Holocene between 11,480–11,390 and 10,350–10,190 cal yr BP. The first cooling coincides with the Preboreal oscillation and shows a weak (0.7°C) temperature decrease, while the second is characterized by 1°C cooling. Both cold events coincide with cooling events in the Greenland ice core records and other European temperature reconstructions.     

Assessment of vulnerability for rockfalls in Cozia Gorge (Southern Carpathians,Romania)

Natural Hazards - Rockfalls represents a sudden, extremely important geomorphological hazard and may become a threat for people’s life, as well as goods and transport. The present study aims...     

Metasomatism in the subcontinental mantle beneath the Eastern Carpathians (Romania): new evidence from trace element geochemistry

A wide range of trace elements have been analysed in mantle xenoliths (whole rocks, clinopyroxene and amphibole separates) from alkaline lavas in the Eastern Carpathians (Romania), in order to understand the process of metasomatism in the subcontinental mantle of the Carpatho-Pannonian region. The xenoliths include spinel lherzolites, harzburgites and websterites, clinopyroxenites, amphibole veins and amphibole clinopyroxenites. Textures vary from porphyroclastic to granoblastic, or equigranular. Grain size increases with increasing equilibrium temperature of mineralogical assemblages and results from grain boundary migration. In peridotites, interstitial clinopyroxenes (cpx) and amphiboles resulted from impregnation and metasomatism of harzburgites or cpx-poor lherzolites by small quantities of a melt I with a melilitite composition. Clinopyroxenites, amphibole veins and amphibole clinopyroxenites are also formed by metasomatism as a result of percolation through fracture systems of large quantities of a melt II with a melanephelinite composition. These metasomatic events are marked by whole-rock enrichments, relative to the primitive mantle (PM), in Rb, Th and U associated in some granoblastic lherzolites and in clinopyroxene and amphibole veins with enrichments in LREE, Ta and Nb. Correlations between major element whole-rock contents in peridotites demonstrate that the formation of interstitial amphibole and clinopyroxene induced only a slight but variable increase of the Ca/Al ratio without apparent modifications of the initial mantle composition. Metasomatism is also traced by enrichments in the most incompatible elements and the LREE. The Ta, Nb, MREE and HREE contents remained unchanged and confirm the depleted state of the initial but heterogeneous mantle. Major and trace element signature of clinopyroxene suggests that amphibole clinopyroxenites and some granoblastic lherzolites have been metasomatized successively by melts I and II. Both melts I and II were Ca-rich and Si-poor, somewhat alkaline (Na > K). Melt I differed from melt II in having higher Mg and Cr contents offset by lower Ti, Al, Fe and K contents. Both were highly enriched in all incompatible trace elements relative to primitive mantle, showing positive anomalies in Rb, Ba, Th, Sr and Zr. They contrasted by their Ta, Nb and LREE contents, lower in melt I than in melt II. Melts I and II originate during a two-stage melting event from the same source at high pressure and under increasing temperature. The source assemblage could be that of a metasomatized carbonated mantle but was more likely that of an eclogite of crustal affinity. Genetic relationships between calc-alkaline and alkaline lavas from Eastern Carpathians and these melts are thought to be only indirect, the former originating from partial melting of mantle sources respectively metasomatized by the melts I and II. Received: 17 March 1997 / Accepted: 14 July 1997     

Provenance analysis as a key to orogenic exhumation: a case study from the East Carpathians (Romania)

Provenance analysis of the sediments from foredeep basins is crucial in understanding the contemporaneous orogenic exhumation processes. We report in this paper complex sediment provenance analysis using sandstone petrography and mudstone geochemistry, combined with magnetic susceptibility of the Upper Miocene to Pliocene deposits from Focşani foredeep basin (Romania). Data show a change of source area between 5 and 6 Ma, from an active volcanic arc towards a recycled orogenic belt, concurrent with an important increase of accumulation rate. This change was triggered by exhumation and erosion of the outer nappes from East Carpathians.     

Peri-Amazonian,Avalonian-type and Ganderian-type terranes in the South Carpathians,Romania: The Danubian domain basement

The Danubian domain basement of the South Carpathians, Romania, comprises two Neoproterozoic continental crustal fragments, the Dr?g?an and Lainici-P?iu? terranes, which were sutured by the closure of an intervening oceanic domain, the Ti?ovi?a terrane. Magmatic and detrital zircons extracted from an orthogneiss, four granitoid plutons, two metasedimentary units, and a Liassic sandstone were dated by zircon U/Pb LA-ICP-MS. The F?ge?el augen gneiss from the Dr?g?an terrane basement yielded an age of 803.2 ± 4.4 Ma, the oldest well-constrained crystallization age reported from the Romanian Carpathians basement. The Tismana, ?u?i?a, Novaci and Olte? granitoid plutons, which intrude the Lainici-P?iu? terrane basement, yielded ages of 600.5 ± 4.4, 591.0 ± 3.5, 592.7 ± 4.9, and 588 ± 2.9 Ma, respectively. The Tismana granitoid age of 600 Ma and the youngest detrital zircon ages of 637–622 Ma from a metaquartzite within the Lainici-Paiu? terrane, constrain the deposition of the metaquartzite protolith to ca. 620–600 Ma. The 803 Ma age represents an old Pan-African age, whereas the younger Neoproterozoic ages suggest Pan-African/Cadomian thermotectonic events. Detrital and inherited zircon ages within the Dr?g?an and Lainici-Paiu? terranes attest to a peri-Amazonian, Avalonian-type provenance for the Dr?g?an terrane and possibly a Ganderian-type provenance for the Lainici-P?iu? terrane. The Lainici-P?iu? terrane rifted off Gondwana before the Dr?g?an terrane. Both terranes were attached to Moesia during the Early Paleozoic.     

Post-collisional melting of crustal sources: constraints from geochronology,petrology and Sr,Nd isotope geochemistry of the Variscan Sichevita and Poniasca granitoid plutons (South Carpathians,Romania)

The Sichevita and Poniasca plutons belong to an alignment of granites cutting across the metamorphic basement of the Getic Nappe in the South Carpathians. The present work provides SHRIMP age data for the zircon population from a Poniasca biotite diorite and geochemical analyses (major and trace elements, Sr–Nd isotopes) of representative rock types from the two intrusions grading from biotite diorite to biotite K-feldspar porphyritic monzogranite. U–Pb zircon data yielded 311 ± 2 Ma for the intrusion of the biotite diorite. Granites are mostly high-K leucogranites, and biotite diorites are magnesian, and calcic to calc-alkaline. Sr, and Nd isotope and trace element data (REE, Th, Ta, Cr, Ba and Rb) permit distinguishing five different groups of rocks corresponding to several magma batches: the Poniasca biotite diorite (P₁) shows a clear crustal character while the Poniasca granite (P₂) is more juvenile. Conversely, Sichevita biotite diorite (S₁), and a granite (S₂*) are more juvenile than the other Sichevita granites (S₂). Geochemical modelling of major elements and REE suggests that fractional crystallization can account for variations within P₁ and S₁ groups. Dehydration melting of a number of protoliths may be the source of these magma batches. The Variscan basement, a subduction accretion wedge, could correspond to such a heterogeneous source. The intrusion of the Sichevita–Poniasca plutons took place in the final stages of the Variscan orogeny, as is the case for a series of European granites around 310 Ma ago, especially in Bulgaria and in Iberia, no Alleghenian granitoids (late Carboniferous—early Permian times) being known in the Getic nappe. The geodynamical environment of Sichevita–Poniasca was typically post-collisional of the Variscan orogenic phase.     

Chloritoid-Bearing Mineral Assemblages in High-Pressure Metapelites from the Bughea Complex, Leaota Massif (South Carpathians)

High-Mg chloritoid (X_Mg = 0·40–0·47) andrelatively high-Mg staurolite (X_Mg = 0·25–0·28)coexisting with kyanite and garnet were identified in a mica–garnet-richrock associated with very high-pressure eclogites in the BugheaComplex of the Leaota Massif (South Carpathians). Major andtrace element geochemical data for both fresh eclogites andassociated rocks which represent a metasomatic or retrogradealteration rind of the eclogites, indicate a pelitic precursor.Magnesian chloritoid was found as inclusions in garnet as partof a chloritoid–kyanite–garnet assemblage whichis indicative of high-pressure conditions. The host garnet showsa typically prograde chemical zoning pattern. The chloritoid-bearingassemblage is confined to the inner part of the garnet porphyroblasts,whereas the matrix assemblage in equilibrium with Mg-rich garnetrims has exceeded the thermal stability limit of chloritoid.Pressure–temperature pseudosections for simplified compositionsapproaching the rock bulk-chemistry show a high-pressure fieldfor the identified chloritoid-bearing assemblage in good agreementwith pressure–temperature estimates in the CFMASH andKCFMASH chemical subsystems using analysed mineral compositions.The derived pressure–temperature path is clockwise, indicatingoverprinting during exhumation from 1·8 GPa and 580°Cto 1·15 GPa and 620°C, at a water activity approachinga_H2O = 1. These conditions were attained in a subduction mélangeindicating transient thermal perturbations of a subduction channel. KEY WORDS: high-pressure metapelite; Mg-rich chloritoid; P–T path; P–T pseudosection; very high-pressure eclogite     

Magmatic and tectonic history of Jurassic ophiolites and associated granitoids from the South Apuseni Mountains (Romania)

The Jurassic ophiolites in the South Apuseni Mountains represent remnants of the Neotethys Ocean and belong to the East Vardar ophiolites that contain ophiolite fragments as well as granitoids and volcanics with island-arc affinity. New U–Pb zircon ages, and Sr and Nd isotope ratios give insights into their tectono-magmatic history. The ophiolite lithologies show tholeiitic MOR-type affinities, but are occasionally slightly enriched in Th and U, and depleted in Nb, which indicates that they probably formed in a marginal or back-arc basin. These ophiolites are associated with calc-alkaline granitoids and volcanics, which show trace element signatures characteristic for subduction-enrichment (high LILE, low HFSE). Low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.703836–0.704550) and high ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios (0.512599–0.512616) of the calc-alkaline series overlap with the ratios measured in the ophiolitic rocks (0.703863–0.704303 and 0.512496–0.512673), and hence show no contamination with continental crust. This excludes a collisional to post-collisional origin of the granitoids and is consistent with the previously proposed intra-oceanic island arc setting. The new U–Pb ages of the ophiolite lithologies (158.9–155.9 Ma, Oxfordian to Early Kimmeridgian) and granitoids (158.6–152.9 Ma, latest Oxfordian to Late Kimmeridgian) indicate that the two distinct magmatic series evolved within a narrow time range. It is proposed that the ophiolites and island arc granitoids formed above a long-lived NE-dipping subduction zone. A sudden flip in subduction polarity led to collision between island arc and continental margin, immediately followed by obduction of the ophiolites and granitoids on top of the continental margin of the Dacia Mega-Unit. Since the granitoids lack crustal input, they must have intruded the Apuseni ophiolites before both magmatic sequences were obducted onto the continental margin. The age of the youngest granitoid (~153 Ma, Late Kimmeridgian) yields an estimate for the maximum age of emplacement of the South Apuseni ophiolites and associated granitoids onto the Dacia Mega-Unit.