Zircon geochronology and geochemistry to constrain the youngest eruption events and magma evolution of the Mid-Miocene ignimbrite flare-up in the Pannonian Basin,eastern central Europe

A silicic ignimbrite flare-up episode occurred in the Pannonian Basin during the Miocene, coeval with the syn-extensional period in the region. It produced important correlation horizons in the regional stratigraphy; however, they lacked precise and accurate geochronology. Here, we used U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS and ID-TIMS) and (U–Th)/He dating of zircons to determine the eruption ages of the youngest stage of this volcanic activity and constrain the longevity of the magma storage in crustal reservoirs. Reliability of the U–Pb data is supported by (U–Th)/He zircon dating and magnetostratigraphic constraints. We distinguish four eruptive phases from 15.9 ± 0.3 to 14.1 ± 0.3 Ma, each of which possibly includes multiple eruptive events. Among these, at least two large volume eruptions (>10 km³) occurred at 14.8 ± 0.3 Ma (Demjén ignimbrite) and 14.1 ± 0.3 Ma (Harsány ignimbrite). The in situ U–Pb zircon dating shows wide age ranges (up to 700 kyr) in most of the crystal-poor pyroclastic units, containing few to no xenocrysts, which implies efficient recycling of antecrysts. We propose that long-lived silicic magma reservoirs, mostly kept as high-crystallinity mushes, have existed in the Pannonian Basin during the 16–14 Ma period. Small but significant differences in zircon, bulk rock and glass shard composition among units suggest the presence of spatially separated reservoirs, sometimes existing contemporaneously. Our results also better constrain the time frame of the main tectonic events that occurred in the Northern Pannonian Basin: We refined the upper temporal boundary (15 Ma) of the youngest counterclockwise block rotation and the beginning of a new deformation phase, which structurally characterized the onset of the youngest volcanic and sedimentary phase.     

Utilization of the European Hubble Space Telescope Science Data archive

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a very complex astronomical observing facility, producing data with unique calibration and analysis requirements. The data are collected in Science Data Archives which are available through computer networks world wide. This paper describes the approaches and technologies which are being used at the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF) to enable users in different institutions to efficiently work with HST data.     

Astrovirtel—From Archival Research to the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory

Given the high cost of modern astronomical observing facilities it is evident that efforts must be made to optimally exploit the data in order to maximize the return on investment. This concept was first implemented on a large scale for the Hubble Space Telescope, and has since been taken over for other space borne and large ground-based facilities. The European HST Science Data Archive is located at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It has been extended to include data from ESO telescopes and instruments, especially the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Wide Field Imager (WFI). It was thus natural to design the archive such that queries could be extended across its full content, regardless of the origin of the data. This constituted a first step toward a virtual observatory. The Astrovirtel program, first established in 1999–2000 with funding provided by the European Commission, makes it possible for scientists to use this facility for their investigations. At the same time it allowed us to establish science requirements for archive cross queries, and to define capabilities required for VO's. Recently the European Commission decided to provide the funding for the implementation of the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO). This will include several European observatories and scientific organizations. It is being developed in close coordination with the US National Virtual Observatory.     

A study of charge structure sensitivity in simulated thunderstorms

Two different thunderstorms are simulated by two distinct one-dimensional cloud models using four different parameterisations of the non-inductive mechanism of electric charging, based on laboratory studies. The results demonstrate that during the early (pre-lightning) stage of thunderstorm electrification, simulated charge density depends not only on the model charging parameterisation employed, but also on the specific representations of the kinematics and microphysical characteristics of the model itself. Though no conclusions are drawn regarding the physical suitability of the charging parameterisations themselves, the analysis indicates that the most significant differences between the simulated charge structures of the clouds produced in each particular model are the result of different distributions of model cloud characteristics and of the type of parameterisation of the microphysical processes. The study reveals that it is too early to make any conclusion regarding which, if any, of the existing parameterisation schemes are better suited to the realistic simulation of electrical charging in real clouds.     

Die Weiterentwicklung der Meßtechnik des Wassergehalts des Bodens auf thermischer Grundlage

Zusammenfassung Durch Untersuchungen vonJ. Bracht [3] und dem Verfasser wurde im Jahre 1940 festgestellt, daß die Wärmeleitfähigkeit des Bodens nicht bei allen Bodenarten eindeutig mit dem Wassergehalt zusammenhängt. Es wird eine Erklärung für diese Erscheinung durch die Verscjiedenheit der Wasserablagerung zwischen den Bodenpartikeln bei Wasseraufnahme und Wasserabgabe gegeben. Von allen Wärmekonstanten des Bodens ist nur die Wärmekapazität wahrscheinlich eindeutig abhängig von dem Wassergehalt des Bodens. Diese Größe kann am einfachsten als der Quotient aus der Wärmeleitfähigkeit und der Temperaturleitfähigkeit des Bodens bestimmt werden. Es mu\ also außer der Wärmeleitfähigkeit auch noch die Temperaturleitfähigkeit gemessen werden.In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung dieser letzteren Größe beschrieben. Hierbei wird als Geber das Doppelthermometer benutzt, das zur Messung der Wärmeleitfähigkeit des Bodens vom Verfasser [2] beschrieben wurde. Von den beiden Thermometern dieses Doppelthermometers wird das eine in halbstündigen Intervallen je eine Viertelstunde lang geheizt. Gemessen wird dann außer dem Temperaturunterschied zwischen geheiztem und ungeheiztem Thermometer auch der Temperaturgang des ungeheizten Thermometers allein. Aus dem Temperaturunterschied zwischen beiden Thermometern wird in der üblichen Weise die Wärmeleitfähigkeit und aus der Amplitude des Temperaturganges und seiner Phasenverschiebung gegen die Heizung die Temperaturleitfähigkeit des Bodens berechnet.

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Summary Researches ofJ. Bracht [3] and of the present author have shown in 1940 that the thermal conductivity of the soil is not exactly coherent with the content of water in all kinds of soil. An explanation of this phenomenon is given by the difference of water deposit between the soil particles under conditions of imbilition and desiccation of water. Of all thermal constants of the soil solely the heat capacity probably is distinctly dependent on the water content of the soil. This value can be determined in the simplest manner as the quotient of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the soil. Beside thermal conductivity therefore thermal diffusivity must be measured too.A procedure for the determination of this last value is developed in this paper. The double thermometer which has been described by the author [2] for measuring the thermal conductivity is used as indicator. One of the two thermometers of this double thermometer is being heated during a quarter of an hour at intervals of half an hour. Beside the difference of temperature between heated and unheated thermometer the variation of temperature of the unheated thermometer itself is measured. Then the thermal conductivity is calculated in the usual manner from the difference of temperature between the two thermometers and the thermal diffusivity of the soil from the amplitude of the temperature variation and its shift of phase against heating.

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Résumé Des recherches deJ. Bracht [3] et de l'auteur en 1940 ont montré que la conductibilité calorifique de certains sols ne dépend pas uniquement de leur teneur en eau. On tente d'expliquer cette anomalie par le fait que l'eau s'insère différemment entre les particules du sol lors de l'imbibition et lors de la dessication. Parmi toutes les constantes calorifiques du sol, la capacité calorifique est probablement la seule qui soit en relation univoque avec la teneur en eau. Cette grandeur peut se définir le plus simplement par le quotient de la conductivité calorifique et de la transmission thermique du sol. Il faut donc mesurer séparément ces deux grandeurs.On décrit dans le présent mémoire un procédé permettant la mesure de la transmission thermique. On se sert comme indicateur du thermomètre double décrit par l'auteur [2] en vue de la mesure de la conductibilité du sol. L'un de ces thermomètres est chauffé pendant un quart d'heure toutes les demi-heures. On note alors non seulement la différence de température entre les deux instruments, mais encore les variations du thermomètre non chauffé: la différence de température permet comme d'ordinaire le calcul de la conductibilité, tandis que l'amplitude de la variation du thermomètre non chauffé et son décalage par rapport à l'autre permettent le calcul de la transmission thermique.

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Mit 4 Textabbildungen.     

Die Pyrenäen im Lichte der Deckentheorie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Central European Cenozoic plume volcanism with OIB characteristics and indications of a lower mantle source

Average concentrations of incompatible elements and isotopes of radiogenic Sr, Nd and Pb in a 350 km long belt of Central European volcanics (CECV) resemble those in OIB in general and in OIB from the N Atlantic in particular. This similarity allows to infer comparable sources for CECV and OIB which might have been located in the lower mantle according to seismic tomography and chemistry, with the latter unlike a MORB source. The incompatible element contribution of lower mantle origin can be modelled from primitive mantle minus continental crust and upper mantle inventories. Alkali basaltic magmas from the modelled source are close in composition to CECV and OIB. The continental crust contains almost half of the silicate Earth's content of Rb, K, Pb, Ba, Th and U, which were mobilized to a major extent through dehydration of subducted ocean crust. Related losses from the lower mantle had to be replaced by deep subductions of oceanic lithosphere recognized from their isotopic imprint. From a balance based on Nd isotopes it can be concluded that average CECV contains 60% matter from residual primitive mantle and 40% from deeply subducted lithosphere (including some young upper mantle materials). Plume products from separate CECV regions developed, within 45 Ma, from rather depleted to more primitive isotopic signatures. Four periods of volcanism from Eocene to late Quaternary time are explained as four pulses of an almost stationary ultrafast plume uprise as modelled by Larsen and Yuen (1997). Magma production has increased from the first to the third pulse with the peak during Miocene time in the Vogelsberg region. The final pulse produced the Quaternary Eifel volcanoes. Tectonism from the Alpine orogen has probably triggered the synchronous volcanism of CECV, Massif Central etc. The European lithospheric plate has moved under the control of the opening Atlantic almost in an eastern direction with a velocity of 1 cm per year and has shifted extinct volcanoes off their source channels. Received: 10 July 1998 / Accepted: 10 February 1999     

Die alpidischen Stockwerke der südlichen Ägäis

Zusammenfassung Im Bereich der südlichen Ägäis überlagern vier allochthone Stockwerke den autochthonen Plattenkalk (Perm-Oligozän). Die allochthonen Serien entstammen ursprünglich konzentrisch angeordneten mesozoisch-alttertiären Faziesräumen der zentralen Ägäis. Die tektonische Abfolge aus neritischen Karbonaten, pelagischen Karbonaten und einem vulkano-sedimentären Komplex, die durch inkompetente Zwischenmittel (Mélange) getrennt werden, besteht über den gesamten Bogen. Fazielle und stratigraphische Merkmale sowie die Art der Deformation ermöglichen die Korrelation der Teilprofile des südägäischen Deckenstapels und dessen Anknüpfung an die südwestliche Türkei. Die kinematische Analyse des Deckenbaus führt zu dem Bild eines sich ausbreitenden Mantel-Diapirs, an dessen geneigter Grenzfläche ein gravitativer Transport ausgelöst wurde.

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In the realm of the Southern Aegean Arc four allochthonous units are piled up above the autochthonous Cherty Limestone (Permian-Oligocene). The allochthonous units are derived from different Mesozoic to Paleogene facies zones which originally were arranged in concentric belts in the Central Aegean Sea. The nappe pile consists — from bottom to top — of neritic carbonates, pelagic carbonates and a volcano-sedimentary complex along the entire arc. These competent units are separated by incompetent members of mainly flyschoid sediments, acting as lubricants. The intercalated sediments were deformed to mélanges due to tectonic transport. Facies analysis, stratigraphy and the style of deformation lead to a correlation of type sections of the southern Aegean nappe pile and its relation to the southwestern part of Turkey. The nappe transport is caused by diapiric uplift and lateral shifting of a thermal dome. A radial gravity transport occurred on its inclined boundary plane.

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Résumé Dans la région de l'Egée méridionale le Calcaire en plaquettes, en position autochthone (Permian-Oligocène) repose sous quatre unités allochthones. Les séries allochthones proviennent de différentes zones de faciès mésozoique-paléogène qui à l'origine étaient disposées concentriquement dans l'Égée centrale. Les nappes sont constituées tout le long de l'arc entier pour des carbonates néritiques, des carbonates pélagiques et un complexe volcano-sédimentaire. Ces unités compétentes sont séparées par des formations incompétentes, notamment des sédiments flyschoides qui ont servi de lubrificant. Ces sédiments intercalés ont été déformés en mélanges par le transport tectonique. Des caractéristiques de faciès et d'ordre stratigraphique, et le style de la déformation rendent possible la corrélation entre les fractions des nappes sud-égéennes et leur rattachement au sud-ouest de la Turquie. Le transport des nappes est lié au déploiement latéral de l'enveloppe d'un dôme diapirique, qui a déclanché un transport radial, par gravité, le long de sa base inclinée.

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Diese Untersuchungen wurden im Rahmen des Schwerpunktprogrammes Geodynamik des mediterranen Raumes der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft durchgeführt und gefördert. Ausgehend von einer Geländetätigkeit auf Kreta in den Jahren 1973–1975 erfolgten im Herbst 1975 Vergleichsbegehungen auf dem Peloponnes, auf Rhodos und den Kykladen. Von den Mitarbeitern des Institutes für Geologie und Paläontologie der TU Braunschweig übernahmen dankenswerterweise FrauBeddies und FrauBusch die Niederschrift des Manuskriptes sowie Übersetzungsarbeiten. HerrStosnach führte freundlicherweise die Reinzeichnung der Abbildungen und Fotoarbeiten aus.