From source terrains of the Eastern Alps to the Molasse Basin: Detrital record of non-steady-state exhumation

Fission-track cooling ages of detrital apatite (AFT) in the East Alpine Molasse Basin display age groups corresponding to geodynamic events in the orogen since Jurassic times. These age groups are typical of certain thermotectonic units, which formed a patchwork in the Swiss and Eastern Alps. By a combination of petrographic and thermochronologic data, progressive erosion of source terrains is monitored in different catchments since the Oligocene. The AFT cooling ages show a decrease in lag time until when rapidly cooled debris derived from tectonically exhumed core complexes became exposed. After termination of tectonic exhumation, lag times of debris derived from the core complexes increased. Neither on the scale of the entire Eastern Alps, or on the scale of individual catchments, steady-state exhumation is observed, due to the highly dynamic changes of exhumation rates since Late Eocene collision.     

Mais comment s'écoule donc un glacier ? Aperçu historique

Ice and snow have often helped physicists understand the world. On the contrary it has taken them a very long time to understand the flow of the glaciers. Naturalists only began to take an interest in glaciers at the beginning of the 19th century during the last phase of glacier advances. When the glacier flow from the upslope direction became obvious, it was then necessary to understand how it flowed. It was only in 1840, the year of the Antarctica ice sheet discovery by Dumont d'Urville, that two books laid the basis for the future field of glaciology: one by Agassiz on the ice age and glaciers, the other one by canon Rendu on glacier theory. During the 19th century, ice flow theories, adopted by most of the leading scientists, were based on melting/refreezing processes. Even though the word ‘fluid’ was first used in 1773 to describe ice, more the 130 years would have to go by before the laws of fluid mechanics were applied to ice. Even now, the parameter of Glen's law, which is used by glaciologists to model ice deformation, can take a very wide range of values, so that no unique ice flow law has yet been defined. To cite this article: F. Rémy, L. Testut, C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Conceptual hydrodynamic model of the Pamukkale hydrothermal field, southwestern Turkey, based on hydrochemical and isotopic data

The results of study on the hydrochemical and isotope characteristics of shallow and deep waters at Pamukkale hydrothermal field Turkey are described in order to obtain a better understanding of the hydrological circulation. The field can be grouped into two groundwater sub-systems; cold water springs of Ca–HCO₃ type (10–12 °C), and CO₂-rich thermal waters of Ca–HCO₃–SO₄ type (25–58 °C). The occurrence of these water types is closely related to the morphology of the region, where intense tectonism formed horst and graben structures. Hence, two hydrogeological systems were defined: a deep geothermal system which is related to extensive and deep circulation of meteoric water in the regional flow system, and a shallow system which is related to local groundwater flow through sedimentary strata. The meteoric water falling at higher elevations percolates to the local groundwater system at a shallow level and flows to the deep geothermal system. During a deep convection cycle from a recharge to discharge area, the cold water attains heat from the asthenospheric intrusions, causing it to ascend. Variations of chemical and isotopic composition of thermal waters result from their mixing with cool groundwater in a shallow aquifer during their ascent to the surface.

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Résumé Les résultats d'une étude portant sur les caractéristiques hydrochimiques et isotopiques de puits phréatiques et profonds situés dans le champ hydrothermal de Pamukkale, sont décrits de telle manière à éclairer le fonctionnement des circulations hydrologiques. Le champ peut étre divisé en deux sous-systèmes d'eaux souterraines, l'un avec des eaux de sources froides (10–12 °C) de type Ca–HCO3, et les eaux thermales (25–58 °C) riches en CO₂ et de type Ca–HCO₃–SO4. L'occurrence de ces types d'eaux est fermement liée à la morphologie de la région, oùne tectonique intense a engendré des structures en horsts et en grabens. Dés lors deux systèmes hydrogéologiques ont été définis : un système profond, qui est lié à la circulation extensive et profonde des eaux météoritiques dans le système régional d'écoulement, et un système phréatique lié aux écoulements locaux des eaux souterraines à travers les strates sédimentaires. Les eaux météoritiques aux altitudes élevées, percolent jusqu'aux systèmes locaux phréatiques, puis coulent jusqu'aux systèmes géothermaux plus profonds. Durant le cycle de convection profond des zones de recharge jusqu'aux zones de décharge, l'eau froide atteint les zones chaudes liées aux intrusions athenosphériques, provoquant la remontée. Les variations de la composition chimique et isotopique des eaux thermales résultent dans leurs mélanges avec des eaux souterraines froides dans les aquifères phréatiques durant leur remontée jusqu'à la surface.

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Resumen Se describen los resultados del estudio de las características isotópicas e hidroquímicas de las aguas someras y profundas para obtener un mejor entendimiento de la circulación hidrológica del campo hidrotermal Pamukkale. El campo puede agruparse en dos sub-sistemas de agua subterránea: manantiales de agua fría del tipo Ca–HCO₃ (10–12°C) y aguas termales ricas en CO₂ del tipo Ca–HCO₃–SO₄(25–58°C). El ambiente de estos tipos de aguas se relaciona estrechamente con la morfología de la región donde el tectonismo intenso ha formado estructuras extensionales tipo graben y horst. Se definieron dos sistemas hidrogeológicos: un sistema geotermal profundo que se relaciona con la circulación profunda y extensa de agua meteórica en el sistema regional de flujo y un sistema somero el cual se relaciona con flujo local de agua subterránea a través de estratos sedimentarios. El agua meteórica que cae en altas elevaciones percola al sistema local de agua subterránea en un nivel somero y fluye hacia el sistema geotermal profundo. Durante un ciclo de convección del área de recarga hacia la zona de descarga, el agua fría se calienta a partir de los intrusivos astenosféricos lo que ocasiona que asciendan. Como resultado de la mezcla de las aguas recalentadas, con agua subterránea fría en un acuífero somero durante el ascenso hacia la superficie, se derivan variaciones en la composición química e isotópica de las aguas termales.

     

New Generation of Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for the Area Cologne/Aachen Considering the Uncertainties of the Input Data

A new earthquake catalogue for central, northern and northwestern Europe with unified M_w magnitudes, in part derived from chi-square maximum likelihood regressions, forms the basis for seismic hazard calculations for the Lower Rhine Embayment. Uncertainties in the various input parameters are introduced, a detailed seismic zonation is performed and a recently developed technique for maximum expected magnitude estimation is adopted and quantified. Applying the logic tree algorithm, resulting hazard values with error estimates are obtained as fractile curves (median, 16% and 84% fractiles and mean) plotted for pga (peak ground acceleration; median values for Cologne 0.7 and 1.2 m/s² for probabilities of exceedence of 10% and 2%, respectively, in 50 years), 0.4 s (0.8 and 1.5 m/s²) and 1.0 s (0.3 and 0.5 m/s²) pseudoacclerations, and intensity (I₀ = 6.5 and 7.2). For the ground motion parameters, rock foundation is assumed. For the area near Cologne and Aachen, maps show the median and 84% fractile hazard for 2% probability of exceedence in 50 years based on pga (maximum median value about 1.5 m/s²), and 0.4 s (>2 m/s²) and 1.0 s (about 0.8 m/s²) pseudoaccelerations, all for rock. The pga 84% fractile map also has a maximum value above 2 m/s² and shows similarities with the median map for 0.4 s. In all maps, the maximum values fall within the area 6.2–6.3° E and 50.8–50.9° N, i.e., east of Aachen.     

Results from a Multi-disciplinary Sedimentary Pilot Study of Tectonic Lake Iznik (NW Turkey) – Geochemistry and Paleolimnology of the Recent Past

A limnogeological reconnaissance study was carried out on Lake Iznik, located in the southeast of the Marmara region of Turkey, involving a seismic survey and collection of short sediment cores. This lake is located on the middle branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), a transform plate boundary between the Eurasian and Anatolian Plates. It is, therefore, tectonically active and offers an opportunity to investigate the interplay of sedimentary and seismo-tectonic processes, as well as climate change and human impact in the region. Short cores of the three sub-basins, maximum length of 35.5 cm, recovered non-laminated, blackish clays and silts with varying amounts of biogenic and minerogenic (allochthonous, autochthonous) material, which documented almost the last 80 years of deposition and environmental history. High sedimentation rates in the deeper core sections are accompanied by changes in land use (conversion of woodland to farmland) in the northern areas of Lake Iznik, which caused the deposition of more weathered material (high K/Na ratios) and higher contents of Mn in the lake. A tendency towards eutrophic conditions within the last 20 years is indicated by high nutrient content (N, TOC, P), decreasing C/N-ratios, and characteristic diatom and cladoceran associations. Also increased pollution is revealed by higher Pb, Cu, and Zn contents and increased supply of human and animal faeces (high coprostanol content) during the last two decades. But simultaneous lower sedimentation rates towards the core tops complicate the reconstruction of recent and past eutrophication and pollution states of Lake Iznik. This requires an extension of the pilot study and deeper sediment cores, to recover non-anthropogenic influenced sediment levels.     

Early Holocene water budget of the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin, Central Kenya Rift

The Nakuru-Elmenteita basin in the Central Kenya Rift, contains two shallow, alkaline lakes, Lake Nakuru (1770 m above sea level) and Lake Elmenteita (1786 m). Ancient shorelines and lake sediments at 1940 m suggest that these two lakes formed a single large and deep lake as a result of a wetter climate during the early Holocene. Here, we used a hydrological model to compare the precipitation–evaporation balance during the early Holocene to today. Assuming that the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin was hydrologically closed, as it is today, the most likely climate scenario includes a 45% increase in mean-annual precipitation, a 0.5°C decrease in air temperature, and an increase of 9% in cloud coverage from the modern values. Compared to the modeling results from other East African lake basins, this dramatic increase in precipitation seems to be unrealistic. Therefore, we propose a significant flow of water from the early Holocene Lake Naivasha in the south towards the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin to compensate the extremely negative hydrological budget of this basin. Since we did not find any field evidence for a surface connection, as often proposed during the last 70 years, the hydrological deficit of the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin could have also been compensated by a subsurface water exchange.     

Gold mining in Ghana's forest reserves: a report on the current debate

This paper examines the debate surrounding a recent decision made by the Ghanaian government to permit gold exploration – and potentially, mining – in 'protected' forest reserves. In 2001, four mining companies were awarded mineral exploration concessions in forested regions of the country, and have since put forward applications to mine for gold. Notwithstanding the sharp divide in opinion on the issue, the continued uncertainty surrounding the implications of the proposed activities makes further research on the ground imperative in the short term. Work aiming to elicit indigenous perspectives on the projects, as well as research that facilitates dialogue between and/or among stakeholder parties, should be prioritized.