Out-of-sequence thrusts and paleogeography of the Rhenodanubian Flysch Belt (Eastern Alps) revisited

The Oberstdorf nappe of the Western and the Laab nappe of the Eastern Rhenodanubian Flysch (ERF) were independently identified as out-of-sequence thrust units by facies studies (Mattern 1999) and zircon analyses (Trautwein et al. 2001a, b, c), respectively. A new look at both areas reveals mutual similarities and new evidence for the out-of-sequence concept. Paleocurrent and heavy mineral data make it possible to reconstruct the sediment influx directions. From the Barremian to the mid-Campanian, the western and eastern basin segments were fed with south-derived garnet and north-derived zircon/”ZTR” (i.e., zircon, tourmaline, and rutile). Because both out-of-sequence units are relatively rich in zircon/ZTR they must have occupied the northernmost basin position. In the Western Rhenodanubian Flysch segment, the Sigiswang nappe occupied the central and the Üntschen nappe the southernmost basin position. In the ERF segment the central basin is represented by the Greifenstein nappe and the southernmost basin by the Kahlenberg nappe. Both out-of-sequence units do not occur in the northernmost and tectonically lowest position in their respective nappe piles as they were thrust over the other nappes. The reconstructed basin positions of the thrust units are suggested by the observation of a gradient in heavy mineral content in the thrust units. This paleogeographic arrangement is least problematic and renders models with differently positioned thrust units, requiring debris-shedding intrabasinal ridges, as unnecessarily complicated. Instead, we suggest that gradual changes in heavy mineral composition existed in across-basin direction. Garnet may stem from the Central Gneiss Complex of the Tauern window and formerly exposed lateral equivalents, all representing the southern Mid-Penninic zone. We assign the Falknis/Tasna nappe and formerly exposed lateral equivalents to the northern Mid-Penninic zone which served as the zircon/ZTR source. Interpreting Ebbing’s (Ph.D. thesis, Freie Universität Berlin, pp 1-143, 2002; Fig. 6.10) density section, we suggest that Mid-Penninic crust exists beneath the Central Gneiss Complex. During the latest Cretaceous much garnet was also N-derived. This may reflect processes related to the consumption of the North Penninic basin.     

Palaeolimnological studies of the eutrophication of volcanic Lake Albano (Central Italy)

We use palaeolimnological techniques to reconstruct the eutrophication history of a volcanic lake (Lake Albano, central Italy) over the past three centuries. The presence of annual varves down to the bottom of the core (c. 1700 A.D.) indicated the lack of bioturbation and likely long-term meromixis. Sedimentation rates were estimated by varve counts (calcite/diatom couplets), indicating a mean rate of 0.15 cm yr^–1. The reconstruction of eutrophication was traced using past populations of algal and photosynthetic bacteria (through their fossil pigment), and geochemistry, as well as fossil remains of chironomids. Phaeophorbidea and the red carotenoid astaxanthin were used to detect past zooplankton development.The first sign of trophic change related to human activities is datedc. 1870 A.D. From that period onward a sharp increase of authigenic CaCO₃, nitrogen, N:P ratio, and dinoxanthin, a characteristic carotenoid of Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae, is observed.Chironomid analyses showed the near absence of a deep water fauna throughout the core length. The populations of chironomid larvae are restricted to oxygenated littoral zones. In fact, the few fossil remains found are primarily of littoral origin, representing shallow water midges that were transported to profundal waters. The reduction of total chironomid in the uppermost layers of the core is to be related to human land uses.     

Kinetics of redox cycling of iron coupled with fulvic acid

The kinetics of conversion of iron(III) (hydr)oxides to ferrous iron mediated by fulvic acid have been investigated in order to improve the understanding of the redox cycling of iron at the oxic-anoxic boundary in natural waters. Under the conditions similar to natural waters, fulvic acid is able to reduce the iron(III) (hydr)oxide. The kinetics of the reaction depend on the reactivity of iron(III) (hydr)oxides and the reducing power of the fulvic acid. The rate of reaction is 60 nm/h obtained under following conditions: total concentration of Fe(III) 1.0 × 10^–4 M, pH 7.5, fulvic acid 5 mg/L. The rate is considered as a net result of reduction and oxidation in the > Fe^III-OH/Fe(II) wheel coupled with fulvic acid. In a real natural water system, reductants other than fulvic acid may be of importance. The results obtained in the laboratory, however, provide evidence that the Fe(OH)₃(s)/Fe(II) redox couple is able to act as an electron-transfer mediator for the oxidation of natural organic substances, such as fulvic acid by molecular oxygen either in the absence of microorganisms or as a supplement to microbial activity.     

Site occupation and electric field gradient in acentric neptunite-measurements and evaluations concerning powder- and single crystal – Mössbauer spectroscopy and x-ray diffractometry

Mössbauer measurements on neptunite (KNa₂Li(Fe,Mn,Mg)₂Ti₂Si₈O₂₄) at 400?K reveal the distribution of Fe-ions on the crystallographic sites in agreement with neutron diffraction results published elsewhere. Even the previously postulated small amount of Fe-ions on the Ti(2) site has been detected, combined with a charge transfer which is in agreement with optical absorption investigations by other authors. A qualitative site occupation model is able to explain the different features of our observations. Single crystal Mössbauer measurements with the k-vector of incident γ-rays parallel to the crystallographic b-axis (space group Cc) of neptunite at different temperatures yield the angle β between the main component of the electric field gradient (EFG), V _zz and b. This angle is in close accordance with a calculated value of β for the Fe(1) position from electron density maps. The latter also reveal an absolute value of V _zz which is in satisfactory agreement with V _zz derived from Mössbauer spectroscopy.     

Über Den Aufbau Der Stern- Und Galaxienhaufen

In star clusters and in galaxy clusters the exponentn of the generalized law of Schuster statistically decreases with increasing masses of the clusters or increasing numbersL of their members. In most casesn(gal. cl.) is smaller thann(st. cl.). It is confirmed, that in larger galaxy clusters the brighter members are somewhat more concentrated at the center than the fainter members.

---

---

Mitteilungen Serie A.     

Coherence analysis of granular intensity

A high resolution spectrogram of the Mg b₂ line from the quiet Sun disc centre is subjected to a coherence analysis. We find that the coherence between intensity fluctuations in the continuum and the wings of the line breaks down at a distance = 0.35 Å from line centre. From this and the r.m.s. intensity contrast as a function of we are led to the following simple model of temperature fluctuation T in the solar photosphere: A lower part (below 50 km, or ₅₀₀₀ > 0.25) with strongly inward increasing T and an upper part (above 50 km) with constant T = 75 K. The two parts are supposed to fluctuate incoherently.Mitteilungen aus dem Kiepenheuer Institut Nr. 166.     

Alfvén instabilities in streaming plasmas with anisotropic pressures and their relevance for the solar wind

Low frequency or Alfvén waves in streaming plasmas can become unstable when the square of the Alfvén velocity is smaller than the mean square of the bulk motion in a co-moving reference frame, (u –u )², whereu stands for the bulk velocity of each species and u is the average bulk velocity of the plasma as a whole. For these new Alfvén instabilities the streaming effects can be enhanced by a suitable pressure anisotropy. Perpendicular pressure effects are stabilizing, parallel pressure effects are destabilizing, as in the usual firehose instability. The observed velocity differences between helium and the main (hydrogen) flow in the solar wind plasma are such that the Alfvén waves are getting close to marginal instability. These new Alfvén instabilities limit the velocity differences between helium and hydrogen and thus provide a possible mechanism for accelerating the helium particles up to the order of the main flow velocity.     

Spectral analyses of solar photospheric fluctuations

Successful subtraction of instrumental background variations has permitted spectral analyses of two-dimensional measurement arrays of granulation brightness fluctuations at the center of the disk, arrays obtained from Stratoscope I, 1959B-flight, high-resolution frames B1551 and B3241.

1. RMS's, uncorrected for instrumental blurring, are 0.0850 of mean intensity for B1551 and 0.0736 for B3241, somewhat higher than other determinations. These between-frame and between-investigation differences probably result from a combination of calibration errors, frame resolution differences, and, most likely, granulation pattern differences.
2. Significant variations over each array of mean intensities and RMS's, determined for sub-arrays with dimensions in the 2500–10000 km range, indicate spatial brightness and RMS variations larger than the ‘scale’ of the granulation pattern, supporting a turbulent interpretation of photospheric convection.
3. One-dimensional power-spectra shapes provide objective and discriminating criteria for determining granulation pattern differences and, possibly, frame resolution.
4. Two-dimensional power spectra show small, essentially random deviations from axial symmetry which lie almost entirely within the 50% confidence limits.
5. Spectral densities and fluctuation power spectra, computed from the two-dimensional power spectra and corrected for instrumental blurring, noise, and blemishes, have a useable radial wavenumber range nearly double that of earlier Stratoscope I analyses.
6. Corrected RMS's obtained from the corrected fluctuation power spectra, 0.145 ± 0.046 for B1551 and 0.136 ± 0.048 for B3241, depend critically on the accuracy of the correction.
7. The spectra's wavenumber range includes the granulation-fluctuation-producing domain but not the Kolmogoroff domain of turbulence spectra.

     

Geology and tectonics of the Themis Regio-Lavinia Planitia-Alpha Regio-Lada Terra area,Venus: Results from Arecibo image data

New radar images obtained from the Arecibo Observatory (resolution 1.5–4.0 km) for portions of the southern hemisphere of Venus show that: the upland of Phoebe Regio contains the southern extension of Devana Chasma, a rift zone extending 4200 km south from Theia Mons and interpreted as a zone of extension; Alpha Regio, the only large region of tessera within the imaged area, is similar to tessera mapped elsewhere on the planet and covers a smaller percentage of the surface than that observed in the northern high latitudes; the upland made of Ushas, Innini and Hathor Montes consists of three distinct volcanic constructs; Themis Regio is mapped as an ovoid chain of radar-bright arcuate single and double ring structures, edifices and bright lineaments. This area is interpreted as a region of mantle upwelling and on the basis of apparent split and separated features, a zone of localized faulting and extension. Linear zones of deformation in Lavinia Planitia are characterized by lineament belts that are often locally elevated, are similar to ridge belts mapped in the northern high latitudes and are interpreted to be characterized mainly by compression; radar-bright lava complexes within Lavinia Planitia are unique to this part of the planet and are interpreted to represent areas of eruption of high volumes of extremely fluid lava; the upland of Lada Terra is bound to the north by a linear deformation zone interpreted as extensional, is characterized by large ovoids and coronae, is interpreted to be associated with an area of mantle upwelling, and is in contrast to the northern high latitude highland of Ishtar Terra. Regions of plains in the southern hemisphere cover about 78%; of the mapped area and are interpreted to be volcanic in origin. Located within the area imaged (10–78 S) are 52 craters interpreted to be of impact origin ranging from 8 to 157 km in diameter. On the basis of an overall crater density of 0.94 craters/10⁶ km², it is determined that the age of this part of the Venus surface is similar to the 0.3 to 1.0 billion year age calculated for the equatorial region and northern high latitudes. The geologic characteristics of the portion of the Venus southern hemisphere imaged by Arecibo are generally similar to those mapped elsewhere on the planet. This part of the planet is characterized by widespread volcanic plains, large volcanic edifices, and zones of linear belt deformation. The southern hemisphere of Venus differs from northern high latitudes in that tessera makes up only a small percentage of the surface area and the ovoid chain in Themis Regio is unique to this part of the planet. On the basis of the analysis presented here, the southern hemisphere of Venus is interpreted to be characterized by regions of mantle upwelling on a variety of scales (ovoids, region made up of Ushas, Innini and Hathor Montes), upwelling and extension (Themis Regio) and localized compression (lineament belts in Lavinia Planitia).