Layer silicates from a rodingite and its blackwall from Przemiłów (Lower Silesia, Poland): Mineralogical record of metasomatic processes during serpentinization and serpentinite recrystallization

Summary Minute inclusions of phlogopite and a chlorite-vermiculite intergrade mineral occur in the vesuvianite from rodingite at Przemiów (Lower Silesia). The same inclusions were found in its blackwall, i.e. outer metasomatic zone formed at the expense of adjacent ultrabasic rock. These findings demonstrate that potassium was released from the rodingite protolith during the Ca-metasomatism that accompanied low-temperature serpentinization and was consumed by phlogopite formed in the rodingite blackwall. Fresh phlogopite persists as small inclusions in vesuvianite. The abundant phlogopite-derived intergrade chlorite-vermiculite in the blackwall documents the potassium-rich composition of the protolith of the rodingite, though its primary chemistry is highly modified during metasomatic processes. The rodingite blackwall can be useful as tracer of the metamorphic and tectonic episodes obscured during complex geological evolution of the ophiolite.

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Schichtsilikate von Rodingit- Blackwalls aus Przemiów (Niederschlesien, Polen): Mineralogische Dokumentation metasomatischer Prozesse während der Serpentinisierung und der Rekristallisation von Serpentinit

Zusammenfassung Winzige Einschlüsse von Phlogopit und einem K-führenden Chlorit-Vermiculit Mineral wurden in Vesuvian aus Rodingiten von Przemiów (Niederschlesien) gefunden. Dieselben Minerale treten in der sogenannten Blackwall, i.e. der äußeren metasomatischen Zone, die sich auf Kosten der angrenzenden Ultrabasite gebildet hat, auf. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Kalium aus dem Rodingit-Protolith während der Ca-Metasomatose, die die Niedrig-Temperatur 5erpentinisierung begleitete, freigesetzt wurde und von Phlogopit, der sich in der Blackwall bildete, konsumiert wurde. Frische kleine Phlogopite sind als Einschlüsse in Vesuvian erhalten geblieben. Das aus dem Phlogopit entstandene verbreitete Chlorit-Vermiculit Mineral belegt eine Kaliumreiche Zusammensetzung des Rodingit-Protoliths, obwohl die primäre Chemie durch metasomatische Prozesse stark verändert wurde.

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With 7 Figures     

Anthropogenic changes in the sediment composition of Lake Gości& aogon;ż (central Poland), during the last 330 yrs*

According to historical sources, the development of settlement around Lake Goci& aogon; during the last 330 yrs was intense at two time periods: the second half of the 1700's, and from ca. 1880 until 1944. The small farms were then abandoned, following which the lake surroundings were planted with forest trees. The presented study of human influence on the lake ecosystem and surrounding vegetation has been based on analyses of general sediment composition and its chemistry, pollen, Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyceae, Rotatoria, Cladocera, and a preliminary diatom survey. The history of human impact has been divided into four phases: 1. Phase of small local hamlets (before ca. 1770): The human impact was rather moderate then, but the cultivation of Canabis sativa, Secale cereale and later of Fagopyrum is evidenced from that time. 2. Phase of Hollandii settlement (ca. 1770-1863). Its influence is indicated first by the recession of deciduous wood (Corylus, Carpinus) stands, which triggered drastic drop of calcium in sediments. The development of rural economy in the area, including, an extension of agriculture (Secale and other cereals, crucifers, potatoes), and animal breeding based partly on grazing in the forest, is evidenced only after 1820. 3. Phase of German colonization (1863-1944): In the early periods (before 1910) the pollen spectra do not document any essential change in the type of farming, however, a serious disturbance of the lake ecosystem and sediment chemistry is evidenced by the blooms of Araphidinae diatoms and Tetraedron minimum, a maximum frequency of Bosmina longirostris, disturbances of the regular spring blooms of Chrysophyceae, appearance of vivianite, distinct maxima of organic matter, potassium, and iron concentration in sediments and an increase of the sedimentation rate. An intensification of agricultural activities commenced around 1910; woods, including also pinewoods, were then heavily devastated, and farming extended on poor soils, what was symptomatic for the general poverty of population. Coincidently in the lake, Centriceae showed blooms, Araphidinae diatoms and Tetraedron minimum developed, and the content of potassium, iron and phosphorus increased substantially, indicating altogether rising eutrophication. 4. Phase of restoration of the natural landscape (after 1945): The farm degradation from ca. 1944 is very weakly expressed in pollen data, which show a substantial fall of farming indicators from 1953/6 only, when the whole area was used for forest plantation. It was accompanied by a certainly spontaneous development of Betula and Alnus woods, this process progressing till recent time. The gradual extinction of farming activity near Lake Goci was accompanied by abrupt changes in the lake ecosystem, expressed by the restored blooms of Chrysophyceae expansion of planktonic Cladocera, rapid decline of phosphorus and extinction of vivianite from sediments. As documented by the drop of Cu/Zn ratio, lake hypolimnion has been weakly oxidized since 1949, what was probably responsible for the drop of Fe and Mn content in sediments. Increasing strength of overturns affected preservation of laminae in sediments, which almost completely disappeared after 1966.     

Spherical harmonic analyses of the palaeomagnetic field

Analytical models of the palaeomagnetic field have been constructed for a number of geological periods (Quaternary Neogene, Jurassic, Triassic, Permian and Permo-Carboniferous) by spherical harmonic analysis using the present-day world map as a basis and (for the earlier periods) using also a palaeogeographic reconstruction. The use of the palaeogeographic chart for the earlier periods simplifies the models, and its use appears to be valid. The low accuracy, small number and uneven distribution of palaeomagnetic data severely limit the conclusions which can be drawn from the analyses. Nevertheless the results for all periods indicate that throughout the past 300 million years the geomagnetic field has maintained its global structure, and has remained similar to the field of a dipole slightly shifted from the Earth's centre. It appears that there have not been any persistent systematic anomalies or variations in the Earth's magnetic field throughout that time, but rather that the field has been oscillating around a mean level not greatly different from that of the present epoch.     

Summer Floods in Central Europe – Climate Change Track?

In Central Europe, river flooding has been recently recognized as a major hazard, in particular after the 1997 Odra /Oder flood, the 2001 Vistula flood, and the most destructive 2002 deluge on the Labe/Elbe. Major recent floods in central Europe are put in perspective and their common elements are identified. Having observed that flood risk and vulnerability are likely to have grown in many areas, one is curious to understand the reasons for growth. These can be sought in socio-economic domain (humans encroaching into floodplain areas), terrestrial systems (land-cover changes – urbanization, deforestation, reduction of wetlands, river regulation), and climate system. The atmospheric capacity to absorb moisture, its potential water content, and thus potential for intense precipitation, are likely to increase in a warmer climate. The changes in intense precipitation and high flows are examined, based on observations and projections. Study of projected changes in intense precipitation, using climate models, for several areas of central Europe, and in particular, for drainage basins of the upper Labe/Elbe, Odra/Oder, and Vistula is reported. Significant changes have been identified between future projections and the reference period, of relevance to flood hazard in areas, which have experienced severe recent floodings.     

Lithospheric structure of the Trans-European Suture Zone along the TTZ–CEL03 seismic transect (from NW to SE Poland)

The large-scale CELEBRATION 2000 seismic experiment investigated the velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle between western portion of the East European Craton (EEC) and the eastern Alps. This area comprises: the Trans-European Suture Zone, the Carpathian Mountains, the Pannonian Basin and the Bohemian Massif. This experiment included 147 chemical shots recorded by 1230 seismic stations during two deployments. Good quality data along 16 main and a few additional profiles were recorded. One of them, profile CEL03, was located in southeastern Poland and was laid out as a prolongation of the TTZ profile performed in 1993. This paper focuses on the joint interpretation of seismic data along the NW–SE trending TTZ–CEL03 transect, located in the central portion of the Trans-European Suture Zone. First arrivals and later phases of waves reflected/refracted in the crust and upper mantle were interpreted using two-dimensional tomographic inversion and ray-tracing techniques. This modelling established a 2-D (quasi 3-D) P-wave velocity lithospheric model. Four crustal units were identified along the transect. From northwest to southeast, thickness of the crust varies from 35 km in the Pomeranian Unit (NW) to 40 km in the Kuiavian Unit, to 50 km in the Radom–Łysogóry Unit and again to 43 km in the Narol Unit (SE). The first two units are thought to be proximal terranes detached from the EEC farther to the southeast and re-accreted to the edge of the EEC during the Early Palaeozoic. The origin of the remaining two units is a matter of dispute: they are either portions of the EEC or other proximal terranes. In the area of the Polish Basin (first two units), the P-wave velocity is very low (V_p < 6.1 km/s) down to depths of 15–20 km indicating that a very thick sedimentary and possibly volcanic rock sequence, whose lower portion may be metamorphosed, is present. The velocity beneath the Moho was found to be rather high, being 8.25 km/s in the northwestern portion of the transect, 8.4 km/s in the central sector, and 8.1 km/s in the southeastern sector.