Stratigraphic correlation of late Palaeocene sand deposits in the Søgne Basin area of the Danish and Norwegian central North Sea

A stratigraphic analysis of late Palaeocene sands of the Søgne Basin and the western part of the Norwegian–Danish Basin shows that the sand bodies are of differenct ages. The geographic distribution of the sand deposits shows that they are related to underlying Mesozoic structures suggesting a controlling effect of Tertiary tectonics on the deposition of sand during the late Palaeocene. However, the structural setting of various sand bodies varies from reactivation of older faults and reactivation of salt structures. The local character of the structures active during the late Palaeocene introduces minor depressions with no lateral connection. The sand bodies, which are interpreted as having been deposited in these depressions, are thus in general separate bodies with no lateral connection. The Fennoscandian shield and eroded Mesozoic sediments along the Fennoscandian Border Zone are suggested as source area for the late Palaeocene sand deposits.     

On the use of discriminant analysis techniques for classifying chemical data from panned heavy—mineral concentrates—Central East Greenland

Multi-element analyses of more than 600 panned heavy-mineral concentrate samples from the Jameson Land area of central East Greenland were investigated by discriminant analysis which, combined with an a priori knowledge of the geology, was used to assist interpretation and classification the data. The importance of sample density, and the method and degree of sample grouping were investigated. Also the effect of using either the within-covariance or the pooled covariance matrices in the discriminant functions was studied.Discriminant analysis assumes the element concentrations to be normally distributed and that equality of within-covariances exists. These assumptions were not always met, and this was probably the main reason why one-third of the samples could not be classified. However, the study shows that interpretation of the data, although it is historical and forms only part of a regional reconnaissance survey, benefits from the application of discriminant analysis.     

Meteorological study of the first observation of red sprites from Poland

The first red sprite events scientifically observed from Poland on 20/21 July 2007, during the two-week SPARTAN Sprite-Watch 2007 campaign, are analysed in the context of the meteorological conditions over Poland and the Czech Republic at that time. The phenomena were detected and recorded from the IMWM High-Mountain Meteorological Observatory at Mount Śnieżka using a low-light television CCD camera. Meteorological conditions over the south-west Poland were monitored on the basis of information from the Polish and Czech meteorological radar and lightning detection systems and also from satellite infra-red difference images, indicating the development of thunderstorm clouds over central Europe. Four sprite events detected in the night-time of 20/21 July indicate that in this region sprites are produced by massive storm cells built on warm fronts which are supplied by warm and humid tropical air masses during local summer thunderstorm season.     

Experimental studies on the solid state diffusion of Cu + In in ZnS and on “Disease”, DIS (Diffusion Induced Segregations), in sphalerite and their geological applications

Isothermal solid state experiments on the diffusion of Cu, Fe, Zn and In and related effects have been carried out in sphalerite single crystals. The driving force for the diffusion and corresponding reactions are chemical potential gradients which are established by differences in sulfur fugacity, oxygen fugacity and the chemical activity between sulfide powders as metal sources and receptor crystals.Studies in the system ZnS-CuInS₂ show replacement rims in sphalerite produced by the formation of solid solutions between ZnS and CuInS₂. These differences reflect the extent of mutual solid solution. The composition profiles of these rims at different temperatures and sulfur fugacities are calculated to diffusion coefficients for the coupled substitution of Cu⁺ + In³⁺ versus 2 Zn²⁺. The interdiffusion coefficients of (Cu + In) in Fe-free sphalerite at the Fe/FeS sulfur fugacity of the sources obey to the relation:     

Characterization of synthetic hedenbergite (CaFeSi2O6)–petedunnite (CaZnSi2O6) solid solution series by X-ray single crystal diffraction

Clinopyroxenes of the solid solution series hedenbergite (CaFeSi₂O₆)–petedunnite (CaZnSi₂O₆) were synthesized at temperatures of 825–1200°C and pressures of 0.5–2.5 GPa. Compositions were determined by electron microprobe analysis. Selected crystals were investigated by means of single crystal diffraction and structure refinement and the structural distortion was studied depending on the substitution of iron by zinc on the octahedral M1 site. It is shown that the coordination of the M1 site has the most significant effect on M–O bond lengths, with changes on the other sites accommodating this distortion. The mean quadratic elongation and the octahedral angle variance as quantitative measures of the distortion of the coordination polyhedron were correlated with former results of ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy at 298 K. The results presented now complete an earlier work on synthetic, crystalline powders of the same material and deliver exact structural data that were not possible to obtain by Rietveld refinements on powder data.     

Social differentiation and the long-term origin of disasters

To explain both origin and outcome of disasters (natural, technical, and war-borne), as well as social action during disasters proper, a macrosociological model of internal causation is introduced (PERDUE). It consists of six stages of possible, and of most likely paths of social change between these six (Peace is founded, Everyday routine, Rising class struggle, Disasters strike, Unconditional surrender of collective defence, and Evaporation of common values). The stages are developed by making use of three dimensions of social change (rapidity, radicality, and rituality), and described.     

Crystal chemistry and thin film epitaxy of sulfides and Bi-Sb-sulfosalts and their geological application

Summary Metal substitution studies of the stability, structure and chemical bonding of sulfides and sulfosalts lead to significant results, which can be applied to natural parageneses and crystal chemical systematics. Comparison of experiments on stable and metastable phases with thin films provides data, which exceed known geometrical criteria of the sulfosalt systematics. Synthetic and natural phases have been studied with respect to their substitution, bonding chemistry and temperature dependent metal distribution as well as to the structure and orientation of thin films.

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Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchung der Stabilität, Struktur und chemischen Bindung von Sulfosalzen führt zu aussagekräftigen auf natürliche Paragenesen sowie auf die Systematik dieser Verbindungen anwendbaren Resultaten, wenn systematische Substitutionsexperimente angesetzt werden. Diese liefern im Vergleich von stabilen und metastabilen Phasen sowie durch Vergleich mit dünnen Schichten Ergebnisse, die wesentlich über bekannte strukturgeometrische Ansätze zur Sulfosalzsystematik hinausgehen. Es werden synthetische und natürliche Verbindungen bezüglich ihrer Substitution, Bindungschemie und temperaturabhängigen Metallordnung sowie die Orientierung und Struktur von dünnen Schichten diskutiert.

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With 13 Figures

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In memoriam Prof. Dr. V. Kupcik ( 1990)     

An integrated subsurface analysis of clastic remobilization and injection; a case study from the Oligocene succession of the eastern North Sea

The North Sea giant sand injectite province (NSGSIP) is the global type area for large‐scale sandstone intrusion complexes. Despite decades of research on the NSGSIP, this paper presents the first detailed case study in which all aspects of the intrusion process have been constrained, including fluid and sediment sources, injection timing and driving mechanisms. The study describes and analyses high‐amplitude discordant amplitude anomalies within the Oligocene succession in the eastern North Sea, which are interpreted as large‐scale brine‐saturated sand injectites. Potential feeder conduits extending from the top of the Paleocene Lista Formation to the base of the injectites indicate that the source sand was located within the Lista Formation; possibly deposited in a distinct valley cut into the top of the Chalk Group. The geometry of the observed injectites ranges from a basal sill with wings to V‐shaped and conical; their dimensions range from 300 to 3700 m in width and up to 150 m in height. In all cases, a significant deformation of the overburden is observed. The study area is located in the Ringkøbing‐Fyn High area above the basement high separating two smaller Paleozoic half‐grabens. During the Oligocene, rapid and significant differential loading occurred. We interpret that the injectites formed due to remobilization of the source sand facilitated by overpressure caused by differential loading combined with a possible influx of fluids from the deeper succession. The case study has with its assessment of the full injection system, implications for the understanding of subsurface remobilization processes and furthermore for oil and gas exploration in the eastern North Sea.     

Past volcanism and climate revealed by Greenland ice cores

A new method is outlined for estimating the annual injection of volcanic acids (mainly sulphuric) into the upper troposphere and the stratosphere. The potentiality of the method is demonstrated by data on a number of historically well-known eruptions. Analyses of annual layers in a mid-Greenland ice core reveal a continuous year-by-year record of the volcanic activity north of 20°S back to A.D. 553. Comparison with various climatic records suggests that periods of frequent and violent eruptions usually coincide with cold climatic conditions. For example, the highest volcanic activities since A.D. 553 occurred in A.D. 1250–1500 and A.D. 1550–1700, i.e. in the initial and the culminating phases of “the Little Ice Age”.