Reconstruction of Alpine Cenozoic paleorelief through the analysis of caves at Siebenhengste (BE,Switzerland)

Abstract

The cave region of Siebenhengste, situated north of Lake Thun (Switzerland), contains one of the most important cave systems in the world, which extends from 500 to 2000 m a.s.l. It has a complex multiphase history. The recognized speleogenetic phases are related to spring level and to old valley floors. The six most recent phases were investigated in St. Beatus cave and Bärenschacht. They suggest a progressive Quarternary Aare valley incision to 890, 805, 760, 700, 660, and 558 m a.s.l. that is confirmed by statistical analysis of small caves. U/Th-datings of flowstone allowed a timing of the valley deepening phases: the valley bottom was at 760 m already before 350 ka, the one at 700 m was active between 235 and 160 ka. The cave morphology in the upper part of the cave system was coupled with sedimentological observations. This combination leads to the hypothesis that the uppermost (oldest) cave parts were already created in the Miocene, during and after the last deposition of the Molasse. Ideas about the evolution of the paleorelief suggest that today's Aare valley is a product of glacial erosion, and that the old Aare valley shifted its position several times between the Miocene and today. © 2002 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.     

Earthquakes in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2009

This report of the Swiss Seismological Service summarizes the seismic activity in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2009. During this period, 450 earthquakes and 68 quarry blasts were detected and located in the region under consideration. The three strongest events occurred about 15 km NW of Basel in southern Germany (M_L 4.2), near Wildhaus in the Toggenburg (M_L 4.0) and near Bivio in Graubünden (M_L 3.5). Although felt by the population, they were not reported to have caused any damage. With a total of 24 events with M_L ≥ 2.5, the seismic activity in the year 2009 was close to the average over the previous 34 years.     

Suspended sediments in the Kharaa River catchment (Mongolia) and its impact on hyporheic zone functions

A previous study investigating the ecological status of the Kharaa River in Northern Mongolia reported fine-grained sediments as being a major stress factor causing adverse impacts on the benthic ecology. However, the source of these sediments within the catchment as well as the specific impact on hyporheic zone functions in the Kharaa River remained unclear. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to investigate the underlying source–receptor system and implement an integrated monitoring approach. Suspended sediment sources within the Kharaa catchment were identified by using extensive spatially distributed sediment sampling and geochemical and isotope fingerprinting methods. On the receptor side, the ecological implications across a gradient of fine-grained sediment influx were analyzed using a distinct hyporheic zone monitoring scheme at three representative river reaches along the Kharaa River. Results of suspended sediment source monitoring show that during snowmelt runoff, riverbank and gully erosion were the dominant sources. During the summer period, upland erosion contributed a substantial share of suspended sediment. Fine-grained sediment influx proved to be the cause of habitat loss in the hyporheic zone and benthic oxygen production limitation. This combined catchment and in-stream monitoring approach will allow for a better understanding and spatially explicit analysis of the interactions of suspended sediment transport and hyporheic zone functioning. This information has built the basis for a coupled modeling framework that will help to develop efficient management measures within the Kharaa River basin with special emphasis on rapidly changing land-use and climatic conditions.     

Earthquakes in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2012

This report of the Swiss Seismological Service summarizes the seismic activity in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2012. During this period, 497 earthquakes and 88 quarry blasts were detected and located in the region under consideration. With a total of only 13 events with M_L ≥ 2.5, the seismic activity in the year 2012 was far below the average over the previous 37 years. Most noteworthy were the earthquake sequence of Filisur (GR) in January with two events of M_L 3.3 and 3.5, the M_L 4.2 and M_L 3.5 earthquakes at a depth of 32 km below Zug in February and the M_L 3.6 event near Vallorcine in October. The epicentral intensity of the M_L 4.2 event close to Zug was IV, with a maximum intensity of V reached in a few areas, probably due to site amplification effects.     

Sulfur four isotope NanoSIMS analysis of comet‐81P/Wild 2 dust in impact craters on aluminum foil C2037N from NASA’s Stardust mission

Abstract– We present NanoSIMS four‐isotope S analyses of 24 comet Wild 2 dust impact residues in craters on aluminum foil C2037N returned by NASA’s Stardust mission. Except for one sample, all impact residues have normal S isotopic compositions within 2σ uncertainties of at least two S isotope ratios. This implies that most S‐rich Wild 2 dust impactors formed in the solar system. Instrumental isotope fractionation due to sample topography is the main contribution to our analytical uncertainty. One impact crater residue shows small anomalies of δ³³S = ?57 ± 17‰, and δ³⁴S = ?41 ± 17‰ (1σ uncertainties). Although this could be simply a statistical outlier or the fingerprint of a chemical isotope fractionation it is also possible that the observed anomaly results from the mixture of a cometary FeS particle with a small (150 nm diam.) presolar FeS supernova grain. This would translate into a presolar sulfide abundance of approximately 200 ppm.     

Shock history of the fossil ungrouped achondrite Österplana 065: Raman spectroscopy and TEM of relict chrome-spinel grains

Chrome-spinel grains from the fossil ungrouped achondrite Österplana 065 (Öst 065) recovered from Middle Ordovician limestone in Sweden were studied using Raman spectroscopy and TEM. All the studied chrome-spinel grains have a high density of planar fractures and planar features, not seen in chromites from the other L chondritic Ordovician fossil meteorites. Raman spectra of the host chrome-spinel grain and its planar features are similar and no signatures of high-pressure phases of chromite were found. The planar features occur along planar fractures, are enriched in ZnO, and are most probably produced due to enhanced leaching during terrestrial weathering in the marine sediment. Dislocation densities within two FIB sections prepared from two chrome-spinel grains from Öst 065 are similar to the dislocation densities found within chromite grains from the matrix of Tenham L6 chondrite. Using this observation and taking into account the presence of significant fracturing in all the grains, we conclude that the Öst 065 chrome-spinel grains were subjected to moderate to very strong shock corresponding to shock stages of S4–S6. This makes Öst 065 fossil achondrite the highest shocked fossil meteorite studied so far. This is consistent with the hypothesis that Öst 065 is a piece of the impactor that led to the L chondrite parent body breakup.     

Transfrontier macroseismic observations of the Ml = 5.4 earthquake of February 22, 2003 at Rambervillers,France

The 2003 Ml = 5.4 Rambervillers earthquake, north-east of France, is the largest seismic event recorded north of the Alps since the 1992 Ms = 5.3, I₀ = VII, Roermond earthquake, Netherlands. With a maximum macroseismic intensity of VI-VII EMS-98, the 2003 event was broadly felt to a distance of 300 km from the epicentre. It provides a unique opportunity to test and compare the different procedures used in France, Germany and Switzerland when evaluating macroseismic intensities. The main purpose of this paper is to present a common transfrontier macroseismic map based on the EMS-98 intensity scale. Maximum horizontal accelerations recorded in the area are compared to the intensity values, and we propose to use a differential technique to re-estimate the magnitude of the 1682 Remiremont, I₀ = VIII, earthquake, which occurred 40 km south of Rambervillers.     

Vibration of a thin-walled prolate dome under external water pressure

The paper reports on a theoretical and an experimental investigation carried out on a thin-walled hemi-ellipsoidal prolate dome in air and also under external water pressure. The investigation found that there was good correlation between experiment and theory. The theoretical investigation was carried out using the finite element analysis to model both the structure and the fluid. The theoretical investigation used two different programs, one of which was the giant computer program ANSYS and the other was an in-house program developed by Ross. For the shell structure, the ANSYS program used 2 different doubly curved thin-walled shell elements, while the in-house program used a simpler axisymmetric thin-walled shell element. This axisymmetric element allowed a sinusoidal variation of the displacements in the circumferential direction, thus, decreasing preparation and computational time. Agreement between the 3 different finite elements was found to be good. This was found particularly encouraging for the in-house software, as it only took a few hours to set up the computer model, and a few seconds to analyse the vessel, whereas the ANSYS software took several weeks to set up the computer model, and several minutes to analyse the shell dome. The ANSYS software, however, did have the advantage in producing excellent graphical displays in both the pre-processing and post-processing modes.