Physico-chemical and biological sediment properties determining erosion resistance of contaminated riverine sediments – Temporal and vertical pattern at the Lauffen reservoir/River Neckar, Germany

In order to contribute to a reliable, easy-to-handle and economically viable erosion risk assessment of contaminated riverine sites, the present study aims to implement master-variables best characterising the sediment stability. Thus, a wide range of sediment properties was related to the critical shear stress for mass erosion, determined in the SETEG (Stroemungskanal zur Ermittlung der tiefenabhaengigen Erosionsstabilitaet von Gewaessersedimenten) pressurised channel, with special emphasis on vertical and temporal gradients in the Lauffen reservoir on the River Neckar. Over the course of 1 year, positive impacts of some macrofauna species and benthic diatoms on the sediment stability were detected for the sediment surface (0.5 cm). However, a high seasonal variability of biological parameters caused varying relations with erosion resistance in the upper sediment layers as shown for the colloidal carbohydrates. Considering only deeper sediment layers (5–35 cm), a more general pattern could be revealed with correlations between the critical shear stress and single sediment properties such as depth, grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), cation exchange coefficient (CEC), carbohydrates and proteins. Firstly, the influence of physico-chemical and biological properties on erosion resistance became evident, even over depths at 0–35 cm. Secondly, inter-particle forces are most important for erosion resistance. These are enhanced in fine-grained sediment layers, offering high binding capacities but also strengthened by polymeric substances permeating the void space and coating particles. These covariance patterns of sedimentological and biological parameters are addressed by multivariate statistical tests (principal component analysis), resulting in a higher magnitude of the correlation coefficient between critical shear stress and the master-variables in main component II (polymeric substances, grain size, TOC, CEC; R=0.77) compared to single correlations.     

Geophysical investigation of buried Pleistocene subglacial valleys in Northern Germany

Buried Pleistocene subglacial valleys are extensively used as groundwater reservoirs by waterworks in northern Germany, although little is known about the locations and size of these valleys and the internal structure of the sediment fill. This lack of knowledge about important groundwater reservoirs is a challenge for geophysics.This paper summarizes the geophysical investigation of two buried Pleistocene subglacial valleys in northern Germany—the Ellerbeker Rinne and the Bremerhaven–Cuxhavener Rinne—including seismic, gravity, and airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys. Seismic sections show the detailed structure of the paleovalleys. The reliability of interpretation is enhanced by vertical seismic profiles in wells. The maximum depths of the Ellerbeker Rinne and the Bremerhaven–Cuxhavener Rinne were found to be 360 and about 400 m, respectively. Gravity survey revealed Bouguer anomalies above the sediment fill of both buried valleys. The Ellerbeker Rinne produces a negative residual anomaly of −0.5 mGal, whereas the sediments of the Bremerhaven–Cuxhavener Rinne produce a positive anomaly. The latter one is superimposed by negative gravity anomalies due to near-surface structures. The Bremerhaven–Cuxhavener Rinne can be mapped by airborne electromagnetics at locations without saltwater intrusion, which would affect the measurements. The electrical conductivity of the clay layer at the top of the valley fill differs significantly from that of the surrounding sand. The combined use of these three geophysical methods, which measure different physical parameters, leads to a better understanding of the subsurface geology and the hydrogeology of the Pleistocene subglacial valleys.     

Induced Calcite Precipitation by Cyanobacterium Synechococcus

This study investigated the role of the solution composition on calcite precipitation induced by cyanobacteria. The precipitation of calcium carbonate was induced by addition of cyanobacterium cells Synechococcus strain PCC 7942 in two artificial solutions with a different composition at similar saturation states in respect to calcite. Ion‐selective electrodes for pH, Ca²⁺, and COequation/tex2gif-stack-1.gif monitored the experiments, and the morphology of precipitated crystals was analysed by scanning electron microscopy. The calcite precipitation was observed in all experiments after the addition of the cells. The composition of solution (the ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon to dissolved calcium) strongly influenced the calcite precipitation. Based on laboratory experiment results, a possible mechanism for precipitation induced by Synechococcus is proposed linking precipitation with the conditions near to cell walls rather than with the saturation conditions in the bulk solution.     

Isotopic and molecular composition of coal-bed gas in the Amasra region (Zonguldak basin—western Black Sea)

Previous studies on the coal-bed methane potential of the Zonguldak basin have indicated that the gases are thermogenic and sourced by the coal-bearing Carboniferous units. In this earlier work, the origin of coal-bed gas was only defined according to the molecular composition of gases and to organic geochemical properties of the respective source rocks, since data on isotopic composition of gases were not available. Furthermore, in the western Black Sea region there also exist other source rocks, which may have contributed to the coal-bed gas accumulations. The aim of this study is to determine the origin of coal-bed gas and to try a gas-source rock correlation. For this purpose, the molecular and isotopic compositions of 13 headspace gases from coals and adjacent sediments of two wells in the Amasra region have been analyzed. Total organic carbon (TOC) measurements and Rock-Eval pyrolysis were performed in order to characterize the respective source rocks. Coals and sediments are bearing humic type organic matter, which have hydrogen indices (HI) of up to 300 mgHC/gTOC, indicating a certain content of liptinitic material. The stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) of the kerogen vary from −23.1 to −27.7‰. Air-free calculated gases contain hydrocarbons up to C₅, carbon dioxide (<1%) and a considerable amount of nitrogen (up to 38%). The gaseous hydrocarbons are dominated by methane (>98%). The stable carbon isotope ratios of methane, ethane and propane are defined as δ¹³C₁: −51.1 to −48.3‰, δ¹³C₂: −37.9 to −25.3‰, δ¹³C₃: −26.0 to −19.2 ‰, respectively. The δD₁ values of methane range from −190 to −178‰. According to its isotopic composition, methane is a mixture, partly generated bacterially, partly thermogenic. Molecular and isotopic composition of the gases and organic geochemical properties of possible source rocks indicate that the thermogenic gas generation took place in coals and organic rich shales of the Westphalian-A Kozlu formation. The bacterial input can be related to a primary bacterial methane generation during Carboniferous and/or to a recent secondary bacterial methane generation. However, some peculiarities of respective isotope values of headspace gases can also be related to the desorption process, which took place by sampling.     

Late Pleistocene–early Holocene fluvial facies and depositional processes in the Fehmarn Belt, between Germany and Denmark, revealed by high-resolution seismic and lithofacies analysis

In the narrow offshore border zone between Germany and Denmark, 550 km of high‐density 3·5‐kHz subbottom seismic reflection profiles were recorded within a 70‐km² area in order to reconstruct the seismic stratigraphy of late Pleistocene to early Holocene lacustrine and fluvial environments. Using detailed line drawings, seismic facies analyses and a hierarchy of bounding surfaces, a depositional unit was recognized and subdivided into subunits 4^a (oblique‐parallel), 4^b (mound, oblique‐tangential), 4^c (sigmoid, oblique), 4^d and 4^e (shingled and parallel). The base of this seismic facies association defines a wide U‐shaped valley with well‐defined scours and, in the valley sides, ‘steps’ are located above deep steep‐dipping reflections. Stratigraphic control was available from 32 coring sites (5‐ to 12‐m‐deep vibrocores). Subunit 4^b represents coarsening‐up silt and sand, and samples from subunit 4^d show fining‐up fine sand, silt and clay. The seismic facies association is proposed to have formed by a fluvial event of short duration some time in the period between 10·3 ¹⁴C ka BP and 9·0 ¹⁴C ka BP. Subunits 4^a to 4^e represent gradually decreasing flow power. A peak flow initiated the fluvial event, after which water discharge and level fell rapidly. Subsequently, the normal background discharge from the Baltic Sea area dominated the flow style. Reflections beneath the ‘step’‐like valley side with high dip angles are interpreted as faults. This tectonic activity resulted in subsidence in the analysed area and could possibly have influenced the fluvio‐dynamic development. The seismic stratigraphic succession reveals a high‐resolution record of sediments in this area. In particular, the stepwise uncovering of the morphology of the subunits, preserved in high‐resolution seismic facies associations, is proposed as a useful tool in modelling the dynamic development of the near sea‐floor environment.     

Sedimentary profiles of Fe, Mn, V, Cr, As and Mo as indicators of benthic redox conditions in Baldeggersee

Concentration profiles of Mg, K, La, Fe, Mn, V, Cr, As and Mo were determined in samples from a freeze core taken at the deepest site of Baldeggersee in 1993. The special coring technique allowed an exact dating of the sediment samples and an annual resolution of the profiles. Long term changes in benthic redox conditions produce diagnostic trends in several metal profiles. Fe, As and Mn enrichments trace the onset of anoxia at the deepest site of the lake. High values of Mo concentrations and Cr/V ratios indicate periods of stable anoxic conditions in a meromictic hypolimnion. A comparison of oxygen time series with metal profiles between 1950 and 1990 indicates that Mn reacts sensitively to large seasonal variations of deep-water oxygen concentrations.     

Time-dependent effects of heat advection and topography on cooling histories during erosion

Both erosion and surface topography cause a time-dependent variation in isotherm geometry that can result in significant errors in estimating natural exhumation rates from geochronologic data. Analytical solutions and two-dimensional numerical modelling are used to investigate the magnitude of these inaccuracies for conditions appropriate to many rapidly exhumed mountain chains of rugged relief. It is readily demonstrated that uplift of the topographic surface has a negligible effect on the cooling history of an exhumed rock sample and cannot be quantified by current geochronologic methods. The topography itself perturbs the isotherms to a depth that depends on both the vertical and horizontal scale of the surface relief. Estimations employing different isotopic systems in the same sample with higher closure temperatures (> 200°C) are not generally influenced by topography. However, direct conversion of cooling rates to exhumation rates assuming a simple constant linear geotherm markedly underestimates peak rates, due to variation of the geothermal gradient in time and space and to the time lag between exhumation and cooling. Estimations based on the altitude variation in apatite fission-track ages are less prone to such inaccuracies in geothermal gradient but are affected by near-surface time-dependent variation in isotherm depth due to advection and topography. In tectonically active mountain belts, high exhumation rates are coupled with rugged topography, and exhumation rates may be markedly overestimated, by factors of 2 or more. Even at lower exhumation rates on the order of 1 mm/a, the shape of the cooling curve is modified by advection and topography. A convex-concave shape to the cooling curve does not necessarily imply a change of exhumation rate; it may also be attained by a more complicated geothermal gradient induced by topographic relief. Very fast cooling below 100°C, often interpreted as reflecting faster exhumation, can be more simply explained by the lateral cooling effect of topographic relief, with samples exhumed in valleys displaying a different near-surface cooling history to those on ridge crests.     

Early Cambrian oceanic plagiogranite in the Silvretta Nappe,eastern Alps: geochemical,zircon U-Pb and Rb-Sr data from garnet-hornblende-plagioclase gneisses

 Garnet–hornblende–plagioclase gneisses rich in incompatible elements occur in the crystalline basement of the Austro-Alpine Silvretta nappe and are associated with clinopyroxene norites and harzburgite cumulates. It is proposed here that the gneisses were formerly oceanic plagiogranites. An ε_{Nd( 530 )} value of +5.6 for the gneisses as well as initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of 0.7036–0.7037 for the gabbroic rocks and 0.7026–0.7027 for the ultramafic rocks suggest a mantle source for this rock association. The geochemical characteristics of the garnet–hornblende–plagioclase gneisses indicate that their precursors were derived by fractional crystallization from a basaltic parent magma, by the same process which produced the adjacent clinopyroxene norites and ultramafic cumulates as well. The combined U–Pb upper intercept ages of zircons from two gneiss samples yield an igneous crystallization age of 532±30 Ma, similar to previously dated (mostly calc-alkaline) orthogneisses in the same area. High-quality transparent zircons showed the least degree of discordance, but contain extremely low U and Pb levels. The rock suite, including this plagiogranite, was emplaced within oceanic crust which formed in the latest Precambrian–early Palaeozoic off the northern continental margin of Gondwana. Received: 26 April 1996 / Accepted: 2 August 1996