Abrupt onset of carbonate deposition in Lake Kivu during the 1960s: response to recent environmental changes

This study interprets the recent history of Lake Kivu, a tropical lake in the East African Rift Valley. The current gross sedimentation was characterized from a moored sediment trap array deployed over 2 years. The past net sedimentation was investigated with three short cores from two different basins. Diatom assemblages from cores were interpreted as reflecting changes in mixing depth, surface salinity and nutrient availability. The contemporary sediment trap data indicate seasonal variability, governed by diatom blooms during the annual mixing in the dry season, similar to Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika. The ratio of settling fluxes to net sediment accumulation rates implies mineralization rates of 80–90% at the sediment-water interface. The sediment cores revealed an abrupt change ~40 years ago, when carbonate precipitation started. Since the 1960s, deep-water methane concentrations, nutrient fluxes and soil mineral inputs have increased considerably and diatom assemblages have altered. These modifications probably resulted from a combination of three factors, commonly altering lake systems: the introduction of a non-native fish species, eutrophication, and hydrological changes inducing greater upwelling. Both the fish introduction and increased rainfall occurred at the time when the onset of carbonate precipitation was observed, whereas catchment population growth accompanied by intensified land use increased the flux of soil minerals already since the early twentieth century due to more intense erosion.     

Force-directed layout of origin-destination flow maps

This paper introduces a force-directed layout method for creating origin-destination flow maps. Design principles derived from manual cartography and automated graph drawing to increase readability of flow maps and graph layouts are taken into account. The origin-destination flow maps produced with our algorithm show flows with quadratic Bézier curves that reduce flow-on-flow and flow-on-node overlaps, and avoid sharp or irregular bends in flow lines. A survey of expert cartographers found that flow maps created with our automated method are similar in quality to manually produced flow maps.     

Phenomenon-based Specification of the Digital Representation of Terrain Surfaces

The phenomenon known as 'terrain' is a continuous surface. However, when a digital terrain representation is based on a regular raster (i.e. a DEM) the digital surface is commonly not continuous. This is the case for the derivation of variables such as slope, aspect, and curvature values as performed in today's Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Often, there is no surface specified at all, as, for instance, when flow lines or watersheds are constructed. The discrepancy between the phenomenon to be modelled and its digital representation causes the terrain analysis results to be less accurate than they could be. Furthermore, if more than one type of terrain information is derived the results are likely to be based on different specifications of the seemingly same terrain surface. The combined application of the derivation results will likely introduce inconsistencies. This paper suggests founding the specification of digital terrain representations on a careful analysis of the properties of the phenomenon. The paper details the reasons for, and advantages of, continuous surface representations and emphasises the importance of a comprehensive documentation of the conceptual models underlying digital terrain representations. A review of suitable interpolation approaches for the specification of terrain surfaces is given. The paper discusses how the resulting digital surfaces are analysed and how measurement uncertainty may be accounted for.     

A compromise aspect-adaptive cylindrical projection for world maps

There are two problems with current cylindrical projections for world maps. First, existing cylindrical map projections have a static height-to-width aspect ratio and do not automatically adjust their aspect ratio in order to optimally use available canvas space. Second, many of the commonly used cylindrical compromise projections show areas and shapes at higher latitudes with considerable distortion. This article introduces a new compromise cylindrical map projection that adjusts the distribution of parallels to the aspect ratio of a canvas. The goal of designing this projection was to show land masses at central latitudes with a visually balanced appearance similar to how they appear on a globe. The projection was constructed using a visual design procedure where a series of graphically optimized projections was defined for a select number of aspect ratios. The visually designed projections were approximated by polynomial expressions that define a cylindrical projection for any height-to-width ratio between 0.3:1 and 1:1. The resulting equations for converting spherical to Cartesian coordinates require a small number of coefficients and are fast to execute. The presented aspect-adaptive cylindrical projection is well suited for digital maps embedded in web pages with responsive web design, as well as GIS applications where the size of the map canvas is unknown a priori. We highlight the projection with a height-to-width ratio of 0.6:1, which we call the Compact Miller projection because it is inspired by the Miller Cylindrical projection. Unlike the Miller Cylindrical projection, the Compact Miller projection has a smaller height-to-width ratio and shows the world with less areal distortion at higher latitudes. A user study with 448 participants verified that the Compact Miller – together with the Plate Carrée projection – is the most preferred cylindrical compromise projection.     

Age,origin and geodynamic significance of a polymetamorphic felsic intrusion in the Ötztal Crystalline Basement,Tirol, Austria

Summary A multi-method approach was applied to derive the age and origin of an orthogneiss body located in the central Kaunertal, western Ötztal Crystalline Basement (ÖCB). The Tieftal orthogneiss body is an internally differentiated, polymetamorphosed epizonal intrusion, embedded in amphibolites. It comprises leucocratic hedenbergite-hornblende-, hornblende- and biotite-hornblende-gneisses, but also some melanocratic rock types. The leucocratic Tieftal gneisses are granitic, have a near eutectic melt composition and share some features of A-type granites, such as high Na₂O+K₂O(8.07 to 8.58wt%), Zr (379 to 554ppm) and Y (58 to 79ppm) contents. The REE-patterns are rather flat ((La/Yb)_N=2.4 to 3.7), with distinct negative Eu anomalies. Single zircon evaporation dating of two samples and Sm-Nd dating of relict magmatic titanite resulted in ages of 487±7, 484±3 and 487±5Ma, respectively. The weighted mean of 485±3Ma is interpreted as the primary crystallization age of the Tieftal orthogneiss body. Rb-Sr whole rock dating results in a well defined regression line, corresponding to an age of 411±9Ma. This age clearly documents at least a partial resetting of the whole rock Rb-Sr system, which is most probably due to subsequent metamorphic overprint. The leucocratic Tieftal gneisses are isotopically rather primitive with an Nd _CHUR ^{485 Ma} value of +1.7 and a calculated magmatic initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.7047. These data suggest a major mantle contribution. Most probably, they originated through fractionation of the magmatic precursors of the accompanying tholeiitic metabasites. The more primitive isotopic composition of ÖCB metabasites and some late Archean/early Proterozoic and Cambrian inheritance in Tieftal gneiss zircons suggest some involvement of old crustal rocks, too. The amount of crustal contamination can be calculated to be in the range of 10 to 40%. The Tieftal gneisses and the accompanying metabasites are interpreted as remnants of igneous rocks related to an early Ordovician rifting and incipient formation of new oceanic crust, an event which can be traced throughout the central and western European Variscan and Alpine terranes.

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Alter, Genese und geologische Bedeutung einer polymetamorphen felsischen Intrusion im Ötztalkristallin, Tirol, Österreich

Zusammenfassung Ein Vielzahl von Methoden wurde angewandt, um das Alter und die Genese eines Orthogneiskörpers im mittleren Kaunertal, westliches Ötztalkristallin, abzuleiten. Der Tieftal-Orthogneiskörper ist eine in Amphiboliten eingeschaltete, intern differenzierte, polymetamorph überprägte, epizonale Intrusion. Er umfaßt sowohl leukokrate Hedenbergit-Hornblende-, Hornblende- und Biotit-Hornblende-Gneise als auch untergeordnet melanokrate Gesteine. Die leukokraten Tieftal-Gneise besitzen einen granitischen, beinahe einer eutektischen Schmelze entsprechenden Chemismus; einige Parameter wie hohe Na₂O+K₂O(8.07 bis 8.58Gew%), Zr(379 bis 554ppm) und Y(58 bis 79ppm) Gehalte weisen auf eine A-Typ Affinität hin. Die SEE-Spektren sind nur gering fraktioniert ((La/Yb)_N=2.3 bis 3.7) und weisen eine markante negative Eu-Anomalie auf. Einzelzirkon-Evaporationsdatierungen an 2 Proben und eine Sm-Nd Datierung von reliktischem magmatischem Titanit ergeben Alter von 487±7, 484±3 und 487±5Ma. Der gewichtete Mittelwert von 485±3Ma wird als das primäre magmatische Kristallisationsalter des Tieftal-Orthogneiskörpers interpretiert. Eine Rb-Sr Gesamtgesteinsdatierung ergibt eine gut definierte Regressionsgerade mit einem Alter von 411±9Ma. Dieses Alter beweist eine postmagmatische Störung des Rb-Sr Gesamtgesteinssystems, die durch die metamorphen überprägungen verursacht wurde. Die leukokraten Tieftal-Gneise besitzen eine relative primitive isotopische Zusammensetzung mit einem Nd _CHUR ^{485 Ma} a Wert von +1.7 und einem zurückgerechneten magmatischen⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr Initialverhältnis von 0.7047. Diese Daten machen eine große Beteiligung von Mantelmaterial wahrscheinlich. Am ehesten entstanden die leukokraten Tieftal-Gneise durch magmatische Fraktionierungsprozesse aus den Ausgangsgesteinen der begleitenden tholeiitischen Metabasite. Die noch primitivere isotopische Zusammensetzung der Metabasite im Ötztalkristallin und spätarchaische/frühproterozoische sowie kambrische Komponenten in den Zirkonen der leukokraten Tieftal-Gneise weisen aber auch auf die Beteiligung alten krustalen Materials hin. Der Anteil der krustalen Komponente liegt im Bereich von 10 bis 40%. Der Tieftal-Orthogneiskörper und die begleitenden Metabasite werden als Relikte magmatischer Gesteine, die während eines frühordovizischen Riftings und der beginnenden Bildung neuer ozeanischer Kruste entstanden sind, gedeutet. Zeugen dieses Vorganges sind in allen variszisch und alpidisch geprägten Gebieten Westund Mitteleuropas zu finden.

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With 13 Figures     

The Structure of Coral Communities at Hurghada in the Northern Red Sea

Abstract. The community structure of hard and soft corals, with an emphasis on hard corals, was determined by means of line-transects on 9 on-and off-shore reefs of different type and different wave exposure in the Northern Red Sea near Hurghada in Egypt. Coral communities were found to differentiate along a horizontal wind- and wave-exposure gradient. Exposed communities were dominated by Acropora species, sheltered communities by Porites species, and semi-exposed communities by Millepora species. Also, vertical within-reef zonations following a depth gradient were observed; these were unique for each exposure-determined community type. Average transect diversity was highest on semi-exposed reefs, lowest on sheltered reefs. Reef slopes were more diverse than other reef zones. The observed community structure was compared with data from the literature, and widely distributed, roughly comparable hard and soft coral communities were identified.     

Neoproterozoic to Early-Palaeozoic magmatic evolution in the Gondwana-derived Austroalpine basement to the south of the Tauern Window (Eastern Alps)

In the Austroalpine Basement to the south of the Tauern Window, distinct suites of metabasites occur with orthogneisses in pre-Early-Ordovician units. Tholeiitic and alkaline within-plate basalt-type metabasites are associated with acid meta-porphyroids in the post-Early-Ordovician Thurntaler Phyllite Group. According to their correlated trace element abundances, metabasite zircons crystallized with their host rocks. Protolith Pb–Pb zircon ages, whole-rock Ta/Yb–Th/Yb and oxygen, Sr, Nd isotope data define two principal evolution lines. An older evolution at elevated Th/Yb typical of subduction-related magmatism, started by 590-Ma N-MORB-type and 550–530 Ma volcanic arc basalt type basic suites, which mainly involved depleted mantle sources. It finished with mainly crustal-source 470–450-Ma acid magmatites. An other evolution line by tholeiitic and 430-Ma alkaline within-plate basalt-type suites in both pre- and post-Early-Ordovician units is characterized by an intraplate mantle metasomatism and enrichment trend along multicomponent sources. These magmatic evolution lines can be related to a plate tectonic scenario that involved terranes in a progressively mature Neoproterozoic to Ordovician active margin, and a subsequent Palaeo-Tethys passive margin along the north Gondwanan periphery.     

Medium-scale maps after survey from space—The “Metric-Camera”—Experiment

Airphotos have been used for topographic survey since the Twenties. The “European Space Agency” (ESA), the “Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt” (DFVLR) and “Carl Zeiss” have modified this successful technique for spacecraft and recently have tested the system over four continents. Each of these satellite photos covers a region of 189×189 km to the scale of 1∶800000 and may be enlarged to 1∶250000 or 1∶100000. Between the altitudes of 200 and 300 km, mapmaking or-revision seems to be economic in zones or in countries, where existing maps are of minor quality or outdated. In this paper, examples from deserts and semideserts in the Sudan are presented.     

中德联合冬给措纳湖地区寒区环境变迁研究进展

青藏高原腹地的内陆湖及其湖相沉积物能够较真实地反映气候变化特征,在高原环境变迁研究中备受中外科学家的关注.2006年8月15日~9月10日,中德联合考察小组对青藏高原东北部的冬给措纳湖一带进行了第四纪冻土、地貌和地质学考察,并对湖岸阶地做了初步的数字高程分析.调查了冬给措纳湖底地形、地貌,采集了湖相沉积物样本.在湖的东岸和西岸发现多年冻土,湖泊西北山谷观察到古冰川活动遗迹.初步推测该湖是由断陷沉降形成.为进一步分析湖区气候和环境变迁,联合小组拟定2007年3月份钻取湖芯.     

Modelling transport dynamics of contaminated sediments in the headwater of a hydropower plant at the Upper Rhine River

Sediments are an essential habitat compartment in rivers, which is a subject to dynamic transport processes. In many rivers, the fine deposited sediments are contaminated with heavy metals and organic compounds. Contaminated deposits are considered as potential hot spots because of the risk of the mobilization under erosive hydraulic conditions. Numerical models for particulate contaminant transport are then necessary and can be applied to estimate and predict the potential impact of mobilized contaminants as an important contribution to sediment management. This paper focuses on the quantification of the amount of contaminated sediments resuspended during the extreme flood event in 1999 and the prediction of deposition one year after the flood event. To assess such erosive flood event, a 2D numerical transport model was developed to analyse the dynamics of erosion and sedimentation processes in the headwater of a cross dam at the Upper Rhine River. The dam consists of a weir, a hydropower plant, and a navigation lock. As the weir is operating only for flood management, a huge amount of sediment highly contaminated with the hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was deposited in the weir zone. Therefore, numerical simulations were performed to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of deposited contaminated sediments as depending on the river discharge and its distribution to the hydraulic structures. The numerical investigation presented here is taken as a retrospective analysis of the contaminated sediment dynamics in the headwater to improve future sediment management.