Lateral variations in sediment composition and bedding in Middle Triassic interplatform basins (Buchenstein Formation, southern Alps, Italy)

ABSTRACT Hemipelagic deposits are widespread in Triassic sequences of the Alpine belt and provide important data for stratigraphy and the study of bedding rhythms. The area of the western and central Dolomites of northern Italy escaped strong alpidic deformation and preserves such deposits in their original palaeogeographic setting. The Buchenstein Formation, the object of this study, was deposited in up to 1000 m deep, Middle Triassic interplatform basins, which extend over an area of 500 km² within the Dolomites. Excellent outcrops and volcaniclastic markers allow a detailed correlation of the formation in both laminated (anoxic) and bioturbated facies down to a bed scale, and show its relationship to coeval carbonate platforms. Correlation of lithostratigraphically well‐constrained intervals in the bioturbated facies reveal that lateral thickening and thinning of the deposits depends on the amount of shallow‐water debris in the succession and is a function of the distance to coeval carbonate platform sources. In the laminated background deposit, thickness variations in limestones and marls parallel the thickness variations in ash layers, and were caused by local redeposition of sediment on the basin floor. Lateral persistence of laminae indicates that bottom currents were weak in the Buchenstein basin, but were able to redeposit mud in a significant way. In the area around Seceda and Geisler (western Dolomites), a lateral transition from dark‐grey laminated to grey bioturbated to red bioturbated facies is observed, which is probably linked to local relief with different oxygenation conditions on the sea floor. A comparison shows that decimetre‐scale bedding is preserved in all facies types and that the bedding rhythm is partly the result of different cementation of the sediment during early diagenesis. Correlation of individual layers in the bioturbated facies reveals that beds are thicker and enriched in lime mud in the western part of the basin, and decrease in thickness and contain less micrite towards the east, further away from the main shallow‐water areas. Nearslope calciturbidites change gradually from distinct layers into lateral arrays of micrite nodules and bands further out in the basin. These observations point to a platform source of lime mud in the Buchenstein basin.     

Climate change effects on hydrological system conditions influencing generation of storm runoff in small Alpine catchments

Floods and debris flows in small Alpine torrent catchments (<10 km²) arise from a combination of critical antecedent system state conditions and mostly convective precipitation events with high precipitation intensities. Thus, climate change may influence the magnitude–frequency relationship of extreme events twofold: by a modification of the occurrence probabilities of critical hydrological system conditions and by a change of event precipitation characteristics. Three small Alpine catchments in different altitudes in Western Austria (Ruggbach, Brixenbach and Längentalbach catchment) were investigated by both field experiments and process‐based simulation. Rainfall–runoff model (HQsim) runs driven by localized climate scenarios (CNRM‐RM4.5/ARPEGE, MPI‐REMO/ECHAM5 and ICTP‐RegCM3/ECHAM5) were used in order to estimate future frequencies of stormflow triggering system state conditions. According to the differing altitudes of the study catchments, two effects of climate change on the hydrological systems can be observed. On one hand, the seasonal system state conditions of medium altitude catchments are most strongly affected by air temperature‐controlled processes such as the development of the winter snow cover as well as evapotranspiration. On the other hand, the unglaciated high‐altitude catchment is less sensitive to climate change‐induced shifts regarding days with critical antecedent soil moisture and desiccated litter layer due to its elevation‐related small proportion of sensitive areas. For the period 2071–2100, the number of days with critical antecedent soil moisture content will be significantly reduced to about 60% or even less in summer in all catchments. In contrast, the number of days with dried‐out litter layers causing hydrophobic effects will increase by up to 8%–11% of the days in the two lower altitude catchments. The intensity analyses of heavy precipitation events indicate a clear increase in rain intensities of up to 10%.     

Wide-angle observations of ALP 2002 shots on the TRANSALP profile: Linking the two DSS projects

Dynamite shots of the crustal-scale refraction seismic project ALP 2002 were recorded by an array of 40 seismological three-component stations on the TRANSALP profile. These observations provide a direct link between the two deep seismic projects. We report preliminary results obtained from these data. In a first approach, we verified the TRANSALP refraction seismic velocity model computing travel times for several shots and comparing them to the new observations. The results generally confirm this model. Significant first-break travel time differences in and near the Tauern Window are explained by anisotropy. Large-scale features of the model, particularly the Moho structure, seem to be continuous towards the east. Travel time residuals of wide-angle reflections indicate a slight eastward dip component of the Adriatic Moho.     

A multi‐method field experiment to determine local groundwater flow in a glacier forefield

We implemented multiple independent field techniques to determine the direction and velocity of groundwater flow at a specific stream reach in a glacier forefield. Time‐lapse experiments were conducted using two electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) lines installed in a cross pattern. A circular array of groundwater tubes was also installed to monitor groundwater flow via discrete salt injections. Both inter‐borehole and ERT results confirmed this stream section as a losing reach and enabled quantification of the flow direction. Both techniques yielded advection velocities varying between 5.7 and 21.8 m/day. Estimates of groundwater flow direction and velocity indicated that groundwater infiltrates from the stream nearby and not from the adjacent lateral moraine. Groundwater age estimated from radon concentration measurements supported this hypothesis. Despite uncertainties inherent to each of the methods deployed, the combination of multiple field techniques allowed drawing consistent conclusions about local groundwater flow. We thus regard our multi‐method approach as a reliable way to characterize the two‐dimensional groundwater flow at sites where more invasive groundwater investigation techniques are difficult to carry out and local heterogeneities can make single measurements unreliable. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uranyl Retention on Quartz—New Experimental Data and Blind Prediction Using an Existing Surface Complexation Model

The adsorption behaviour of uranyl onto seven different samples of quartz was studied in batch experiments. Sea-sand (0.1–0.3 mm), Fil-Pro 12/20 (1–2 mm) and five Min-U-Sil samples with smaller particle sizes (5, 10, 15, 30 and 40 μm) were used. The uptake curves show “pH adsorption edges” in the range of pH 4–5. A good agreement of the new data with literature data was found when plotting surface-normalised distribution coefficients versus pH. Differences in the adsorption behaviour for pre-treated and untreated sea-sand samples were detectable resulting in a shift of the pH edge to higher pH values after treatment. A literature surface complexation model was applied for blind predictions of the experimental results. The simulations described the experimental observations quite well for the Min-U-Sil samples. For the two coarser quartz samples, the calculated over-predictions were explained by the larger-than-expected measured specific surface area and measurable amounts of associated minerals, for Fil-Pro 12/20 and sea-sand, respectively. Dissolution of the samples was studied as a function of pH. After 5 days, the measured Si concentrations were all higher than equilibrium quartz solubilities, but lower than those of amorphous silica. With increasing pH, dissolved silica increased. This strongly suggests that formation of dissolved uranyl–silicato complexes have to be considered based on measured silica concentrations.     

Stratigraphy and Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic history of northern Sierra Los Ajos and adjacent areas,Sonora, Mexico

Geologic mapping in the northern Sierra Los Ajos reveals new stratigraphic and structural data relevant to deciphering the Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the range. The northern Sierra Los Ajos is cored by Proterozoic, Cambrian, Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian strata, equivalent respectively to the Pinal Schist, Bolsa Quartzite and Abrigo Limestone, Martin Formation, Escabrosa Limestone, and Horquilla Limestone. The Proterozoic–Paleozoic sequence is mantled by Upper Cretaceous rocks partly equivalent to the Fort Crittenden and Salero Formations in Arizona, and the Cabullona Group in Sonora, Mexico.Absence of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Bisbee Group below the Upper Cretaceous rocks and above the Proterozoic–Paleozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos was part of the Cananea high, a topographic highland during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Deposition of Upper Cretaceous rocks directly on Paleozoic and Proterozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos area had subsided as part of the Laramide Cabullona basin during Late Cretaceous time. Basal beds of the Upper Cretaceous sequence are clast-supported conglomerate composed locally of basement (Paleozoic) clasts. The conglomerate represents erosion of Paleozoic basement in the Sierra Los Ajos area coincident with development of the Cabullona basin.The present-day Sierra Los Ajos reaches elevations of greater than 2600 m, and was uplifted during Tertiary basin-and-range extension. Upper Cretaceous rocks are exposed at higher elevations in the northern Sierra Los Ajos and represent an uplifted part of the inverted Cabullona basin. Tertiary uplift of the Sierra Los Ajos was largely accommodated by vertical movement along the north-to-northwest-striking Sierra Los Ajos fault zone flanking the west side of the range. This fault zone structurally controls the configuration of the headwaters of the San Pedro River basin, an important bi-national water resource in the US-Mexico border region.     

Calcium Isotopes (δ44/40Ca) in MPI-DING Reference Glasses, USGS Rock Powders and Various Rocks: Evidence for Ca Isotope Fractionation in Terrestrial Silicates

We report δ^44/40Ca_{(SRM 915a)} values for eight fused MPI‐DING glasses and the respective original powders, six USGS igneous rock reference materials, the U‐Th disequilibria reference material TML, IAEA‐CO1 (Carrara marble) and several igneous rocks (komatiites and carbonatites). Sample selection was guided by three considerations: (1) to address the need for information values on reference materials that are widely available in support of interlaboratory comparison studies; (2) support the development of in situ laser ablation and ion microprobe techniques, which require isotopically homogenous reference samples for ablation; and (3) provide Ca isotope values on a wider range of igneous and metamorphic rock types than is currently available in the scientific literature. Calcium isotope ratios were measured by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry in two laboratories (IFM‐GEOMAR and Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory) using ⁴³Ca/⁴⁸Ca‐ and ⁴²Ca/⁴³Ca‐double spike techniques and reported relative to the calcium carbonate reference material NIST SRM 915a. The measurement uncertainty in both laboratories was better than 0.2‰ at the 95% confidence level. The impact of different preparation methods on the δ^44/40Ca_{(SRM 915a)} values was found to be negligible. Except for ML3‐B, the original powders and the respective MPI‐DING glasses showed identical δ^44/40Ca_{(SRM 915a)} values; therefore, possible variations in the Ca isotope compositions resulting from the fusion process are excluded. Individual analyses of different glass fragments indicated that the glasses are well homogenised on the mm scale with respect to Ca. The range of δ^44/40Ca_{(SRM 915a)} values in the igneous rocks studied was larger than previously observed, mostly owing to the inclusion of ultramafic rocks from ophiolite sections. In particular, the dunite DTS‐1 (1.49 ± 0.06‰) and the peridotite PCC‐1 (1.14 ± 0.07‰) are enriched in ⁴⁴Ca relative to volcanic rocks (0.8 ± 0.1‰). The Carrara marble (1.32 ± 0.06‰) was also found to be enriched in ⁴⁴Ca relative to the values of assumed precursor carbonates (< 0.8‰). These findings suggest that the isotopes of Ca are susceptible to fractionation at high temperatures by, as yet, unidentified igneous and metamorphic processes.