Quaternary geochemical evolution of the salars of Uyuni and Coipasa, Central Altiplano, Bolivia

The central trough of the Bolivian Altiplano is occupied by two wide salt crusts: the salar of Uyuni, which is probably the largest salt pan in the world (10,000 km²) and the salar of Coipasa (2,500 km²). Both crusts are essentially made of porous halite filled with an interstitial brine very rich in Li, K, Mg, B (up to 4.7 g/l Li, 4.3 g/l B, 30 g/l K and 75 g/l Mg). Lithium reserves are the highest known in the world, around 9 × 10⁶ tons. Potassium, magnesium and boron reserves in brines are also important (around 194 × 10⁶ tons K, 8 × 10⁶ tons B and 211 × 10⁶ tons Mg).

The crusts are the remnant of saline Lake Tauca (13,000–10,000 yr BP). Its salinity was estimated approximately at 80 g/l. Its paleochemistry was derived in two ways: (1) by dissolving the present amounts of all chemical components in the former lake volume, and (2) by simulating the evaporation of the major inflows to the basin. The resulting chemical compositions are quite different. The dissolution-derived one is 5 to 50 times less concentrated in Li, K, Mg, B than the evaporation-simulated ones. However all compositions present the same Na and Cl contents. This suggests either a removal of bittern salts or an enrichment of the former lake water in Na and Cl.

The most probable interpretation is that Lake Tauca redissolved a salt crust akin to that existing today. Several older lakes have been detected on the Altiplano. Nevertheless, such an explanation only pushes the problem back. It is likely that the anomaly was transferred from one lake to an other. Three hypotheses may be put forward: (1) bittern seepage through bottom sediments, (2) uptake of the missing components by minerals, and (3) leaching of ancient evaporites from the catchment area at the beginning of the lacustrine history of the basin. The excess halite could have been recycled from lake to lake. This latter process seems to be the most effective to explain the large excess of Na and Cl over the bittern solutes — Li, K, Mg and B. The occurrence of almost pure Na/1bCl saline springs flowing out from a gypsum diapir in the northern Altiplano gives substantial support to this hypothesis.     

Crustal thickening and crustal extension as controls on the evolution of the drainage network of the central Swiss Alps between 30 Ma and the present: constraints from the stratigraphy of the North Alpine Foreland Basin and the structural evolution of the Alps

The combined information about sedimentary petrography from the North Alpine Foreland Basin and structural geology from the Alps allows a qualitative reconstruction of the drainage network of the central Swiss Alps between 30 Ma and the present. This study suggests that crustal thickening and crustal thinning significantly controlled the location of the drainage divide. It also reveals the possible controls of crustal thickening/thinning on the change of the orientation of the drainage network from across-strike between 30 and 14 Ma to along-strike thereafter. Initial crustal thickening in the rear of the wedge is considered to have formed the drainage divide between north and south at 30 Ma. Because the location of crustal thickening shifted from east to west between ≈30–20 Ma, the catchment areas of the eastern dispersal systems reached further south than those of the western Alpine palaeorivers for the same time slice. Similarly, the same crustal dynamics appear to have controlled two phases of denudation that are reflected in the Molasse Basin by petrographic trends. Uplift in the rear of the wedge caused the Alpine palaeorivers to expand further southward. This is reflected in the foreland basin by increasing admixture of detritus from structurally higher units. However, tectonic quiescence in the rear of the wedge allowed the Alpine palaeorivers to cut down into the Alpine edifice, resulting in an increase of detritus from structurally lower units. Whereas uplift in the rear of the wedge was responsible for initiation of the Alpine drainage systems, underplating of the external massifs some 50 km further north is thought to have caused along-strike deviation of the major Alpine palaeorivers. Besides crustal thickening, extension in the rear of the wedge appears to have significantly controlled the evolution of the drainage network of the western Swiss Alps. Slip along the Simplon detachment fault exposed the core of the Lepontine dome, and caused a 50-km-northward shift of the drainage divide.     

Durbachites–Vaugnerites – a geodynamic marker in the central European Variscan orogen

Durbachites–Vaugnerites are K–Mg‐rich magmatic rocks derived from an enriched mantle source. Observed throughout the European Variscan basement, their present‐day geographical distribution does not reveal any obvious plate‐tectonic context. Published geochronological data show that most durbachites–vaugnerites formed around 335–340 Ma. Plotted in a Visean plate‐tectonic reconstruction, the occurrences of durbachites–vaugnerites are concentrated in a hotspot like cluster in the Galatian superterrane, featuring a distinctive regional magmatic province. Reviewing the existing local studies on Variscan durbachite–vaugnerite rocks, we interpret their extensive appearance in the Visean in terms of two factors: (i) long‐term mantle enrichment above early Variscan subduction systems; and (ii) melting of this enriched subcontinental mantle source during the Variscan collision stage due to thermal anomalies below the Galatian superterrane, possibly created by slab windows and and/or the sinking of the subducted Rheic slab into the mantle. The tectonic reorganization of Europe in the Late Palaeozoic and during the Alpine orogeny has torn apart and blurred this marked domain of durbachites–vaugnerites.     

Timing and mechanisms of Central Himalayan exhumation: discriminating between tectonic and erosion processes

The ability to deduce exhumation mechanisms from thermochronological data is hampered by the fact that assumptions on the thermal state of the lithosphere have to be made. Additional argumentation is generally required to discriminate between erosion-controlled and tectonically induced exhumation. This problem can be overcome by studying the spatial distribution of zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track data. In this work the variation of four different low temperature isotopic systems generating age trends along a sampling line is used to infer mechanisms of Quaternary exhumation in the Central High Himalayan Metamorphic Belt. Observed zircon age trends with southwards increasing cooling ages (from 0.5 to 1.7 Ma) are attributed to tectonically induced exhumation. The uniform apatite cooling ages clustered c. 0.5 Ma are attributed to erosion.     

Organic carbon isotope geochemistry of clayey deposits and their associated porewaters, southern Alberta

The organic carbon cycle of slowly permeable, clayey glacial till deposits in the Western Interior Great Plains, southern Alberta, was investigated by examining the relationship between solid organic matter (SOM) in the till sediments and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the till porewaters. Geochemically, the tills can be divided into two distinct zones: an upper oxidized (low SOM) till zone, and a lower unoxidized (high SOM) till zone. Till porewaters in both zones are characterized by high DOC contents. Radiocarbon dating and comparison of SOM and DOC fractions suggest DOC in the deep unoxidized zone originated during deglaciation, and is probably representative of groundwater ages in this till zone. In the oxidized zone, DOC originates from variable mixtures of soluble organic matter emplaced during deglaciation, and Cretaceous age coal fragments in this till zone. SOM in the upper till zone was mainly oxidized to CO₂ gas during lowered water table conditions of the Altithermal climatic period. The subsurface production of fossil CO₂ gas has serious implications for using the conventional dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) ¹⁴C groundwater dating method in these clayey till porewaters.     

Satellite pictures of the snow-covered alps during April 1960

Summary From April 2 to 7, 1960, the meteorological satellite Tiros I televised the Alps and the surrounding area. The Alpine mountains were snow covered but the river valleys and lakes were readily discernible in the pictures under clear sky conditions. The pictures show marked differences when the area was overcast as compared to times when the area was clear or partly cloudy. These differences are discussed with the aid of satellite pictures and surface cloud cover maps.

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Zusammenfassung Vom 2. bis 7. April 1960 hat der meteorologische Satellit Tiros I Fernsehaufnahmen der Alpen und der umliegenden Gebiete gemacht. Die Alpenberge waren damals schneebedeckt, dagegen waren die Flußtäler und Seen bei Schönwetter in den Bildern deutlich zu erkennen. Die Bilder zeigen markante Unterschiede, wenn das Gebiet von Wolken bedeckt war, im Vergleich zu den Bildern bei wolkenlosem oder nur teilweise wolkigem Wetter. Diese Unterschiede werden an Hand von Satellitenaufnahmen und von nach Bodenbeobachtungen entworfenen Bewölkungskarten diskutiert.

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Résumé Le satellite météorologique Tiros I a effectué du 2 au 7 avril 1960 des prises de vue télévisées des Alpes et des régions avoisinantes. Les montagnes étaient alors recouvertes de neige, mais les vallées et les lacs sont, par ciel serein, nettement visibles sur les images. Ces images montrent des différences sensibles si les diverses régions ont un ciel couvert ou, au contraire, serein ou peu nuageux. On discute alors ces différences tant au moyen des images produites par le satellite que par des cartes de la nébulosité basées sur des observations au sol.

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With 6 Figures

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Dedicated toDr. W. Mörikofer on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Hydrographische Untersuchungen in der Brackwasserzone der Elbe

Zusammenfassung An Hand des reichhaltigen Materials an Strömungs- und Salzgehaltsmessungen des Wasser- und Schiffahrtsamtes Cuxhaven wird die Brackwasserzone im Mündungsgebiet der Elbe festgelegt und die Verschiebung ihres Schwerpunktes flußabwärts während der letzten Jahrzehnte nachgewiesen. Die qualitativen Eigenschaften im Mündungsgebiet eines Tideflusses werden untersucht; auf die Schwierigkeiten der Salzgehaltsmessung im Brackwasser wird eingegangen. Von besonderer Bedeutung ist der Reichtum der Brackwasserzone an Kolloiden und der hiermit im Zusammenhang stehende Schlickfall in den Häfen und auf den Untiefen dieses Gebietes. Der Mischungsvorgang des salzreichen Seewassers mit dem Flußwasser der Elbe in seiner Abhängigkeit von den Gezeitenströmen wird verfolgt. Für den Gang des Salzgehaltes an der Oberfläche mit der Tide wird eine charakteristische Kurve gefunden, die nicht nur für die Elbe, sondern für die Gezeitenflüsse überhaupt typisch zu sein scheint.

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Hydrographic studies of the zone of brackish water in the estuary of the Elbe river

Summary With the aid of a rich material of measurements of tidal currents and salinity observations from the Wasser- und Schiffahrtsamt Cuxhaven, the author determines the zone of brackish water in the estuary of the Elbe river and proves that its centre has been displaced downstream during the recent decades. The qualitative features of the estuary of a river are investigated; the difficulties encountered in determining the salinity of brackish water are discussed. The abundance in colloids in brackish water is of special importance, giving rise to increased precipitation of mud particles in the ports and on the shoals of the area in question. The mixing process of the saltwater with the fresh water of the Elbe river as depending on the tidal streams is pursued. A curve is found which is characteristic of the variations in surface salinity under the influence of tides; this curve seems to be typical not only of the Elbe estuary but also of other tidal rivers.

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Études hydrographiques de la région de l'eau saumâtre dans l'estuaire de l'Elbe

Résumé À l'aide d'un grand nombre de mesures de courants et d'observations de salinité du Wasser- und Schiffahrtsamt Cuxhaven l'auteur précise la région de l'eau saumâtre dans l'embouchure de l'Elbe et prouve que son centre s'est déplacé en aval pendant les dernières dizaines d'années. Les caractéristiques qualitatives rencontrées dans l'estuaire d'un fleuve sont examinées et les difficultés que l'on rencontre en déterminant la salinité de l'eau saumâtre sont exposées. La richesse en colloides de la zone saumâtre est d'une grande importance parce qu'elledonne lieu à la précipitation plus intensive des particules vaseuses dans les ports et sur les bas-fonds de cette région. Les procès de mélange de l'eau salée avec l'eau douce de l'Elbe sous l'influence des courants de marée sont poursuivis. Une courbe caractéristique est dessinée qui montre les variations de la salinité à la surface causées par les marées; elle semble être typique non seulement pour l'estuaire de l'Elbe mais encore pour d'autres fleuves à mareé.