Kaledonische,herzynische und alpidische Ereignisse im Mittelostalpin nördlich der westlichen Hohen Tauern,abgeleitet aus petrographischen und geochronologischen Untersuchungen

Zusammenfassung Die Schwazer Augengneise (Kellerjoch-Gneise) und die Steinkogelschiefer wurden petrographisch und geochronologisch untersucht. Die Steinkogelschiefer und die Schwazer Augengneise zeigen eine prograde Metamorphose der Amphibolitfazies. Sie liegen auf den schwächer metamorphen Innsbrucker Quarzphylliten und unter den ebenfalls schwächer metamorphen Gesteinen der Grauwackenzone, nördlich der westlichen Hohen Tauern (Tirol, Salzburg, Österreich). Aufgrund des kombinierten Compston-Jeffery- und Nicolaysen-Diagramms ist das Sedimentationsalter des Eduktes der Steinkogelschiefer 540 Mio. Jahre. Das Alter der Platznahme des Eduktes der Schwazer Augengneise ist wahrscheinlich 425 Mio. Jahre. Eine kaledonische Metamorphose ist nicht nachweisbar.Die herzynische Metamorphose verursachte sowohl in den Schwazer Augengneisen als auch in den Steinkogelschiefern eine vollständige Sr-Homogenisierung im Gesamtgestein. Die Rb-Sr-Isochrone der Schwazer Augengneise ergibt ein Alter von 322±24 Mio. Jahren bei einem Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶-Isotopenverhältnis von 0.7180±0.0024. Die Rb-Sr-Isochrone der Steinkogelschiefer definiert ein Alter von 347±30 Mio. Jahren, bei einem Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶-Verhältnis von 0.7150±0.0021. Die herzynischen Phengite aus den Schwazer Augengneisen ergeben mit der Rb-Sr-Methode ein Abkühlungsalter von 273 bzw. 260 Mio. Jahren. Die K-Ar-Phengit- und Muscovitalter sind Mischalter, welche zwischen dem Alter der herzynischen und dem der frühalpinen Metamorphose liegen. Das frühalpine Ereignis wird durch Rb-Sr-Biotitalter um 90 Mio. Jahre erfaßt. Dieses Alter entspricht dem Zeitpunkt der Abkühlung der Gesteine unter 300 °C vor dem frühalpinen Deckenschub.Die K-Ar-Alter der Biotite sind geologisch nicht interpretierbar, da sie Ar-Überschuß zeigen.Die Überlagerung der Innsbrucker Quarzphyllite durch die Steinkogelschiefer und die Schwazer Augengneise ist wahrscheinlich das Ergebnis eines herzynischen Deckenbaus. Die Steinkogelschiefer und die Schwazer Augengneise könnten daher nicht zur mittelostalpinen Deckeneinheit gehören, sondern tektonisch gesehen, Teil des unterlagernden unterostalpinen Innsbrucker Quarzphyllites sein.

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Petrology and geochronology of the Schwazer Augengneis (Kellerjochgneis) and of the Steinkogelschiefer north of the western Tauern Window have been investigated. The Steinkogelschiefer are garnet-mica schists, the Schwazer Augengneis is an orthoaugengneiss. Both rock units show a prograde metamorphism of the amphibolite facies and are interbedded between the Innsbrucker Quarzphyllite and the Grauwackenzone. The Innsbrucker Quarzphyllite and the rocks of the Grauwackenzone clearly show in respect to the Schwazer Augengneis and the rocks of the Steinkogelschiefer unit a lower metamorphic grade of the greenschist facies. From combined Compston-Jeffery- and Nicolaysen-diagrams the age of the sediments from which the mica schists of the Steinkogelschiefer unit derives is 540 m. y. The age of the intrusion of the magma from which the Schwazer orthoaugengneis later originated is probably 425 m. y. A Caledonian metamorphism could not be demonstrated by radiometry. In the Schwazer Augengneis as well as in the paragneisses of the Steinkogelschiefer unit a complete Sr-homogenisation was produced by the hercynian metamorphism. An age of 322±24 m. y. and a Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶-ratio of 0.7180±0.0024 result from a Rb-Sr-Isochrone of the Schwazer Augengneis. The RbSr-Isochrone of the Steinkogelschiefer defines an age of 347±30 m. y. and a Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶-ratio of 0.7150±0.0021. From the Rb-Sr-method a cooling age of 273 and 260 m. y. is established for the phengites from the Schwazer Augengneis.K-Ar-ages of the muscovites and of the phengites are mixed ages between the hercynian and that of the eoalpine metamorphism. The eoalpine metamorphism is dated by the Rb-Sr-age of the biotites (90 m. y.). This age corresponds to the cooling of the rocks below a temperature of 300 °C before the eoalpine nappe transport.K-Ar-ages of the biotites show excess argon and are therefore from a geological point of view meaningless. From petrological and geochronological data it cannot be demonstrated that the tectonic position of the Schwazer Augengneis and of the Steinkogelschiefer unit on the top of the Innsbrucker Quarzphyllit and under the Grauwackenzone is due to the alpine nappe transport.From a tectonic point of view, the Steinkogelschiefer and the Schwazer Augengneis therefore probably belongs to the middle austroalpine unit of the Innsbrucker Quarzphyllit.

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Résumé Les gneiss oeillés de Schwaz (Kellerjochgneise) et les schistes de Steinkogel ont été étudiés par voie pétrographique et géochronologique.Tous deux montrent une métamorphose progradée du facies amphibolite. Ils reposent sur la série moins métamorphique des »Innsbrucker Quarzphyllit« et sous la Zone des grauwackes, également peu métamorphiques, au nord des »Hohe Tauern« occidentales Tyrol, Salzbourg, Autriche).Selon le diagramme combiné Compston-Jeffery et Nicolaysen l'âge de la sédimentation des schistes de Steinkogel est de 540 Mio. ans. L'âge de la sédimentation des gneiss oeillés de Schwaz est probablement 425 Mio. ans. Un métamorphisme calédonien ne peut être démontré.Le métamorphisme hercynien a causé — tant dans les gneiss oeillés de Schwaz que dans les schistes de Steinkogel — une homogénisation complète du Sic. L'isochrone RB/Sr des gneiss oeillés de Schwaz indique une âge de 322±24 Mio. ans et un rapport Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ de 0.7180±0.0024.L'isochrone Rb/Sr des schistes de Steinkogel indique un âge de 347±30 Mio. et un rapport Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ de 0.7150±0.0021. Les phengites hercyniennes dans les gneiss oeillés de Schwaz indiquent, selon la méthode Rb/Sr, un âge de refroidissement de 273 et 260 Mio. ans. Les âges K/Ar de la phengite et la muscovite sont des âges mixtes compris entre celui du métamorphisme hercynien et celui du métamorphisme évalpin.L'éveénement éoalpin est évalué à 90 Mio. ans (Rb/Sr-biotite). Cet âge correspond au moment du refroidissement des roches en-dessous de 300 °C avant al poussée des premières nappes alpines.Les âges K-Ar des biotites ne peuvent pas être interpretés géologiquement étant donné pu'ils montrent un excès d'Ar.Le recouvrement de l'»Innsbrucker Quarzphyllit« par les schistes de Steinkogel et les gneiss oeillés de Schwaz est probablement le résultat d'une tectonique hercynienne. Il en résulte que les schistes de Steinkogel et les gneiss oeillés de Schwaz ne pourraient pas faire partie de l'ensemble de la nappe austroalpine moyenne, mais vus tectoniquement, être une partie de la nappe austroalpine inférieure sous-jacente de l'»Innsbrucker Quarzphyllit«.

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(Kellerjoch-Gneise) Steinkogel. . - — , (, , ). Comston-Jeffery Nicolaysen'a , SteinKogel'a, 540 . , , , , 425 . . . - 322±24 Sr⁸⁷/Sr^8b 0,7180±0,0024. Steinkogel'a 347±30 0,7150± 0,0021. - 273–260 . , -, - . , -, - 90 . 300° , - . , . . . - Steinkogel'a , , . - , , , -- .

     

Fluid inclusion microthermometry and the P-T evolution of gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids in the Niuxinshan gold deposit, eastern Hebei province, NE China

Niuxinshan is a typical example of the numerous mesothermal gold deposits formed during Mesozoic tectono-magmatic reactivation of the Archean North China Craton in eastern Hebei province. Gold occurs in quartz-sulfide lodes in Archean amphibolites and also in greisen zones in the Mesozoic Niuxinshan granite stock. Four mineralization stages can be recognized from early to late: (1) quartz-K-feldspar, (2) quartz-pyrite, (3) quartz-polysulfide, and (4) quartz-carbonate. Gold mineralization mainly occurs in stages 2 and 3. Fluid inclusions in quartz and fluorite from greisen zones in the Niuxinshan granite, and inclusions in vein quartz and sphalerite from stages 1 to 3 in the amphibolites, have been studied by microthermometry. Three compositional types of inclusions are recognized: type 1 (Tp1) are H₂O-CO₂-bearing inclusions and include primary (Tp1-P) and secondary (Tp1-S) inclusions. These are found in quartz and fluorite from the greisen zones as well as in vein quartz and sphalerite from stages 1 to 3. The Tp1-P inclusions are considered to represent the gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. Type 2 (Tp2-S) are secondary H₂O-CO₂ + solid phase inclusions in fluorite from the greisen zones. Type 3 (Tp3-S) are secondary aqueous inclusions with a solid phase which coexist with the Tp2-S in fluorite from the greisen zones. The Tp1-P inclusions show variable V_CO2 (commonly 0.3 to 0.6) and X_CO2 values (mainly 0.1 to 0.4). The salinities of inclusions cluster around 3 to 11 wt.% NaCl equivalent and their homogenization temperatures to the liquid phase (Th(L)) fall dominantly in the range of 260 to 360 °C. The compositional variations of inclusions in stage 1 probably result from exsolution of magmatic fluids at various stages; immiscibility or boiling of the fluids can be ruled out. The compositional variations of inclusions in the greisen zones and in vein stages 2 and 3 are attributed to cooling, mixing (dilution), and necking-down of the fluids. The Tp1-S and Tp2-S inclusions show salinities of 3 to 6 wt.% NaCl equivalent and X_CO2 values of 0.04 to 0.17. Th(L) clusters at 240 to 260 °C. The Tp3-S inclusions have salinities of 3 to 6 wt.% NaCl equivalent and Th(L) of 170 to 240 °C. Isochoric reconstructions, combined with oxygen and sulfur isotope geothermometry of mineral pairs, give trapping P-T conditions for the gold-bearing fluids. The greisen zones formed at 310 to 460 °C and 1.3 to 3.7 kbar; stage 1 veins at 300 to 430 °C and 1.2 to 3.7 kbar; stage 2 veins at 290 to 380 °C and 1 to 3 kbar; stage 3 veins at 250 to 350 °C and 1 to 3 kbar. H₂O-CO₂ fluids with low to moderate salinities and moderate to high densities (0.66 to 1.01 g/cm³) dominated at early mineralization stages, and evolved towards H₂O-richer and CO₂- and less saline fluids through time. The retrograde P-T evolution probably resulted from regional uplift and cooling of gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. The gold bisulfide complex was dominant in the fluids during mineralization and gold deposition was mainly induced by decreases of temperature and pressure, as well as destabilization of the bisulfide complex during sulfidization of wall rocks. Received: 16 March 1998 / Accepted: 11 January 1999     

Biogenic and lithogenic magnetic minerals in Atlantic and Pacific deep sea sediments and their paleomagnetic significance

The carrier of the natural magnetization of deep sea sediments was characterized by mineralogical, electron microscopic, and rock magnetic investigations. Magnetic single domain (SD) and pseudo single domain (PSD) particles which are most important for the stable remanent magnetization were separated from the magnetic »coarse fraction« and concentrated as magnetic »fine fraction«. The magnetic coarse fraction consists of lithogenic magnetite and titanomagnetite, which often contains exsolution-lamellae of ilmenite. Both minerals are partially maghematized and occur isolated in the sediment or embedded in rock particles, in regionally different concentrations. The magnetic fine fraction consists of lithogenic magnetite and titanomagnetite and biogenic magnetite (magnetofossils = fossil bacterial magnetosomes), the latter generally maghematized.A graphical method is described which allows the classification and characterization of the magnetic fine fraction by demagnetization of the anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) of whole sediment samples. Three groups with different magnetic properties can be distinguished, characterized by three ARM type-curves: Type A curves are associated with sediments from abyssal plaines. They show nearly identical ARM properties and are typical for magnetofossils.Type B curves are produced by sediments from the vicinity of volcanic regions. Their shapes are variable to a certain degree and indicate two lithogenic magnetic phases.Type C curves are found for sediments from submarine ridges and regions with input of terrigenous detritus. These curves have the largest deviations among each other indicating a magnetic multi-phase assemblage including magnetofossils.

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Zusammenfassung Die Träger der Magnetisierung von Tiefseesedimenten wurden mineralogisch, elektronenmikroskopisch und gesteinsmagnetisch untersucht. Magnetische Eindomänen (SD) und Pseudo-Eindomänen (PSD) Partikel, die für eine stabile remanente Magnetisierung wichtig sind, wurden als magnetische »Feinfraktion« von der magnetischen »Grobfraktion« abgetrennt. Die magnetische Grobfraktion besteht aus lithogenem Titanomagnetit und Magnetit die teilweise maghemitisiert sind und teilweise auch Ilmenit-Entmischungslamellen aufweisen. In regional unterschiedlichen Konzentrationen liegen sie frei im Sediment oder in silikatischer Matrix eingebettet vor. Die magnetische Feinfraktion besteht sowohl aus lithogenem Titanomagnetit und Magnetit, als auch aus biogenem Magnetit (Magnetofossilien = fossile bakterielle Magnetosomen); letzterer ist größtenteils maghemitisiert.Es wird eine grafische Darstellungsmethode beschrieben, die anhand von Untersuchungen der anhysteretischen remanenten Magnetisierung (ARM) von Sedimentproben eine Charakterisierung der magnetischen Feinfraktion erlaubt. Es lassen sich dadurch drei Gruppen mit unterschiedlichen magnetischen Eigenschaften unterscheiden, die durch drei Gruppen von ARM-Kurventypen charakterisiert sind.Kurventyp A wird bei Sedimenten aus Tiefsee-Ebenen beobachtet. Die ARM-Daten sind nahezu identisch und zeigen ein Verhalten, wie es für Magnetofossilien typisch ist. Kurventyp B tritt bei Sedimenten aus dem Einzugsbereich vulkanischer Gebiete auf. Er zeigt eine größere Variation und die Form der Kurven spricht für ein System aus zwei lithogenen magnetischen Komponenten.Kurventyp C gehört zu Sedimenten aus submarinen Rücken und dem Einzugsgebiet terrigener Schüttungen. Die Kurvenverläufe sind uneinheitlich und sprechen für ein magnetisches Mehrkomponenten-System mit Beteiligung von Magnetofossilien.

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Résumé Les minéraux porteurs du magnétisme dans les sédiments de mer profonde ont été explorés par les méthodes de la minéralogie, de la microscopie électronique et du magnétisme des roches. Les particules qui correspondent à un domaine magnétique unique (SD) et pseudo-unique (PSD), significatives pour un magnétisme rénanent stable, ont été concentrées comme «fraction magnétique fine» après séparation de la «fraction magnétique grossière». Cette dernière consiste en magnétite et titanomagnétite lithogéniques, qui renferment souvent des lamelles d'exsolution d'ilménite. Ces deux minéraux sont partiellement maghémitisés; ils se présentent isolés ou inclus dans des fragments de roches, avec des concentrations régionales diverses. La fraction magnétique fine consiste en magnétite et titanomagnétite lithogéniques, ainsi qu'en magnétite biogénique (magnétofossile = magnétosome fossile bactérien), cette dernière ordinairement maghemitisée.Les auteurs présentent une méthode graphique qui permet de caractériser la fraction magnétique fine à partir de l'examen du magnétisme rémanent anhystérique (ARM) de l'échantillon de sédiment. Cette méthode permet de distinguer trois groupes de propriétés magnétiques différentes, caractérisés par trois types de courbes ARM. Les courbes de type A caractérisent les sédiments de plaines abyssales; elles montrent des propriétés ARM presque identiques et sont typiques pour les magnétofossiles. Les courbes de types B sont fournies par les sédiments voisins des régions volcaniques; leurs formes varient dans une certaine mesure et indiquent un système à deux composants magnétiques lithogéniques. Les courbes de type C correspondent aux sédiments des crêtes sous-marines et des régions à apports terrigènes; ces courbes présentent entre elles des différences plus marquées, ce qui indique un système magnétique à composants multiples, comportant des magnétofossiles.

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, - . (SD) (PSD) , , » « » «. . . , . , , . » « , , — , , ; . (ARM) , . , ARM. , . - , .

     

The DAV and Periadriatic fault systems in the Eastern Alps south of the Tauern window

Alpine deformation of Austroalpine units south of the Tauern window is dominated by two kinematic regimes. Prior to intrusion of the main Periadriatic plutons at ~30 Ma, the shear sense was sinistral in the current orientation, with a minor north-side-up component. Sinistral shearing locally overprints contact metamorphic porphyroblasts and early Periadriatic dykes. Direct Rb-Sr dating of microsampled synkinematic muscovite gave ages in the range 33-30 Ma, whereas pseudotachylyte locally crosscutting the mylonitic foliation gave an interpreted ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar age of ~46 Ma. The transition from sinistral to dextral (transpressive) kinematics related to the Periadriatic fault occurred rapidly, between solidification of the earlier dykes and of the main plutons. Subsequent brittle-ductile to brittle faults are compatible with N-S to NNW-SSE shortening and orogen-parallel extension. Antithetic Riedel shears are distinguished from the previous sinistral fabric by their fine-grained quartz microstructures, with local pseudotachylyte formation. One such pseudotachylyte from Speikboden gave a ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar age of 20 Ma, consistent with pseudotachylyte ages related to the Periadriatic fault. The magnitude of dextral offset on the Periadriatic fault cannot be directly estimated. However, the jump in zircon and apatite fission-track ages establishes that the relative vertical displacement was ~4-5 km since 24 Ma, and that movement continued until at least 13 Ma.     

Classification and mineralization potential of the pegmatites of the Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province

The potential for Nb, Ta, Li, Sn-mineralization as well as for precious stones for the Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province (EBPP) has been evaluated on the basis of 530 K-feldspar and 550 muscovite major and trace element analyses. The EBPP is situated mainly in the State of Minas Gerais, but encompasses also parts of the States of Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. The EBPP is the largest pegmatite province of South America. It was divided into the pegmatite districts of Itambé, Araçuaí, Safira, Nova Era, Aimorés and Espera Feliz. This was done to test whether the pegmatites of these districts differ in their mineralization potential and how geotectonic setting influences mineralization potential. The fractionation diagrams such as Cs, Zn, Li, Be, Ba versus K/Rb, Cs versus Ta/(Ta + Nb), and U, Na₂O versus K/Cs for the pegmatite districts of Araçuaí and Safira show the widest range in fractionation. These pegmatite districts are leaders in the production of gem-quality tourmaline, aquamarine, morganite, and contain abundant spodumene, tantalite and columbite. In contrast, the Espera Feliz and Aimorés pegmatite districts are the most primitive districts examined and have a corresponding lack of rare-element mineralization. Literature data indicate that all studied pegmatites are of Brasiliano age, i.e., formed between 600 and 480?Ma. The pegmatites of Transamazonic age (1.9?Ga), found rarely in the study area, are of economic importance in the context of emerald mineralization, but seem to be of less importance for rare metal and other gemstone mineralization.     

Energy flow and elemental concentrations in the Steina River ecosystem (Black Forest, Germany)

Considering food web energetics and elemental cycling together allows the testing of hypotheses about the coevolution of biological systems and their physical environment. We investigated the energy flow and the distribution of 25 elements in the Steina River.¶We constructed an annual energy flow network and estimated the emergy ("embodied energy" that includes all the energy involved in a process) contributions of resources sustaining the system. Furthermore, we measured the concentration of various macronutrients, essential elements, and heavy metals in the physical environment and trophic compartments. Finally, we examined the hypothesis of a positive relationship between the "rarity" of an element and its tendency to bioaccumulate. To do so, we used transformity, the relative energy input required to sustain a compartment's net production or the concentration differential of an element between the living community and the physical environment.¶The resulting energy flow network is one of the most complete available for streams. In the Steina, over 99% of the energy input is transported through the system without being processed. Dissolved inorganic matter and sunlight are the largest inputs, but uptake efficiency is much higher for dissolved and particulate organic matter. Transformities of trophic compartments and elements span 6 to 7 orders of magnitude.¶The tendency to bioaccumulate was as predicted for most elements, with macronutrients showing no accumulation and heavy elements accumulating in high-transformity compartments. However, Na and K were found at highest concentrations in consumers, and Pb, Ga, and Cd in algae. Improved estimates may become possible as more knowledge is available on ecosystem flows. We suggest further ways of testing hypotheses about strategies of element processing.     

Fault Roughness at Seismogenic Depths from LIDAR and Photogrammetric Analysis

Fault surface roughness is a principal factor influencing earthquake mechanics, and particularly rupture initiation, propagation, and arrest. However, little data currently exist on fault surfaces at seismogenic depths. Here, we investigate the roughness of slip surfaces from the seismogenic strike-slip Gole Larghe Fault Zone, exhumed from ca. 10 km depth. The fault zone exploited pre-existing joints and is hosted in granitoid rocks of the Adamello batholith (Italian Alps). Individual seismogenic slip surfaces generally show a first phase of cataclasite production, and a second phase with beautifully preserved pseudotachylytes of variable thickness. We determined the geometry of fault traces over almost five orders of magnitude using terrestrial laser-scanning (LIDAR, ca. 500 to <1 m scale), and 3D mosaics of high-resolution rectified digital photographs (10 m to ca. 1 mm scale). LIDAR scans and photomosaics were georeferenced in 3D using a Differential Global Positioning System, allowing detailed multiscale reconstruction of fault traces in Gocad^®. The combination of LIDAR and high-resolution photos has the advantage, compared with classical LIDAR-only surveys, that the spatial resolution of rectified photographs can be very high (up to 0.2 mm/pixel in this study), allowing for detailed outcrop characterization. Fourier power spectrum analysis of the fault traces revealed a self-affine behaviour over 3–5 orders of magnitude, with Hurst exponents ranging between 0.6 and 0.8. Parameters from Fourier analysis have been used to reconstruct synthetic 3D fault surfaces with an equivalent roughness by means of 2D Fourier synthesis. Roughness of pre-existing joints is in a typical range for this kind of structure. Roughness of faults at small scale (1 m to 1 mm) shows a clear genetic relationship with the roughness of precursor joints, and some anisotropy in the self-affine Hurst exponent. Roughness of faults at scales larger than net slip (>1–10 m) is not anisotropic and less evolved than at smaller scales. These observations are consistent with an evolution of roughness, due to fault surface processes, that takes place only at scales smaller or comparable to the observed net slip. Differences in roughness evolution between shallow and deeper faults, the latter showing evidences of seismic activity, are interpreted as the result of different weakening versus induration processes, which also result in localization versus delocalization of deformation in the fault zone. From a methodological point of view, the technique used here is advantageous over direct measurements of exposed fault surfaces in that it preserves, in cross-section, all of the structures which contribute to fault roughness, and removes any subjectivity introduced by the need to distinguish roughness of original slip surfaces from roughness induced by secondary weathering processes. Moreover, offsets can be measured by means of suitable markers and fault rocks are preserved, hence their thickness, composition and structural features can be characterised, providing an integrated dataset which sheds new light on mechanisms of roughness evolution with slip and concomitant fault rock production.     

Principal Slip Zones in Limestone: Microstructural Characterization and Implications for the Seismic Cycle (Tre Monti Fault, Central Apennines, Italy)

Earthquakes in central Italy, and in other areas worldwide, often nucleate within and rupture through carbonates in the upper crust. During individual earthquake ruptures, most fault displacement is thought to be accommodated by thin principal slip zones. This study presents detailed microstructural observations of the slip zones of the seismically active Tre Monti normal fault zone. All of the slip zones cut limestone, and geological constraints indicate exhumation from <2?km depth, where ambient temperatures are ?100°C. Scanning electron microscope observations suggest that the slip zones are composed of 100% calcite. The slip zones of secondary faults in the damage zone contain protocataclastic and cataclastic fabrics that are cross-cut by systematic fracture networks and stylolite dissolution surfaces. The slip zone of the principal fault has much more microstructural complexity, and contains a 2?C10?mm thick ultracataclasite that lies immediately beneath the principal slip surface. The ultracataclasite itself is internally zoned; 200?C300???m-thick ultracataclastic sub-layers record extreme localization of slip. Syn-tectonic calcite vein networks spatially associated with the sub-layers suggest fluid involvement in faulting. The ultracataclastic sub-layers preserve compelling microstructural evidence of fluidization, and also contain peculiar rounded grains consisting of a central (often angular) clast wrapped by a laminated outer cortex of ultra-fine-grained calcite. These ??clast-cortex grains?? closely resemble those produced during layer fluidization in other settings, including the basal detachments of catastrophic landslides and saturated high-velocity friction experiments on clay-bearing gouges. An overprinting foliation is present in the slip zone of the principal fault, and electron backscatter diffraction analyses indicate the presence of a weak calcite crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) in the fine-grained matrix. The calcite c-axes are systematically inclined in the direction of shear. We suggest that fluidization of ultracataclastic sub-layers and formation of clast-cortex grains within the principal slip zone occurred at high strain rates during propagation of seismic ruptures whereas development of an overprinting CPO occurred by intergranular pressure solution during post-seismic creep. Further work is required to document the range of microstructures in localized slip zones that cross-cut different lithologies, and to compare natural slip zone microstructures with those produced in controlled deformation experiments.     

Site effects of the Roio basin, L��Aquila

During the microzonation studies of the April 6th, 2009 L??Aquila earthquake, we observed local seismic amplifications in the Roio area??a plane separated from L??Aquila city center by mount Luco. Six portable, digital instruments were deployed across the plain from 15 April to mid-May 2009. This array recorded 152 aftershocks. We analyzed the ground motion from these events to determine relative site amplification within the plain and on surrounding ridges. Horizontal over vertical spectral ratio on noise data (HVSRN), aftershock recordings (HVEQ) and standard spectral ratio (SSR) showed amplifications at 1.3 and 4.0?Hz on quaternary deposits. Seismic amplifications in the frequency range of 4 and 6?Hz were also observed on a carbonate ridge of Colle di Roio, on the northwestern border of the plateau. A small amplification was noticed near the top of mount Luco, another rocky site. Large discrepancies in the amplification levels between methods have been observed for these sites, but the HVSRN, HVEQ and SSR gave similar results at the stations located in the Roio plain. On the rocky sites, the SSR was more reliable than the HVSRN at estimating the transfer function of the site, even if the resonance frequency seemed to be well detected by the latter method.     

Anomalous Gadolinium,Cerium, and Yttrium Contents in the Adige and Isarco River Waters and in the Water of Their Tributaries (Provinces Trento and Bolzano/Bozen,NE Italy)

Rare earth patterns of surface and groundwaters near big cities often show anthropogenic Gd (Gd_ant) anomalies in addition to geogenic Ce and Y anomalies. The Gd_ant anomaly is caused by very stable organic complexes, one of which is gadopentetic acid, Gd‐DTPA. Derivatives of this and similar compounds are used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human blood system. The organic Gd complexes are stable enough to pass nearly unaffected through sewage treatment plants and are, thereafter, discharged into surface water systems. Water of the rapidly flowing Isarco/Eisack and Adige/Etsch rivers (Provinces of Trento and Bolzano/Bozen, NE Italy) and their tributaries show remarkable variations in anthropogenic Gd contents (Gd_ant). Low Gd_ant values are found on Monday and Tuesday, whereas high values are observed during the remaining weekdays. Reliable Gd_ant balances are calculated for the river system at the confluence of the Adige and its tributaries. At two places local decrease of Gd_ant indicates exfiltration of groundwater. It is demonstrated that Gd_ant can be used as a reliably conservative tracer to study the water budget in rapidly flowing alpine river systems. The studied different river waters show considerable negative Ce and positive Y anomalies. Negative Ce anomalies are caused by scavenging of Ce(III) by FeO(OH) precipitates and subsequent oxidation to CeO₂. Y anomalies are attributed to less sorption of Y than REE onto particulate matter. Thus, Y moves faster than REE. Both, Ce and Y anomalies, are of geogenic origin.