Reconstruction of palaeohydrological conditions in a lagoon during the 2nd Zechstein cycle through simultaneous use of δD values of individual n-alkanes and δ<Superscript>18</Superscript>O and δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C values of carbonates

For the first time ¹⁸O and ¹³C values from carbonates and D values of individual n-alkanes were used to reconstruct palaeohydrological conditions in a lagoon at the southern margin of the Central European Zechstein Basin (CEZB). A 12-m core covering the complete Ca2 interval and adjacent anhydrites (A1 and A2) was analyzed for ¹⁸O and ¹³C values of dolomitized carbonates and D values of individual n-alkanes. ¹⁸O_carb values (+2 to +5 vs. VPDB) were strongly influenced by evaporation and temporal freshwater input into the lagoon. The ¹³C_carb values (–1 to +4 vs. VPDB) were controlled mainly by changes in primary production. Both isotopic ratios show an inverse relationship throughout most of the core, contradicting diagenetic alteration, since ¹³C_carb values are not altered significantly during dolomitization. Assuming a temperature range of 35–40 °C in the lagoon, ¹⁸O_carb values of +2.5 to +8 (vs. VSMOW) for the lagoonal water can be reconstructed. The lagoon may have desiccated twice during the Ca2 interval, as indicated by very high ¹⁸O_carb and low ¹³C_carb values, coinciding with increasing amount of anhydrite in the analyzed sample. These events seem to reflect not just local but a regional intra-Ca2 cyclicity. Measured D values of the short-chain n-alkanes, namely n-C₁₆ and n-C₁₈ which are widely used as indicators for photosynthetic bacterial and algal input, reflect the isotopic composition of the lagoonal water. Assuming constant fractionation during incorporation of hydrogen into lipids of –160, an average D value of +70 (vs. VSMOW) can be reconstructed for the lagoonal water, accounting for very arid conditions. The long-chain n-alkanes n-C₂₇, n-C₂₈, n-C₂₉ and n-C₃₀, thought to be derived from the leaf waxes of terrestrial higher plants, were shown to be depleted in D relative to the short-chain alkanes, therefore indicating a different hydrogen source. Terrestrial plants in arid areas mainly use water supplied by precipitation. By using a smaller fractionation of –120 due to evaporation processes in the leaves, reconstructed values vary between –74 and –9 (vs. VSMOW). These values are not indicating extremely arid conditions, implying that the long-chain n-alkanes were transported trough wind and/or rivers into the lagoon at the Zechstein Sea coast. D_water values, reconstructed using the n-C₁₆ alkane and ¹⁸O _water values, independently reconstructed on the same sample using the temperature dependant fractionation for dolomites are good agreement and suggest high amounts of evaporation affecting the coastal lagoon. Altogether, our results indicate that hydrogen isotopic ratios of n-alkanes give information on their origin and are a useful proxy for palaeoclimatic reconstruction.     

New stratigraphical data on the Middle-Late Jurassic biosiliceous sediments from the Sicanian basin, Western Sicily (Italy)

The reported data present the stratigraphy of several sections across a Middle-Late Jurassic Radiolaritic Unit, well exposed in different thrust sheets pertaining to the Maghrebian chain of Southwestern Sicily. The aim was to define the chronostratigraphical distribution of the Jurassic biosiliceous sedimentation in the Sicanian palaeogeographical zone, a deep water basin belonging to the Southern Tethys continental margin. The radiolarian biostratigraphy indicates that the switching from carbonate to siliceous sedimentation in the Sicanian Basin is referable to the Bajocian, as shown by the section of Campofiorito, near Corleone. The biostratigraphical dataset allows the correlation between the onset of biosiliceous sedimentation and the fall of biodiversity in the Sicanian basin with the carbonate productivity crisis, indicated by the highest eutrophication that affected Western Tethys during Middle Jurassic times. Editorial handling: J.-P. Billon-Bruyat & M. Chiari (Guest)     

Characterization of sub‐daily thermal regime in alpine rivers: quantification of alterations induced by hydropeaking

The thermal regime of rivers is threatened by anthropogenic stresses at a large variety of timescales. We focus on sub‐daily thermal alterations induced by the release of hypolimnetic water for hydropower production (thermopeaking). We analyse the thermal signal focusing on the following characteristics that are potentially affected by hypolimnetic releases: (i) sub‐daily thermal rate of change and (ii) oscillation frequencies contained in the thermal signal. Through a proper scaling, we derive two dimensionless at‐a‐station indicators to compare alterations among stations with different locations and physiographic characteristics of the basins. Then we analyse the data from two different thermal datasets (Italy/Switzerland) for a total of 48 stations with 10 min time resolution of temperature data. The stations are grouped according to the absence of upstream hydropeaking releases (29 stations, reference group) and the existence of upstream hydropeaking, hence potentially impacted by thermopeaking (19 stations, altered group). Using a simple statistical approach, based on a non‐parametric definition of outliers, we identify the range of variability of the two indicators for the reference, unaltered group. This range measures the ‘natural’ sub‐daily thermal variability of the proposed indicators. Finally, we investigate the seasonality effects on the two proposed indicators and it results, that sub‐daily alterations mostly occur during summer. The two indicators represent a novel tool for the assessment of river thermal regime alterations and can be easily included in existing methodologies to assess river quality. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hemipelagic cephalopods from the Maastrichtian (late Cretaceous) Parras Basin at La Parra,Coahuila, Mexico,and their implications for the correlation of the lower Difunta Group

Few biostratigraphic data exist from the Parras and La Popa basins, mainly due to the absence of index fossils. This paper describes 19 ammonoid species from 15 genera and 1 nautilid from La Parra, southeastern Coahuila, Mexico. The assemblage consists of Tethyan [(Baculites ovatus, Brahmaites (Anabrahmaites) vishnu, Fresvillia constricta, Hauericeras rembda, Pachydiscus (P.) ex gr. neubergicus, Solenoceras reesidei, Tetragonites cf. superstes], cosmopolitan (Anagaudryceras politissimum, Desmophyllites diphylloides, Diplomoceras cylindraceum, Gaudryceras kayei, Phyllopachyceras forbesianum, Pseudophyllites indra), and cold water taxa [Fresvillia teres, Hypophylloceras (Neophylloceras) surya, H. (N.) hetonaiense, Pachydiscus (P.) cf. egertoni]. Eutrephoceras sp. and Menuites juv. sp. were not determined to species level. A similar assemblage was recently described from the coeval Méndez Formation at Cerralvo, Nuevo León. Species endemic to North America, particularly the Western Interior Seaway, are absent at La Parra. The ammonoid assemblage and associated planktonic foraminifers allow for precise biostratigraphic assignation to the early Maastrichtian planktonic foraminiferal zone CF 5, and thus provide an important marker level for correlation of the lower Difunta Group. The new biostratigraphic data presented herein allow for the first time precise dating of the Cañon del Tule Formation of the Difunta Group. Their combination with existing sequence- and magnetostratigraphic data improve the correlation of the lower Difunta Group with time-equivalent lithostratigraphic units such as the Cárdenas Formation in Mexico. They also provide new insight into ammonoid migration patterns induced by sea-level changes. Baculites ovatus migrated into the La Popa Basin as a result of the sea-level highstand documented at La Parra.     

The Effects of Temperature and Pressure on the Porosity Evolution of Flechtinger Sandstone

A porosity change influences the transport properties and the elastic moduli of rock while circulating water in a geothermal reservoir. The static and dynamic elastic moduli can be derived from the slope of stress–strain curves and velocity measurements, respectively. Consequently, the acoustic velocities were measured while performing hydrostatic drained tests. The effect of temperature on static and dynamic elastic moduli and porosity variations of Flechtinger sandstone was investigated in a wide range of confining pressure from 2 to 55 MPa. The experiments were carried out in a conventional triaxial system whereas the pore pressure remained constant, confining pressure was cycled, and temperature was increased step wise (25, 60, 90, 120, and 140 °C). The porosity variation was calculated by employing two different theories: poroelasticity and crack closure. The porosity variation and crack porosity were determined by the first derivative of stress–strain curves and the integral of the second derivative of stress–strain curves, respectively. The crack porosity analysis confirms the creation of new cracks at high temperatures. The porosity variation was increasing with an increase in temperature at low effective pressures and was decreasing with a rise in temperature at high effective pressures. Both compressional and shear wave velocities were increasing with increasing pressure due to progressive crack closure. Furthermore, the thermomechanical behavior of Flechtinger sandstone was characterized by an inversion effect where the sign of the temperature derivative of the drained bulk modulus changes.