Carboniferous convergence and subsequent crustal extension in the southern Schwarzwald (SW Germany)

Abstract

Detailed structural analysis in the southwestern part of the Variscan Sehwarzwald Massif (SW Germany) indicates polyphase, synmetamorphic deformation in ductile shear zones. The tectono-melainnrphir evolution is characterized by orogenic crustal shortening and subsequent late- orogenic crustal extension in Carboniferous times. Convergence is responsible for an KSK trending, north dipping thrust zone with intense deformation in orthogneissic S-C type mylonites Superposed on schistose and folded metasediments presumably lower Carboniferous in age. Southeastward thrust-’“g parallel to pervasive stretching lineation, similar to the pre-dominant oblique convergent structures ill the central part of the massif, is related to crustal stacking. Relations of early granite intrusions with the outlasting retrograde tectonics Point to a Lower Carboniferous (Late-Visean) age of shortening.

Subsequent crustal extension is indicated by a broad N-S trending and west dipping ductile shear zone within high grade meetamorphic (I1T7LP) gneisses. Retrograde stretching lineatone marked by sillimanite to chlorite anr consistent with a top-to-the-west shearing on the western flank of a large progressively warping domai structure. Intensely sheared and boudinaged granitic rocks are syn-tectonic and seal the age of extension at about 325 Ma (Lower/ Upper Carboniferous boundary). During progressively cataclastic stages of tectonic denudation the still active detachment controlled formation of an adjacent late Paleozoic (Stephano-Pcrniian) continental basin supersedding high-grade gneiss. As elsewhere in the Varisean belt, the late extensional process in the tectono-”“‘tainorphie evolution of the southern Sehwarzwald is related rapid uplift, exhumation and thinning by a gravitational collaps of a previously thickened crust.     

The use of dinoflagellate cysts to separate human-induced from natural variability in the trophic state of the Po River discharge plume over the last two centuries

To obtain insight into the natural and/or human-induced changes in the trophic state of the distal portion of the Po River discharge plume over the last two centuries, high temporal resolution dinoflagellate cyst records were established at three sites. Cyst production rates appear to reflect the natural variability in the river's discharge, whereas cyst associations reflect the trophic state of the upper waters, which in turn can be related to agricultural development. The increased abundances of Lingulodinium machaerophorum and Stelladinium stellatum found as early as 1890 and 1920 correspond to the beginning of the industrial revolution in Italy and the first chemical production and dispersion of ammonia throughout Europe. After 1955, the increased abundances of these species and of Polykrikos schwartzii, Brigantedinium spp. and Pentapharsodinium dalei correspond to agriculturally induced alterations of the hypertrophic conditions. A slight improvement in water quality can be observed from 1987 onward.     

Least‐squares reverse‐time migration in a matrix‐based formulation

This paper describes least‐squares reverse‐time migration. The method provides the exact adjoint operator pair for solving the linear inverse problem, thereby enhancing the convergence of gradient‐based iterative linear inversion methods. In this formulation, modified source wavelets are used to correct the source signature imprint in the predicted data. Moreover, a roughness constraint is applied to stabilise the inversion and reduce high‐wavenumber artefacts. It is also shown that least‐squares migration implicitly applies a deconvolution imaging condition. Three numerical experiments illustrate that this method is able to produce seismic reflectivity images with higher resolution, more accurate amplitudes, and fewer artefacts than conventional reverse‐time migration. The methodology is currently feasible in 2‐D and can naturally be extended to 3‐D when computational resources become more powerful.     

An integrated suspended sediment transport monitoring and analysis concept

A new integrated suspended sediment monitoring strategy applying direct and indirect technologies is presented.Optical sensors continuously record the turbidity at one point in the channel cross section close to the river bank and are calibrated by water samples taken close to the sensor.Additionally measurements are performed to establish the distribution of suspended sediment in a cross section（bottle samples combined with acoustic devices）.Using correction factors（probe and cross-sectional factor） these monitoring methods are combined and it is,thus,possible to fully document the temporal and spatial variability of the suspended sediment transport and to estimate the suspended sediment load for certain time periods.This monitoring strategy was implemented at various measurement sites in Austria as well as at the Hainburg Road Bridge site on the Danube River.It has already been successfully applied for three years at this measurement site and suspended sediment loads during high discharges up to a 15 year flood event have been monitored.To evaluate the new monitoring methods the results were compared with load estimation methods found in the literature including averaging and ratio estimators as well as rating curves.The results prove that with the new methodology,the temporal variability of the suspended sediment transport can be detected more accurately compared with the other methods.They also demonstrate that the additional consideration of the spatial distribution of the suspended sediment concentration in the cross section is crucial as the mean concentration in the cross section can significantly exceed the concentration near the banks,especially at large rivers like the Danube River.     

Quantification and characterization of the dynamics of spring and stream water systems in the Berchtesgaden Alps with a long-term stable isotope dataset

The understanding of alpine groundwater dynamics and the interactions with surface stream water is crucial for water resources research and management in mountain regions. In order to characterize local spring and stream water systems, samples at 8 springs, 5 stream gauges and bulk samples of precipitation at 4 sites were regularly collected between January 2012 and January 2016 in the Berchtesgaden Alps for stable water isotope analysis. The sampled hydro-systems are characterized by very different dynamics of the stable isotope signatures. To quantify those differences, we analyzed the stable isotope time series and calculated mean transit times (MTT) and young water fractions (YWF) of the sampled systems. Based on the data analysis, two groups of spring systems could be identified: one group with relatively short MTT (and high YWF) and another group with long MTT (and low YWF). The MTT and the YWF of the sampled streams were intermediate, respectively. The reaction of the sampled spring and stream systems to precipitation input was studied by lag time analysis. The average lag times revealed the influence of snow and ice melt for the hydrology in the study region. It was not possible to determine the recharge elevation of the spring and stream systems due to a lack of altitude effect in the precipitation data. For two catchments, the influence of the spring water stable isotopic composition on the streamflow was shown, highlighting the importance of the spring water for the river network in the study area.     

Fabric-diagram contour precision and size of counting element related to sample size by approximation theory methods

Density estimation on the unit sphere by kernel methods may be conceived as a process of approximation by singular integrals. This concept aids in the solution of the main problems concerning the contouring of fabric diagrams. The optimal size of the counting element in Schmidt's method with respect to the mean integrated square error (MISE)of the density estimation is given. It proved that the optimal size is not only a function of the sample size but seriously depends on the smoothness of the density of directions on the sphere. In the light of approximation theory the Schmidt method of contouring is qualified as a moving average process; an example of a more refined density estimator is given.