Cretaceous–Tertiary Rhenodanubian flysch wedge (Eastern Alps): clues to sediment supply and basin configuration from zircon fission-track data

The provenance of Cenomanian to Eocene flysch deposits accreted along the northern margin of the Eastern Alps has been investigated by means of zircon fission-track (FT) geochronology and zircon morphology. The Rhenodanubian flysch and Ybbsitz klippen zone comprise several nappes representing the Main flysch and Laab basins. The Laab basin received sediments of stable European provenance, indicated by pre-Variscan, Variscan, and Permian–Triassic zircon FT ages, and was thus located in the immediate south of the European margin. The Main flysch basin was supplied mainly from the evolving Eastern Alps and was therefore situated south of the Laab basin. Zircon populations with Permian to Jurassic cooling ages in the Main flysch basin are related to increased heat fluxes during the break-up of Pangaea and are probably derived from the northwestern part of the Eastern Alps. The dominant Cretaceous zircon FT cooling ages reflect Eoalpine metamorphism in the Austroalpine realm.     

Nachweis altpaläozoischer Primäralter (Rb-Sr) und karbonischer Abkühlungsalter (K-Ar) der Muskovit-Biotit-Gneise des Spessarts und der Biotit-Gneise des Böllsteiner Odenwaldes

Zusammenfassung An Gesamtgesteins-Proben von orthogenen Gneisen des Vorspessarts, des Böllsteiner Odenwaldes und des Kristallins von Neustadt sind Rb-Sr-Altersbestimmungen und — an abgetrennten Mineralen solcher Gneise sowie von Pegmatiten bzw. Pegmatoiden — K-Ar-Altersbestimmungen durchgeführt worden. Alle Gneise zeigen blastomylonitische Erscheinungen. Fünf Gneisproben des Spessarts (»Rotgneise«) definieren einen Alterswert von 414±18 Ma (1, 42 10^–11a^–1) bei einem SrAnfangswert von 0,707±0,002 und bestätigen den vonKreuzer et al. (1973) für diese Gesteinsgruppe bestimmten silunsch-devonischen Wert. Sieben granodioritische Biotit-Gneise des zentralen Teils des Böllsteiner Odenwaldes ergeben keine eindeutige Isochrone. Es zeichnen sich sowohl altpaläozoische als auch karbonische Beziehungen im Diagramm ab. Sieben Granitgneis-Proben liefern einen Alterswert von 360±56 Ma. Zusammen liefern die beiden Gneistypen die Alters-Aussage 413±26 Ma. Insgesamtwird die ursprünglichVon Bubnoff (1922) erkannte Altersverschiedenheit zum Bergsträ\er Odenwald bestätigt. Die Intrusion der Vorgänger der untersuchten Gesteine aus Spessart und Böllsteiner Odenwald erfolgte, bezogen aufGale (1982), möglicherweise während des Silurs, spätestens während des frühen Devons. Für die Hornblende-Gneise von Neustadt ergab sich ein Zweiproben Rb-Sr-Alter von 369±14 Ma. Mehrere K-Ar- und zwei Rb-Sr-Altersbestimmungen ergaben für Glimmer, Hornblenden und einen Apatit der beiden Hauptgebiete mittelkarbonische Werte. Sie werden als Abkühlungsalter nach Metamorphose und Mylonitisierung gedeutet.

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Rb-Sr whole-rock analyses on samples from the Spessart, the Böllstein Odenwald and a crystalline outcrop between the two areas (near Neustadt) have been performed. Mineral separates of some of the rocks and from pegmatites respectively pegmatoids were used for K-Ar dating. All the gneisses show blastomylonitic features. Five muscovitebiotite gneisses from the Spessart (»Rotgneise«) yield an age of 414±18 Ma (1.42^* 10^–11a^–1) and a Sr isotope initial value of 0.707±0.002, confirmingKreuzer et al. (1973). The results of seven granodioritic gneisses from the Böllstein Odenwald don't lie on an isochron. There are points in the Sr evolution diagram lining up with an old-paleozoic and some with a Carboniferous age value. Seven granitic gneiss samples yield an age value of 360±56 Ma. The result of all Böllstein samples together is 413±26 Ma (2-sigma; I_o= 0.708±0.002). The older age of the Böllstein basement compared to the Bergsträ\er Odenwald postulated byVon Bubnoff (1922) is confirmed. The intrusion of the educts of the orthogneisses in Spessart and Böllstein Odenwald occured during the Silurian (compareGale 1982), at the latest during the early Devonian. Two hornblende gneisses of the Neustadt crystalline outcrop yield an Rb-Sr age of 369±14 Ma. Several K-Ar and two Rb-Sr age determinations on micas, hornblendes and an apatite give isotopic ages corresponding to Middle-Carboniferous times. They date the cooling of the two areas after metamorphism and mylonitisation.

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Résumé Des datations par la méthode Rb-Sr sur roche totale ont été effectuées sur des gneiss du Spessart, du Böllsteiner Odenwald et d'un affleurement intermédiaire (près de Neustadt). La méthode K-Ar a été appliquée à des minéraux séparés des mÊmes gneiss ainsi que de pegmatites et pegmatoÏdes. Tous les gneiss possèdent une structure blastomylonitique. Cinq gneiss à muscovite-biotite du Spessart (»Rotgneise«) donnent un âge de 414±18 Ma (=1,42×10^–11 a^–1) avec un rapport initial I_o de 0,707±0,002 ce qui confirme les résultats obtenus parKreuzer et al (1973). Sept gneiss granodioritiques de l'Odenwald fournissent des points qui ne s'alignent pas sur une isochrone: certains d'entre eux donnent un âge paléozoÏque inférieur, les autres un âge carbonifère. Sept gneiss granitiques fournissent un âge de 360±56 Ma. Ces deux types de gneiss, ensemble, fournissent un âge de 413±26 (2-sigma; I_o=0,708± 0,002). Ces mesures confirment l'antériorité du socle du Böllstein par rapport au Bergsträsser Odenwald postulée par vonBubnhoff (1922). L'intrusion des roches magmatiques, qui sont à l'origine des orthogneiss dans le Spessart et le Böllsteiner Odenwals a dû se produire pendant le Silurien (voir:Gale 1982) et, au plus tard, pendant l'Eodévonien. Deux gneiss à hornblende du cristallin de neustadt fournissent un âge Rb-Sr de 369±14 Ma. Plusieurs déterminations K-Ar et deux déterminations Rb-Sr effectuées sur des micas, des hornblendes et une apatite donnent des âges isotopiques correspondant au Carbonifère moyen. Cet âge représente le refroidissement des deux régions après le métamorphisme et la mylonitisation.

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Rb-Sr systematics of Permian volcanites in the Schwarzwald (SW-Germany)

Rb-Sr mineral ages and Sr isotopic ratios were determined for several Permian rhyolites of the Schwarzwald, mainly by using mica-apatite pairs. Extrusion ages between_307+5 and 286+7 Ma were found ( _Rb=1.42· 10^–11 a^–1, 2). The initial Sr isotopic ratios range from 0,710 to 0.7125, with one exception (St. Märgen: 0.706). The Rb-Sr age of the granite porphyry Schweighof in the Southern Schwarzwald is 323+4 Ma.Thus the subsequent volcanic activity of the Hercynian orogeny lasted nearly 20–30 Ma, starting in the Late Carboniferous and culminating in the Early Permian. The volcanic activity moved in time from South to North. In the Southern as well as the Northern Schwarzwald a hiatus of about 20 Ma exists between late orogenic plutonism and subsequent volcanism. The initial ratios lie on the crustal evolution line of Schwarzwald basement and favour, with the St. Märgen porphyry as exception, a crustal provenance of the volcanic magmas.     

Correlation of δ18O and initial87Sr/86Sr ratios in Kirkpatrick basalt on Mt. Falla,transantarctic mountains

The ¹⁸O (SMOW) values of the Kirkpatrick Basalt (Jurassic) on Mt. Falla, Queen Alexandra Range, vary between +6.3 and +8.6 The apparent enrichment of these rocks in¹⁸O excludes the possibility that they were altered by interaction with aqueous solutions of meteoric origin. The ¹⁸O values of the flows correlate significantly with the initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and all major elements. These correlations confirm the hypothesis that the basalt magma was contaminated by rocks of the continental crust through which it was extruded. Estimates of the chemical composition of the basalt magma and the contaminant, based on extrapolations of the new oxygen data, generally confirm earlier estimates based on extrapolations of initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. The⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the uncontaminated basalt was 0.7093 which indicates that magma may have originated by melting either in old Rb-enriched lithospheric mantle under Antarctica or in the overlying crust, or both.     

Climate Change driven evolution of hazards to Europe’s transport infrastructure throughout the twenty-first century

Air circulation due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect can influence the dispersion of air pollutants in a metropolis. This study focusses on the influence of the UHI effect on particulate matter (PM; including PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10) between May and September 2010–2012 in the Taipei basin. Meteorological and PM data were obtained from the sites, owned by the governmental authorities. The analysis was carried out using t test, relative indices (RIs), Pearson product–moment correlation and stepwise regression. The results show that the RI values for PM were the highest at moderate UHI intensity (MUI; 2 °C ≤ UHI < 4 °C) rather than at strong UHI intensity (SUI; 4 °C ≤ UHI) during the peak time for anthropogenic emissions (20:00 LST). Neither the accumulation of PM nor the surface convergence occurred in the hot centre, as shown by the case study. At MUI, more than 89 % of the synoptic weather patterns showed that the weather was clear and hot or that the atmosphere was stable. The variation in PM was associated with horizontal and vertical air dispersion. Poor horizontal air dispersion, with subsidence, caused an increase in PM at MUI. However, the updraft motion diluted the PM at SUI. The stepwise regression models show that the cloud index and surface air pressure determined the variation in PM_2.5–10, while cloud index, wind speed and mixing height influenced the variation in PM_2.5. In conclusion, a direct relationship between UHI effect and PM was not obvious.     

Large scale mass movements triggered by the Kashmir earthquake 2005, Pakistan

The SPOT image analysis in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir,northwest Himalayas,Pakistan reveals that the Kashmir earthquake 2005 triggered a number of coseismic mass movements along the hanging wall block of the Muzaffarabad Fault.The Neelidandi and Langarpura rock falls have been identified as two major reactivated mass movements with an estimated volume of 3.1 × 106m3and 5.76 × 106m3,respectively.The Neelidandi and Langarpura mass movements were initiated during earthquake in the direction of northwest-southeast extension and northeastsouthwest directed thrusting,respectively.The Neelidandi rock fall occurred in sheared cherty dolomites and limestones of the Cambrian Muzaffarabad Formation,whereas the Langarpura rock fall occurred in alternating clays,shales,claystones,siltstones and sandstones of the Miocene Murree Formation.These rock units along the fault are highly fractured and jointed.The geotechnical maps and geological longitudinal profiles show the relationship between the geometrical characteristics and mechanism of these mass movements.Their characteristics were analyzed according to the role of topographic,seismic,geological and tectonic factors.The steep topography,sheared rocks,lithology,coseismic uplift and strong ground shaking of the hanging wall block along Muzaffarabad Fault facilitated the gravity collapse of these mass movements.     

Multicomponent competitive monovalent cation exchange in hierarchical porous media with multimodal reactive mineral facies

This paper presents a stochastic model for multicomponent competitive monovalent cation exchange in hierarchical porous media. Reactive transport in porous media is highly sensitive to heterogeneities in physical and chemical properties, such as hydraulic conductivity (K), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). We use a conceptual model for multimodal reactive mineral facies and develop a Eulerian-based stochastic theory to analyze the transport of multiple cations in heterogeneous media with a hierarchical organization of reactive minerals. Numerical examples investigate the retardation factors and dispersivities in a chemical system made of three monovalent cations (Na⁺, K⁺, and Cs⁺). The results demonstrate how heterogeneity influences the transport of competitive monovalent cations, and highlight the importance of correlations between K and CEC. Further sensitivity analyses are presented investigating how the dispersion and retardation of each cation are affected by the means, variances, and integral scales of K and CEC. The volume fraction of organic matter is shown to be another important parameter. The Eulerian stochastic framework presented in this work clarifies the importance of each system parameters on the migration of cation plumes in formations with hierarchical organization of facies types. Our stochastic approach could be used as an alternative to numerical simulations for 3D reactive transport in hierarchical porous media, which become prohibitively expensive for the multicomponent applications considered in this work.     

Current and turbulence measurements at the FINO1 offshore wind energy site: analysis using 5-beam ADCPs

We report concurrent measurements of ocean currents and turbulence at two sites in the North Sea, one site at upwind of the FINO1 platform and the other 200-m downwind of the Alpha Ventus wind farm. At each site, mean currents, Reynolds stresses, turbulence intensity and production of turbulent kinetic energy are obtained from two bottom-mounted 5-beam Nortek Signature1000s, high-frequency Doppler current profiler, at a water depth of approximately 30 m. Measurements from the two sites are compared to statistically identify the effects of wind farm and waves on ocean current variability and the turbulent structure in the water column. Profiles of Reynolds stresses are found to be sensible to both environmental forcing and the wind farm wake-induced distortions in both boundary layers near the surface and the seabed. Production of turbulent kinetic energy and turbulence intensity exhibit approximately similar, but less pronounced, patterns in the presence of farm wake effects.