Petrographische und Kalium-Argon-Untersuchungen an basischen tertiären Vulkaniten zwischen Westerwald und Vogelsberg

Between the upper tertiary volcanic areas of Westerwald and Vogelsberg (central Western Germany) occur more than 40 isolated tertiary volcanic dikes, eroded necks, plugs and domes. Twelve of these volcanic rocks have been investigated petrographically and chemically and classified by means of their modal and chemical composition. Additional modal analyses have been performed on seven other volcanics. On seventeen volcanic occurences K-Ar-whole rock age determinations have been made. The K-Ar age determinations yield- with the exception of an olivine-nephelinite — values between 27 and 15 Ma. Regarding the known intervals of volcanic activities of the Westerwald- and Voge1sberg-areas, most of the examined volcanics can be related genetically with one of the adjacent volcanic areas. There seems to be no geographical overlapping of volcanics showing Westerwaldages and Vogelsberg-ages. A possible influence of excess-Ar-bearing phases (e. g. mantle xenoliths) and an Ar-loss of constituent matter of the groundmass have been estimated by additional age determinations of enriched samples. These influences — partially compensating each other — may shift the K-Ar whole rock age to a maximum of 5 % and thus do not exceed the dimension of the standard deviations. A distinct NNE-SSW-striking fault in the region between Marburg and Gießen is situated parallel with the eastern border of the “Rheinisches Schiefergebirge”. Volcanics showing Westerwald-age and Vogelsberg-age respectively reach this fault, but obviously do not overlap it. Relations between rock-type an rock age, as it has been observed for the volcanics of the northern Hessian Depression (Kreuzer et al. 1973;Wedepohl 1982) cannot be proved certainly. On the other hand, similar to the basaltic rocks of the northern Hessian Depression, the youngest volcanic product is an olivine-nephelinite (9 Ma).     

Natural conditions and problems of their complex utilization in the German Democratic Republic

While the natural structures of the GDR territory influenced by geological features and relief formation show a north-south sequence, variations in climate belong to a more northwest-southeast directed differentiation by maritime to continental features. Already since the Middle Ages the natural conditions of this territory have been utilized by man, at present many socially necessary functions of natural regions require rational and effective solutions for the complex utilization of nature and its resources. In order to support decisionmakers by scientific foundations for the solution of these problems, Physical Geography is concerned chiefly with three tasks: 1. Determination of the suitability and carrying capacity with regard to certain requirements of society (landscape survey). 2. Analysis of the functioning of landscape systems by the investigation of natural processes and technogene impacts on them by different forms of use. 3. Elaboration of scientific foundations in order to render possible a rational utilization and effective forms of control of natural and technogene determined landscape processes.     

Geologische Vorgänge in den Alpen ab Obereozän im Spiegel vor allem der deutschen Molasse

Zusammenfassung Die vorquartäre Geschichte des Molassebeckens nördlich der Alpen läßt sich in 3 Großabschnitte unterteilen, in deren Ablauf sich umrißhaft die jeweils zugehörigen Entwicklungsstadien des aufsteigenden Gebirges widerspiegeln, die bisweilen umgekehrt auch von Ereignissen im Vorland beeinflußt werden. Der 1. Abschnitt (Obereozän bis Aquitan/ Ober-Eger) ist von der in den Westalpen beginnenden Hebung sowie von Bewegungen der savischen Dislokationsphase geprägt, in besonderem Maße ferner an der Rupel/ChattGrenze von der größten Meeresspiegelsenkung seit dem Kambrium. Im 2. Abschnitt (Burdigal/Eggenburg bis Unterpannon) verlagert sich die Hebungsaktivität zu den Ostalpen, womit im Vorland die große, E-W gerichtete Flußschüttung der Oberen Süßwassermolasse ausgelöst wird. In ihr verursacht die gewaltige Erderschütterung des Riesmeteoriten-Einschlags im höheren Baden vermutlich die Flußverlegung der Enns, eines ihrer beiden Hauptzubringer, zum Grazer Becken und damit eine sich u. a. im Schwermineralbestand (als A-Grenze) abzeichnende Änderung der Materialzufuhr aus dem Gebirge. Im 3. Abschnitt (Unterpannon bis Pliozän) geht infolge weiteren Aufsteigens der Alpen samt Vorland bei gleichzeitiger Verlagerung des Hebungszentrums wieder zur Westschweiz die bisherige Akkumulation in Denudation über, die von dem sich nun von Niederösterreich aus ins Molassebecken hineinfressenden Donausystem besorgt wird.Die während des 2. Großabschnitts von der Auflast der vorrückenden kalkalpinen Dekken aus ihrem Ablagerungsraum herausgequetschte ältere Molasse ist zu den alpenparallelen Mulden des gefalteten Bereichs zusammengeschoben, mit einer wohl erst im 3. Abschnitt entstandenen Achsendepression zwischen Iller und Mangfall. In diesen Zeitraum vor allem fällt auch die Verformung der jüngeren ungefalteten Molasse zu einer alpenparallelen Großmulde, deren Achse nach SW und E aushebt.

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The pre-Quaternary history of the Molasse basin north of the Alps can be subdivided into three major phases, in the course of which the respective associated evolutional stages of the rising mountains are reflected in outline. On the other hand, these stages are occasionally also influenced by events in the foreland. The first phase (Upper Eocene to Aquitanian/Upper Egerian) ist characterized by the uplifting beginning in the Western Alps and movements of the Savic dislocation phase, and in particular also at the Rupelian/Chattian boundary by the greatest eustatic lowering of the sea level since the Cambrian period. During the second phase (Burdigalian/Eggenburgian to Lower Pannonian) the uplifting shifts to the Eastern Alps, bringing about in the foreland the large E-W directed fluvial accretion of the Upper Fresh-water-Molasse. During its progress the enormous earth-tremor of the Ries meteoric impact in the upper Badenian presumably leads to the diversion of the Enns river, being one of the two main tributaries, to the Graz basin, resulting in a change in the material supply from the mountains, which is reflected in the heavy mineral content (designated as A-boundary). In the third phase (Lower Pannonian to Pliocene) the previous accumulation, as a result of the continuing uplifting of the Alps and the foreland with simultaneous shifting of the uplift centre back to Western Switzerland, turns to denudation which is effected by the Danube system extending from Lower Austria into the Molasse basin.The older Molasse squeezed out of its deposition area by the overburden of the advancing Austroalpine nappes has been compressed to the throughs of the folded zone along the Alps, with an axis depression between the rivers Iller and Mangfall, which has presumably not developed until the third phase. Above all, during this period the deformation of the younger unfolded Molasse to a large trough paralleling the Alps also took place; its axis rises to the SW and E.

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Résumé L'histoire préquaternaire du bassin molassique au nord des Alpes peut se diviser en trois périodes principales dont le déroulement reflète à grands traits les phases de développement corrélatives de la chaîne en voie de soulèvement. D'autre part, ces phases de développement sont de temps en temps influencées par des événements intervenus dans le bassin. La première période (Eocène supérieur à Aquitanien/Egerien supérieur) est marquée par le soulèvement commençant dans les Alpes occidentales, ainsi que par des mouvements de la phase de dislocation savique et, en particulier à la limite du Rupélien/Chattien, par le plus grand abaissement eustatique du niveau de la mer depuis le Cambrien. Pendant la seconde période (Burdigalien/Eggenburgien à Pannonien inférieur) l'activité de soulèvement se déplace vers les Alpes orientales, provoquant dans le bassin préalpin la grande accrétion fluviale de la Süßwassermolasse (Molasse d'eau douce) supérieure dirigée de l'est vers l'ouest. Le violent ébranlement terrestre produit dans celle-ci par l'impact de la météorite dans le Ries pendant le Badénien supérieur mène probablement le détournement de l'Enns, l'un des deux fleuves tributaires principaux, vers le bassin de Graz, donnant lieu à un changement dans le transport de matériaux venant des montagnes, ce qui se reflète dans la teneur en minerais lourds (dénommé « limite A »). Pendant la troisième période (Pannonien inférieur à Pliocène), l'accumulation antérieure, par suite du soulèvement continu des Alpes et du bassin préalpin, accompagné de la retraite du centre du soulèvement vers la Suisse occidentale, tourne à la dénudation qui est effectuée par le système danubien s'étendant dès lors de la Basse-Autriche au bassin molassique.La Molasse plus ancienne expulsée pendant la seconde période principale de son milieu de sedimentation par la pression des nappes austroalpines susjacentes en progression a été comprimée en auges de la zone pliée le long des Alpes, avec un abaissement axial entre l'Iller et le Mangfall, qui ne s'est probablement formé que dans la troisième période. Dans cette période surtout intervient la déformation de la Molasse plus récente non plissée qui prend la forme d'une grande auge parallèle aux Alpes, dont l'axe s'élève vers le sud-ouest et l'est.

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Herrn Dr. Dr. h. c. Artur Roll (Tübingen) gewidmet

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Nach einem Vortrag auf der 73. Jahrestagung der Geologischen Vereinigung in Berchtesgaden am 25. Februar 1983.     

Suevite of the ries crater,Germany: Source rocks and implications for cratering mechanics

Suevites are impact breccias with a montmorillonitic matrix that contains shocked and unshocked mineral and rock fragments from the crystalline basement, glass inclusions and a small amount of sedimentary clasts. Data are given of the modal composition of fall-out suevites (deposited at isolated points around the crater) and crater suevite (forming a layer below post-impact lake sediments in the crater cavity). Fall-out suevites contain aerodynamically shaped bombs which are absent in crater suevite. Taking into account not only large glass fragments and bombs, but also the finer fractions, the glass content of fall-out and crater suevites amounts to 47 and 29 vol%, respectively. Crystalline clasts in suevites consist of all igneous and metamorphic rock types that constitute the local basement which consists of an upper layer of igneous rocks (mainly granites) and a lower series of gneisses and amphibolite. Based on a collection of 1 200 clasts from 13 suevite occurrences the average crystalline clast population of suevites was determined. Suevites contain on the average 46 % igneous and 54 % metamorphic clasts. In constrast, weakly shocked and unshocked crystalline ejecta of the Ries structure consist of 82 % igneous and 18 % metamorphic rocks. From 138 analyses of crystalline rock samples average compositions of the major rock types were calculated. Comparison of these averages with the average glass composition leads to the conclusion that suevite glasses were formed by shock melting of gneisses in deeper levels of the basement. Suevite matrices consist in most cases of 80 to 90 % montmorillonite, in special cases of celadonite. Chemical analyses are given of some matrices and montmorillonite formulas calculated. It is supposed that montmorillonite was formed by early hydrothermal alteration of rock flour or fine glass particles. In the latter case the original glass content of suevites was higher than at present. Of all ejecta from the Ries crater only crystalline rocks contained in suevites occur in all stages of shock metamorphism up to complete fusion. The overwhelming majority of the ejecta from the sedimentary sequence (about 580 m) show no indications of shock pressures above 10 GPa. The same holds true for crystalline megablocks and breccias around the crater which consist mainly of granites from upper levels of the basement. We assume that the Ries impact can be approximated by a deep-burst model: The projectile penetrated through the sedimentary cover into the basement in such a way that the highest pressures and temperatures developed within the gneiss complex below the upper, predominately granitic layer and that rocks of the sedimentary sequence experienced weak shock compression. Numerical data are given for such a model of the Ries impact on transient crater geometry and volumes of vaporized, melted, shocked and excavated rocks. Fall-out suevites are supposed to have been lifted from the central zone by an expanding plume of vaporized rocks and deposited as fluidized turbulent masses outside the crater whereas the main mass of crater suevite was not removed from the crater cavity.     

The southern agglomeration zone of the GDR — Regional structure and development

Agglomeration areas in the GDR are those regions, which are characterized by an above average level of regional concentration of productive forces and their conditions of reproduction. The economic potential concentrated in these regions represents a large part of the national economy. It is possible to describe the territorial structure of these agglomeration areas by general indices (agglomeration core — agglomeration field — agglometation fringe; polycentric node-band-structure), but also the individual features of each one of these regions are to be attended. They are expressed for the first time by several forms of localization of plants and by the structure of settlements and settlement networks. The present main tendencies in the development of the agglomeration regions are:

They succeeded in minimizing the regional disparities of productivity between different agglomeration regions and within them, and in stabilizing the economic position of these regions by systematic measures for investment and rationalization and the hereby influenced structural changes.

At present and up to 1990 the completion of housing programme is of foremost importance by which the main activities will shift from the urban fringe to the centres of the cities; provincial towns and smaller settlements will also participate in this programme.

The main target of these activities is to remove imperfect structures and other burning problems of the agglomeration regions step by step. Geographical Institutes are dealing with the management of these tasks too.