Source parameters of the 2004 Kaliningrad earthquakes

An analysis of source parameters of the two unexpected earthquakes from the Kaliningrad (Russia) area is presented. The earthquakes occurred on 21 September 2004 at 11:05:01 and 13:32:31 UT, respectively. The first event was located at the latitude φ = 54.924°N and the longitude λ = 20.120°E, with a depth h = 16 km, and the second event at φ = 54.876°N, λ = 20.120°E and h = 20 km. Magnitudes Mw of the two events were very similar: 5.1 and 5.2. The magnitude values reported by various international data centers have been meaningfully different. The reason is the presence of high-frequency components in Z velocity component of the S wavefield. They were observed along the direction defined by two stations, BLEU in Sweden and SUW in Poland, located in opposite sides of the source. Along the direction perpendicular to it, the effects are relatively very small. The high-frequency waves are understood to mean components in the 6–8 Hz band for event 1 and 2-4 Hz for event 2. The effects in question are also clearly visible on displacement spectrograms. The magnitude values calculated at such stations from S-wave amplitudes or from seismic spectra are clearly overestimated and are close to 6. Therefore, we made a careful selection of channels in order to determine the spectral parameters and, on this basis, the source parameters. The size of the source is relatively small, of about 2 km. The closest seismic station is at 100 source radii from the source. One can clearly see the effect of the TT zone which markedly reduces the seismic moment value for seismic stations laying on the opposite sides of the source. Both events have very similar spatial distributions of the source parameters: magnitude, seismic moment and radius.     

Tournaisian age of granitoids from the Odra Fault Zone (southwestern Poland): equivalent of the Mid-German Crystalline High?

The Odra Fault Zone of southwestern Poland is a NW-trending horst marked by gravimetric and magnetic anomalies and composed of high- to low-grade metamorphic and igneous rocks which are only known from boreholes. This zone embraces a concealed border between Variscan internides and externides. It also contains an array of several I-type, metaluminous to peraluminous, high potassic granitoid bodies which intruded earlier metamorphosed rocks. Except for one case, they remain unfoliated and undeformed, and presumably play a role of stitching plutons at the suture between two obliquely colliding terranes. U–Pb TIMS dating of single zircons from one foliated and one unfoliated granitoid samples yielded identical concordant ages of 344±1 Ma (Tournaisian). They resemble a Pb–Pb age of 350±5 Ma obtained for S-type granitoids from the Luckau area further west in Germany, which is generally regarded as an eastern segment of the Mid-German Crystalline High. Carboniferous granitic intrusions in the high are generally younger (340–290 Ma). Correlations of the the Odra Fault Zone with the Mid-German Crystalline High appear plausible, but by no means certain and require further confirmation.     

New data on Jean-Étienne Guettard's journey to Poland in the years 1760–1762

This paper presents new information on the journey of the French geologist Jean-Étienne Guettard to Poland in the years 1760–1762. Search in the Archives of the Academy of Sciences in Paris, especially a review of his biographic dossier and collections of documents reports delivered at the meetings of the Academy, made it possible to find rich material (letters, reports, notes from field studies, drafts of lectures and others), a large part of which refers to this journey. This hitherto overlooked material well supplements our knowledge of the journey and casts some new light on the scope and extent and results of geological and meteorological studies carried out by J.-É. Guettard during his stay in Poland. To cite this article: R. Tarkowski, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Microencruster-microbial-cement framework of the Upper Jurassic reef developed on the slope of the intra-Tethyan carbonate platform (Bulgaria)

The carbonate succession in the Lyalintsi section of the western Moesian Platform (western Bulgaria) displays a shallowing-upward trend. Growth of the Tithonian–Valanginian coral biostromes and low-relief bioherms was preceded by Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian sedimentation of fine-grained peloidal-bioclastic limestones and Saccocoma-bearing limestones on the homoclinal ramp and the carbonate platform slope. In the late Kimmeridgian, boundstones with very rare corals, but with easily recognisable biohermal morphology, were developed. The main components of this reef are encrusting microorganisms, microbial crusts and synsedimentary cements. Microencrusters Labes atramentosa, Crescentiella morronensis, Perturbatacrusta leini and Radiomura cautica, as well as thin crusts of calcified sponges (sclerosponges), are the main biotic components. Corals (almost exclusively microsolenids) are sparse, whereas photophilic microencrusters (e.g., “Lithocodium–Bacinella”), are absent, although they are common in the overlying shallow-water part of the Lyalintsi sequence. Microbialites and synsedimentary cements provided additional support for the reef framework. The framework, especially the biotic components, and the reefal facies position within the sedimentary succession, implies that the high-energy upper slope of the carbonate platform was the depositional setting of the microencruster-microbial-cement reef studied. Encrusting microorganisms, except for C. morronensis and sponges, are only known from the intra-Tethyan platforms. This study supports conclusion of studies of coeval Alpine reefs that the presence of the microencruster-microbial-cement framework provides insight into the palaeobathymetry, palaeogeography and tectonic configuration of the intra-Tethyan carbonate platforms.     

Advances in understanding calcite varve formation: new insights from a dual lake monitoring approach in the southern Baltic lowlands

We revise the conceptual model of calcite varves and present, for the first time, a dual lake monitoring study in two alkaline lakes providing new insights into the seasonal sedimentation processes forming these varves. The study lakes, Tiefer See in NE Germany and Czechowskie in N Poland, have distinct morphology and bathymetry, and therefore, they are ideal to decipher local effects on seasonal deposition. The monitoring setup in both lakes is largely identical and includes instrumental observation of (i) meteorological parameters, (ii) chemical profiling of the lake water column including water sampling, and (iii) sediment trapping at both bi-weekly and monthly intervals. We then compare our monitoring data with varve micro-facies in the sediment record. One main finding is that calcite varves form complex laminae triplets rather than simple couplets as commonly thought. Sedimentation of varve sub-layers in both lakes is largely dependent on the lake mixing dynamics and results from the same seasonality, commencing with diatom blooms in spring turning into a pulse of calcite precipitation in summer and terminating with a re-suspension layer in autumn and winter, composed of calcite patches, plant fragments and benthic diatoms. Despite the common seasonal cycle, the share of each of these depositional phases in the total annual sediment yield is different between the lakes. In Lake Tiefer See calcite sedimentation has the highest yields, whereas in Lake Czechowskie, the so far underestimated re-suspension sub-layer dominates the sediment accumulation. Even in undisturbed varved sediments, re-suspended material becomes integrated in the sediment fabric and makes up an important share of calcite varves. Thus, while the biogeochemical lake cycle defines the varves’ autochthonous components and micro-facies, the physical setting plays an important role in determining the varve sub-layers’ proportion.     

Permanence of economic potential of cities based on sector development

The paper attempts to answer the following key question: how will a city′s world rank change in the face of crisis in its main economic sector? Crisis is defined here as a decline in financial performance in the given sector, which leads to the decline of its constituent firms and corporations on the world economic scene. The World Economic Center Index(WECI) has been created in order to rank cities based on the value of their resident corporations by sector and show their level of stability upon the removal of the most important sector. This provides information on the potential of each analyzed city as well as on its advanced features or area of specialization. Research has shown that nearly half the World Economic Centers are dominated by the financial and materials sectors of the economy. Different sectors dominate different regions of the world. For example, consumer staples and materials were dominant in North America, while information technology and financials were dominant in Europe. In Asia, several sectors tend to dominate the economy. Research has shown that the ability of a principal economic sector to resist economic crisis largely depends on the strength of the command and control function of a city. Finally, a high globalization level of a city is a key determinant of its susceptibility to economic crisis.     

Identifying geochemical reactions on wellbore cement/caprock interface under sequestration conditions

The integrity of wells, which are key components for CO₂ sequestration, depends mainly on the seal between the wellbore cement and the geologic formation. To identify the reaction products that may alter the cement/caprock interface, batch experiments and computer modelling were conducted and analysed. Over time, the dissolution and precipitation of minerals alters the physical properties of the interface, including its tightness. One main objective of the simulation was thus to analyse the evolution of the porosity of cement and caprock over time. The alteration of the cement/caprock interface was identified as a complex problem and differentiated depending on rock type. The characteristic feature of a cement/shale contact zone is the occurrence of a highly carbonated, compacted layer within the shale, which in turn causes cement/shale detachment. In the case of a cement/anhydrite interface, the most important reaction is severe anhydrite dissolution. Secondary calcite precipitation takes place in deeper parts of the rock. The cement/rock contact zone is prone to rapid mineral dissolution, which contributes to increased porosity and may alter the well integrity. Comparison of computer simulations with autoclave experiments enabled the adjustment of unknown parameters. This enhances the knowledge of these particular assemblages. Overall, a good match was obtained between experiments and simulations, which enhances confidence in using models to predict longer-term evolution.     

Spatial distribution of phosphorus forms in sediments in the Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea)

The paper analyses the concentrations of total phosphorus and its forms in sediments from the Gulf of Gdańsk on the basis of studies conducted at 25 sampling sites in 2001–05. The phosphorus speciation analysis was performed by sequential extraction. The extensive spatial variability of P_tot concentrations and speciation was found to be dependent on the physicochemical properties of the sediments, the oxygen conditions in the water and sediments, and the depth of the water column above the sediment surface. In the coastal zone, the sedimentation of riverine suspended matter and the sorption and chemisorption processes exert a considerable influence on P speciation. Over 70% of variation of total phosphorus concentration in sediments in the Gulf of Gdańsk could be explained by changes of proportion of fine fraction of sediments (grain size <0.0625 mm). Maximum P_tot concentrations were recorded in clays and silts in the deep water, stratified part of the Gulf of Gdańsk. In the coastal zone, where sandy sediments are dominant, phosphorus concentrations were much lower; this was due to the considerable dynamics of the bottom water and intensive sea floor transport. P_tot concentrations in the Gulf of Gdańsk sediments ranged from 1.75 to 957.17 μmol g⁻¹ d.w. Of all the forms of phosphorus, the highest concentrations were found for organic phosphorus (Org-P). Of its inorganic forms, the highest concentrations were of phosphorus bound to clay minerals and aluminium oxides (NaOH-P), the lowest ones were of loosely bound phosphorus (NaCl-P). On the basis of determinations of total phosphorus concentrations in sediments of a given type and the available data on the seabed areas covered by particular sediment types in the Gulf of Gdańsk, the mass of total phosphorus in the surficial sediment layer (0–2 cm) was estimated at ca. 15.6×10³ tonnes.     

Magnetic structure of polluted soil profiles from Eastern Ukraine

Our study concerned magnetic properties of soil profiles taken from polluted regions of Eastern Ukraine around the industrial centres Krivyj Rig, Mariupol and Komsomolsk. Soils represent chernozem and podzoluvisol. The low-field magnetic susceptibility shows enhancement in the topsoil caused by contamination by coarse-grain magnetite connected with industrial pollution. Magnetic mineralogy was determined by means of thermal demagnetisation of SIRM, monitoring of susceptibility changes during warming from ?196°C to room temperature and heating to 700°C, and Mössbauer analysis. Granulometry of magnetic particles was investigated by determination of hysteresis parameters, susceptibility, M _s , SIRM and ARM ratios and frequency dependence of susceptibility. The chemical parameters, namely pH, organic carbon and iron content in different pedogenic and lithogenic minerals, measured for particular horizons determined pedogenic characteristic of soil profiles. Our study showed that differences in magnetic parameters of non-polluted and polluted soil profiles are not limited to the topsoil, but reach deep layers of the parent material. Industrial pollution promotes formation of the so-called “pedogenic” SP and SD particles in these layers.