ALBERT

Description: The aim of this work is the implementation of an effective Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean. It is a component part of an Early Warning System that will also be capable of registering other natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The system integrates terrestrial observation networks of seismology und geodesy with marine measurements techniques and satellite observations. The required R & D work will be realized within the framework of a stage-plan, which will, within a short time span of 1-3 years, be able to provide effective warning on the one hand and, which will also allow for an integration of technological developments, currently undergoing further research. The initiative is coordinated by the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF), represented by the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ). In view of the geological situation one has to bear in mind that Indonesia especially, due to the fact that the main islands are located next to and above the Sunda seismogenic zone, could most frequently and most intensively in the future be prone to catastrophic Tsunami events. The envisaged Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean consists of different components as broadband seismometers, GPS, tide gauges, ocean-bottom pressure sensors and GPS-Buoys. On the basis of the data and recordings registered a warning can be generated. This presentation gives insight into the creation of the 26 December 2004 Tsunami, introduces the planned technical realization of the Early Warning System, shows first model scenarios and gives an overview of the planned realization of an Early Warning System in the Indian Ocean.

Description: In contrast to predominantly hydrocarbon-rich natural gases in the western part of the Central European Basin (CEB), accumulations of natural gases from the eastern part of the North German Basin (NGB) are nitrogen-rich with up to 90% N2. This study is focused on the behaviour of fixed ammonium in clay minerals of organic-rich Palaeozoic sediments in the eastern part of the NGB as a major source of nitrogen-rich natural gases. Carboniferous shales have been investigated for a better understanding of nitrogen fixing during diagenesis, storage during burial and release during devolatilization processes or fluid–rock interactions. The total nitrogen contents in the studied Carboniferous shales of the NGB reach up to 2700 ppm with an inorganic fixed portion (in the form of NH4 +–N) of more than 60%. The results of this study indicate an increasing proportion of the mineralogically fixed ammonium with increasing thermal maturity and storage up to catagenetic conditions. The isotopic composition of fixed-NH4 is relatively homogeneous in the majority of the shales and ranges from +1 to +3.5‰. In contrast, samples from the basin centre show a significant decrease in ammonium contents down to 460 ppm coupled with a shift in δ15N up to +5.6‰ suggesting a release of nitrogen on a large scale. Calculation of nitrogen loss and isotopic fractionation indicate that more than 30% of nitrogen was released as ammonium probably as a consequence of fluid-rock interaction with highly saline brines.

Description: 〈P〉The speciation of boron in H〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉2〈/FONT〉O+H〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉BO〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉±NaCl and H〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉2〈/FONT〉O+Na〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉2〈/FONT〉B〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉4〈/FONT〉O〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉7〈/FONT〉 fluids was studied in situ at temperatures between 22 and 600°C and pressures from 0.1 MPa to about 2 GPa using Raman spectroscopy and a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell. Additionally, we determined the frequency shifts of the 877 cm〈SUP〉-1〈/SUP〉 Raman line of [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 in aqueous fluids with temperature (〈FONT FACE="Math1"〉d〈/FONT〉〈FONT FACE="Math5"〉v〈/FONT〉〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉877〈/FONT〉/〈FONT FACE="Math1"〉dT〈/FONT〉)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉P=0.1 MPa〈/FONT〉 = -0.02532 cm〈SUP〉-1〈/SUP〉K〈SUP〉-1〈/SUP〉 and pressure (〈FONT FACE="Math1"〉d〈/FONT〉〈FONT FACE="Math5"〉v〈/FONT〉〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉877〈/FONT〉/〈FONT FACE="Math1"〉d〈/FONT〉P)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉T=22°C〈/FONT〉 = 4.06 cm〈SUP〉-1〈/SUP〉GPa〈SUP〉-1〈/SUP〉. The observed species in acidic fluids were [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 and smaller amounts of a four-coordinated boron species which may be attributed to dissolved metaboric acid HBO〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉2〈/FONT〉(aq). The ratio of this B〈SUP〉[4]〈/SUP〉-O species to [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 increases with temperature and decreases slightly with addition of NaCl. In alkaline solutions, polyboric ions depolymerize rapidly with temperature. Thus, [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 and [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉4〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉-〈/SUP〉 were the only remaining detectable species at 500 and 600°C. The Raman spectra showed an increase of [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 relative to [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉4〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉-〈/SUP〉 with temperature and an increase of [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉4〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉-〈/SUP〉 relative to [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 with pressure. 〈BR〉 The general trend in the boron speciation is a higher stability of simpler complexes with temperature. The experimental observations strongly indicate that planar three-coordinated [B(OH)〈FONT SIZE="-1"〉3〈/FONT〉]〈SUP〉0〈/SUP〉 is the predominant boron species in the aqueous phase over a wide range of P-T-pH conditions. This supports the validity of previous assumptions on boron coordination in crustal and mantle wedge fluids.〈BR〉 〈/P〉