ALBERT

Beschreibung: In summer 2017, the ICDP SUSTAIN project (Surtsey Underwater volcanic System for Thermophiles, Alteration processes and INnovative concretes), drilled three cored boreholes (Table 1) through Surtsey at sites ≤10 m from a cored hole obtained in 1979. Drilling through the still hot volcano was carried out with an Atlas Copco CS1000 drill rig, whose components were transported by helicopter to Surtsey and re-assembled on site. The first vertical borehole, SE-02a, was cored in HQ diameter to 152 meters below surface (m b.s.) during August 7-16. It was terminated due to borehole collapse. A second vertical (SE-02b) cored borehole was then drilled in HQ diameter to 192 m during August 19-26. Wireline borehole logging in SE-02b was performed August 26. The anodized NQ-sized aluminum tubing of the Surtsey Subsurface Observatory was installed in SE-02b to 181 m depth on August 27. A third borehole, SE-03, angled 35° from vertical and directed 264°, was drilled from August 28 to September 4 and reached a measured depth of 354 m (~290 m vertical depth) under the eastern crater. The core is HQ diameter to a measured depth of 213 m and NQ diameter from 213-354 m measured depth. The core traverses the deep conduit and intrusions of the volcano to a total vertical depth of 290 m b.s. Seawater drilling fluid for boreholes SE-02a and SE-02b was filtered and doubly UV-sterilized at the drill site. No mud products were employed while coring SE-02a, while small amounts of attapulgite mud were used in SE-02b and SE-03. Core samples for geochemical analyses of pore water and microbiological investigations were collected on site from all three boreholes. About 650 m of core was transported by helicopter to Heimaey, 18 km northeast of Surtsey, to a processing laboratory where the core was scanned, documented, and described. Additional core processing has taken place at the Náttúrufraedistofnun Íslands, the Icelandic Institute of Natural History in Gardabaer, where both the 1979 and 2017 cores are stored.

Beschreibung: Length: 32 min What forms the landscapes of the Earth with its mountains, rivers, soils, the places we live in? Is Earth’s surface shaped when rocks are uplifted by geologic forces, and are then destroyed by rain, ice, and wind; or do plants with their roots, animals that dig into soil and the vast number of microorganisms shape the landscapes? Watch the scientists of the German-Chilean “EarthShape” project study these questions along a fascinating landscapes in Chile, and in their home laboratories. A science movie designed and produced by Friedhelm von Blanckenburg from GFZ Potsdam, Germany, Kirstin Übernickel from Universität Tübingen, and Wolfgang Dümcke from Filmbüro Potsdam, Germany, within the DFG-funded research network “EarthShape – Earth Surface Shaping by Biota” which is coordinated by Todd Ehlers (Universität Tübingen) und Friedhelm von Blanckenburg (GFZ Potsdam).

Beschreibung: Deliverable D5.2 presents the experimental outcome of jetting experiments at simulated reservoir conditions. Different rock types are tested under various conditions with the use of three different types of test bench. At first jetting experiments are conducted under submerged conditions in order to derive a better understanding of the governing erosion mechanism. Therefore pitting tests are combined with PIV measurements in order to derive and explain the erosion pattern of the occurring cavitation erosion and why the rock is more like to be eroded by the stagnation pressure of the impinging jet. Second, jetting experiments under pressure controlled conditions are performed. Rate of penetrations (ROP) of up to 100 m/h can be achieved which proofs the successful application of RJD technology especially in sand stone reservoir rock types. Especially the rotating nozzle design bears the highest potential for jetting operations where the static nozzle designs tend to fail, especially when pore pressure increases. The third experimental series under application of a bi- axial stress field show that the current RJD technology, as being used by project partner WSG, is not able to penetrate harder sandstone rock types (e.g. Dortmund sandstone) when field operating conditions are applied. The induced stress in the specimen does not initiate or enhance ROP. A second experiment thereby shows that higher nozzle exit speeds can lead to massive breakouts. Fourth, experiments are performed under a tri-axial stress field in collaboration with TU DELFT. Rock cubes are tested under different and very severely stress regimes while jetting into them. Compared to tests at atmospheric conditions it can be stated that the application of a stress field does not enhance the erosion of rock. At last experiments are conducted with the project partner WSG in order to determine the jetability of the Icelandic Basalt rock type and Icelandic inter basalt sediment layer. The experiments show that already higher pump pressures result in higher jetting performance, hence making them jetable as previously not expected. Furthermore the experiments approved the feasibility of the planned field test in Iceland when the soft sediment layer is the target zone. All in all the experiments conducted with the RJD technology show different results at simulated reservoir conditions compared to those at atmospheric which are described in deliverable D5.1 (Hahn & Wittig, 2017). Therefor, further testing at conditions representing the reservoir conditions more closer are needed in order to better understand and analyze the jetting process downhole.

Beschreibung: In this deliverable, the objectives of the Imperial College team are to consider jetted boreholes in the context of conventional borehole wall-rock stability analysis and to utilise an in-house advanced combined finite-discrete element code to examine the wall-rock failure process for jetted holes. The geomechanical modelling of Lateral Stability in D7.2 presented here is in addition to the main focus on modelling the water-jetting breakdown of the rock itself, reported in D7.1.

Beschreibung: The aim of this research is to investigate the failure mechanism for different types of rock in the context of water jet drilling and to predict the jet-ability or assess the radial jet drilling (RJD) performance prior to drilling and at the well petrophysical analysis stage. The main approach is to numerically simulate the water jet drilling for different types of rock using ICL’s in-house fluid-solid coupling codes. The rock properties, CT-scan data and jetting results obtained from D4.1 (Bakker et al., 2018) and D5.1 (Hahn et al., 2017) provide a good foundation for the related numerical results.

Beschreibung: The GEOFON program consists of a global seismic network (GE Network), a seismological data centre (GEOFON DC) and a global earthquake monitoring system (GEOFON EQinfo). These three pillars are part of the MESI research infrastructure of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences aiming at facilitating scientific research. GEOFON provides real-time seismic data, access to its own and third party data from the archive facilities as well as global and rapid earthquake information. The GEOFON Seismological Software can be considered a fourth cross-cutting module of the GEOFON Program. Data, services, products and software openly distributed by GEOFON are used by hundreds of scientists and data centres worldwide. Its earthquake information service is accessed directly by tens of thousands of visitors. The SeisComP software package is the flagship software provided to the community, which is geared for seismic observatory and data centre needs and used extensively to support our internal operations. Like all other MESI (Modular Earth Science Infrastructure) modules GEOFON has the majority of users outside the GFZ as well as an external advisory committee that provides advice to the GFZ Executive Board and to the GEOFON team. This report describes the main activities carried out within the three GEOFON pillars and the software development group.

Beschreibung: Length: 32 min What forms the landscapes of the Earth with its mountains, rivers, soils, and the places we live in? One view holds that Earth’s surface is shaped when rocks are uplifted by geologic forces, and are then destroyed by rain, ice, and wind that carve landscapes by erosion and weathering. Another view suggests that the green layer of life between rocks below and climate above is the key player. Do plants with their roots, animals that dig into soil and the vast number of microorganisms shape the landscapes? Or do minerals, soil, and water provide the environment for them to live? Or are they both interdependent? Can they together resist the massive climate change imposed by humans today? Watch the scientists of the German-Chilean “EarthShape” project study these questions along a climate gradient in Chile, in the National Parks Pan de Azúcar, La Campana, and Nahuelbuta. Take a tour through fascinating landscapes and see the young scientists study the interactions between geology and biology, from the dry Atacama Desert to dense forests, and in their sophisticated home laboratories. See how feedbacks control Earth’s climate. A science movie designed and produced by Friedhelm von Blanckenburg from GFZ Potsdam, Germany, Kirstin Übernickel from Universität Tübingen, and Wolfgang Dümcke from Filmbüro Potsdam, Germany, within the German National Science Foundation (DFG) funded research network “EarthShape – Earth Surface Shaping by Biota” which is coordinated by Todd Ehlers (Universität Tübingen) und Friedhelm von Blanckenburg (GFZ Potsdam).

Beschreibung: There has been growing recognition of the importance of the accurate seismic locations in quantitative seismological studies, such as seismic hazard analyses, fault zone characterization, and Earth's deformation. Accurate estimation of seismic locations is critical since a wrong estimate of the seismic source location will result in wrong interpretations in the subsequent analyses. We present SCOTER, an open-source Python program package that is designed to relocate multiple seismic events by using P- and S-wave station correction terms. The package implements static and shrinking-box source-specific station terms techniques extended to regional and teleseimic distances and adopted for probabilistic, non-linear, global-search location for large-scale multiple-event location. This program provides robust relocation results for seismic event sequences over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales by applying empirical corrections for the biasing effects of 3-D velocity structure. Written in the Python programming language, SCOTER is run as a stand-alone command-line tool (requiring no knowledge of Python) and also provides a set of sub-commands to develop inputs (dataset, configuration etc) and export results (hypocenter parameters, travel-time residuals etc) { routine but non-trivial tasks that can consume much user time. This package can be used for relocation in local, regional, and teleseimic scales. We describe SCOTER's functionality, design and technical implementation, accompanied by an overview of its use cases. As an illustration, we demonstrate the applicability of this tool through two examples based on (1) a catalogue of several hundred events in the Arctic plate boundary region using regional and teleseismic arrival times and (2) a small dataset of low-magnitude seismic events recorded by dense, local stations at the western Iberia, central Portugal. The relocated datasets highlight the future potential for applying the SCOTER relocation tool to greatly improve the relative location accuracy among nearby events.

Beschreibung: Length: 32 min ¿Qué forma los paisajes de la Tierra, con sus montañas, ríos, suelos, los lugares en los que vivimos? ¿Se forma la superficie de la Tierra cuando las rocas son levantadas por fuerzas geológicas, y luego destruidas por la lluvia, el hielo y el viento; o las plantas con sus raíces, los animales que excavan en el suelo y el gran número de microorganismos dan forma a los paisajes? Observe a los científicos del proyecto alemán-chileno "EarthShape" estudiar estas preguntas a lo largo de fascinantes paisajes de Chile, y en sus laboratorios. Una película científica diseñada y producida por Friedhelm von Blanckenburg de GFZ Potsdam, Alemania, Kirstin Übernickel de la Universidad de Tübingen, y Wolfgang Dümcke de Filmbüro Potsdam, Alemania, dentro del consorcio de investigación "EarthShape - Earth Surface Shaping by Biota", financiado por la DFG y coordinado por Todd Ehlers (Universität Tübingen) y Friedhelm von Blanckenburg (GFZ Potsdam).

Beschreibung: Length: 3 min Watch the fascinating cycle through which plants obtain the mineral nutrients that they need to grow. Plants “eat” mineral nutrients like phosphorous or potassium from the soil and rock that their roots grow in. But this natural resource is limited. To prevent running out of nutrients, hyphae (long thread-like cells of fungi that are attached to roots) recycle phosphorus from falling leaves, and return it to the trees. In dry landscapes plants take up their phosphorus directly from rock. See the fundamental difference of ecosystems in different climates. An animated science movie designed and produced by Friedhelm von Blanckenburg from GFZ Potsdam, Germany, Michaela Dippold from Universität Göttingen, Germany, and Andreas Schulz from Filmbüro Potsdam, Germany within the DFG Project ““EarthShape – Earth Surface Shaping by Biota”.

Beschreibung: Length: 32 min ¿Qué es lo que forma los paisajes de la Tierra con sus montañas, ríos, suelos, los lugares en los que vivimos? La superficie de la Tierra se forma cuando las rocas son levantadas por fuerzas geológicas, y luego son destruidas por la lluvia, el hielo y el viento que tallan los paisajes por la erosión y la meteorización. Pero hay una capa verde de vida entre las rocas de abajo y el clima de arriba. ¿Las plantas con sus raíces, los animales que excavan en el suelo y el gran número de microorganismos dan forma a los paisajes? ¿O es que los minerales, el suelo y el agua proveen el ambiente para la vida? ¿O ambos son interdependientes? ¿Pueden resistir juntos el cambio climático masivo impuesto por el ser humano hoy en día? Observe a los científicos del proyecto aleman-chileno "EarthShape" estudiando estas preguntas a lo largo de un gradiente climático en Chile, en los Parques Nacionales Pan de Azúcar, La Campana y Nahuelbuta. Recorra por paisajes fascinantes y vea a los jóvenes científicos estudiando las interacciones entre la geología y la biología, desde el desierto seco de Atacama hasta los densos bosques, y en sus sofisticados laboratorios de sus instituciones. Vea cómo las retroalimentaciones controlan el clima de la Tierra.

Beschreibung: Glacial contribution to eustatic sea level rise is currently dominated by loss of the smaller glaciers and ice caps, about 40% of which are tidewater glaciers that lose mass through calving ice bergs. The most recent predictions of glacier contribution to sea level rise over the next century are strongly dependent upon models that are able to project individual glacier mass changes globally and through time. A relatively new promising technique for monitoring glacier calving is through the use of passive seismology. CalvingSEIS aims to produce high temporal resolution, continuous calving records for the glaciers in Kongsfjord, Svalbard, and in particular for the Kronebreen glacier laboratory through innovative, multi-disciplinary monitoring techniques combining fields of seismology and bioacoustics to detect and locate individual calving events autonomously and further to develop methods for the quantification of calving ice volumes directly from the seismic and acoustic signals.

Beschreibung: The Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC) scientific drilling project focuses on mountain building processes in a major mid‐Paleozoic orogen in western Scandinavia and its comparison with modern analogues. The project investigates a subduction‐generated complex (Seve Nappes) and how these in part under ultra‐high pressure conditions metamorphosed outer continental margin and continent‐ocean transition zones (COT) assemblages were emplaced onto the Baltoscandian platform and there influenced the underlying allochthons and the basement in a section provided by two fully cored 2.5 km deep drill holes. This operational report concerns the first drill hole, COSC‐1 (ICDP 5054‐1‐A), drilled from early May to late August 2014. It sampled a thick section of the lower part of the Seve Complex and was planned to penetrate its basal thrust zone into the underlying lower grade metamorphosed allochthon. The drill hole reached a depth of 2495.8 m and nearly 100 % core recovery was achieved. Although planning was based on existing geological mapping and new high‐resolution seismic surveys, the drilling resulted in some surprises: the Lower Seve Nappe proved to be composed of rather homogenous gneisses, with only subordinate mafic bodies and its basal thrust zone was unexpectedly thick (〉 800 m). The drill hole did not penetrate the bottom of the thrust zone. However, lower grade metasedimentary rocks were encountered in the lowermost part of the drill hole together with garnetiferous mylonites tens of metres thick. The tectonostratigraphic position is still unclear and geological and geophysical interpretations are under revision. The compact gneisses host only 8 fluid conducting zones of limited transmissivity between 300 m and total depth. Downhole measurements suggest an uncorrected average geothermal gradient of ~20°C/km. The drill core was documented on‐site and XRF scanned off site. During various stages of the drilling, the borehole was documented by comprehensive downhole logging. This operational report provides an overview over the COSC‐1 operations from drilling preparations to the sampling party and describes the available datasets and sample material.

Beschreibung: Length: 4 min Imagine a planet without plants. Would a landscape on that planet differ from a landscape with plants as we know it? There are two ways to tell: we can either compare natural landscapes with each other, or use computer models. We show one model for a landscape that is covered with a dense forest and one that carries almost no vegetation. Be surprised by the large difference you see in these between these two landforms! An animated science movie designed and produced by Todd Ehlers from the University of Tübingen, Germany, Andreas Schulz from Filmbüro Potsdam, Germany, with contributions of Manuel Schmid Willi Kappler, and Friedhelm von Blanckenburg, Germany within the DFG Project ““EarthShape – Earth Surface Shaping by Biota”.

Beschreibung: Based on the aviailable material we come to the conclusion that jetting has no direct influence on the surrounding area. Analysis on multiple scales: μm (porosity); cm (mechanical and acoustical properties); dm scale (elastic properties with and without a jetted hole) do not show a significant changes compared to in-tact material, nor can a significant change be detected with respect to distance to a jetted hole. Results fall within the intra-block variability, and differences between blocks can be well explained by block-to-block variation. True-triaxial elastic deformation tests have been designed and ran to test the effect of a lateral (jetted hole) on the elastic properties. The jetted hole itself was jetted with a rotating nozzle type, producing cilindrical holes. Comparing laboratory tests with a numerical model proved that the laboratory results may be well compared to a model with cylindrical hole embedded in a rock mass, much like a conventional borehole. The stress field around the jetted hole can therefore be well aproximated by the Kirsh-equations, modified for compression.

Beschreibung: Work at GZB (International Geothermal Centre) had been focused on several potential, novel micro type drilling technologies. These technologies have been investigated and discussed to determine possible future options. In this report the different technologies are being presented, starting with abrasive enhanced jetting, followed by pulsation and mechanically supported drilling, ending with percussion type mechanical rock destruction and drilling. Their influence on rock disintegration and drilling efficiency have been investigated in several laboratory experiments. These were carried out to manifest a better understanding of each potential technology. The results are being presented and discussed regarding the potential increase in drilling performance versus lessons learned within WP 5.1 as well as their applicability in the field. Water jets enhanced with abrasive particles have the ability to penetrate into virtually any rock type with rather low hydraulic power. However, the (downhole) applicability in the field is commonly a challenge due to extremely fast and high wear on the pertinent material and equipment other than the rock itself, including the jetting BHA (bottom hole assembly) and nozzles. In order to partly overcome this dilemma a dedicated nozzle for abrasive mixing has been designed and patented. It may be found under patent number DE 10 2016 125 916.0. Pulsating water jets are a different approach to enhance the efficiency of rock destruction via water jet. Both techniques are based on pure high pressure jets, one adding particles to a constant jet (abrasive jetting), the other one dividing and cutting a constant jet into small, short sections to generate not constant impulses (pulsation). Various tests were carried out under reservoir type conditions inside the autoclave system “iBOGS mini”. So far the effect of pulsation seems to be low compared to the suppressed cavitation erosion mechanism under elevated pressure conditions. A very different approach is the use of micro turbines powered by the high pressure water, combined with a mechanical drill bit. The hydraulic energy of the intensified water is not directly used to penetrate the rock, but rather to generate rotation even with substantial torque via a micro turbine system. Thus, the jetting action is neglectable, as the mechanical bit does the cutting into the rock mass with rather high rotation speeds. Testing showed rather high efficiency regarding drilling speed. The technology works also independently of the rock type. All tested rock types including granite were drilled successfully with rather low hydraulic power of 10 kW (e.g. turbine differential pressures of 150 bar and flow rates of about 40 l/min). Future testing at macro and meso scale levels are being planned to verify reliability, drilling direction and more. As of now, this technology seems to be the most promising for hard rock formations in the very near future. One challenge may be their slightly larger geometrical shape and size regarding the current downhole installation scheme. But this is underway to be solved in the near future. On the final end of the possible spectrum for high pressure jet drilling from pure jetting (e.g. SURE WP 5.1 to 5.3) to transforming the intensified, high pressure water to eventually generate and gain more mechanical support over jetting are percussion engines as being known and used in so called DTH (down-the-hole) hammers. Here, the intensified water does generate medium frequency mechanical blows (“pulses”, e.g. 50 – 70 Hz) by powering a piston and drill bit for rock disintegration with very high drilling speeds. The differential pressure across such a hammer with approx. 180 bar is at the same level as for the before mentioned micro turbines and thus, much lower than for direct high pressure water jetting. Compared to the turbine, the hammer works with a highly dynamic force and low rotation, whereas the turbine is based on a very constant load or weight on bit (WOB) with rather high rotation speed (RPM), generating more of a grinding effect. However, the hammer ́s geometrical shape, namely its length, makes it much more difficult to be deployed downhole for micro drilling, while also some rotation needs to be generated. Here is more work underway as well. To summarize high pressure jet drilling, the full scale of currently possible solutions from pure high pressure jetting to mechanically enhanced or supported jet type drilling including abrasives, pulsation, micro turbines and percussion motors were considered and being looked at regarding their possible application in hard rock formations and future potential.

Beschreibung: Radial Jet Drilling (RJD) is a technique to stimulate wells by creating small-diameter laterals from vertical or deviated wells using hydraulic jets. The laterals, also called radials, can be up to 100 m in length. To analyze under which sub-surface conditions the radials improve the well performance most, a step-wise approach is followed in which first the performance of a single stimulated well is analyzed and in a second step, the performance of a doublet system is analyzed. Finally, case studies that are more detailed are simulated. For the single well case, a good first estimate of radial stimulation performance for different reservoir conditions can be obtained from (semi-) analytical solutions. These results show that the anisotropy in the permeability and the thickness of the reservoir influence the relative increase in productivity/injectivity most. The permeability influences in particular the absolute performance of the stimulated well. Many aspects not included in the semi-analytical solution also influence the performance of the radial stimulation: - Since the radials are open hole, stability for friable rocks or deep reservoirs is unlikely. This depends on the in-situ stress conditions. Collapsed radials probably have much lower performance or no effect at all. - The uncertainty in the radial path and diameter decreases the expected benefits from radials significantly depending on the type of reservoir. For example for a layered reservoir, the expected increase may be tens of percent lower. - Due to the small diameter (0.02-0.05 m) and rough surface of the radials and the high rates of geothermal wells, viscous pressure drop due to flow in the radials has to be taken into account for prediction of performance. For example for a radius of 0.04 m and well rate of 3600 m3/d, expected increase in performance is halved when taking into account pressure drop. - Heterogeneity in the permeability has a strong impact on the performance of the radials. Performance of individual radials depends in first approximation on the local permeability. However, this is difficult to capture in general terms. - Near well bore damage (positive skin) and prior stimulation (negative skin) have a large impact on the expected increase due to stimulation. In case the radials can be used to by-pass near well damage, performance can be much higher than predicted using the analytical equations. - Heterogeneity due to fault and/or fractures, voids, sharp transitions or layering all make potential success more uncertain and predictability lower due to potential issues with jetting. Whether increased performance for a single well can be translated to similar increased performance of a doublet depends on the doublet settings and subsurface conditions. For a fixed doublet distance or field size, an increase in rate due to improved performance of the wells will result in a reduced field life. The increased well performance can also be used to lower pumping cost at a fixed rate and thus improve performance of the doublet. It was found, that for most subsurface systems, the impact of the radials on production temperature was minor (for constant rate). Only for some fractured systems, short-circuiting can be increased due to radials. Overall, the ideal candidate for radial stimulation is a reservoir which is not too deep, in homogeneous, competent rock with a well with near well bore damage or in a not too deep anisotropic reservoir in which the main well is not drilled beneficially compared to the main direction of permeability.

Beschreibung: This report describes activity connected to radial jet drilling (RJD) in Iceland in WP6 – Macro Scale in the SURE project. Well HN-13, located in N-Iceland close to the town of Akureyri was selected as a candidate for RJD trials within the SURE project. It was drilled in between two prior drilled low-temperature geothermal wells, HG-10 (a.k.a. HN-10) and BO-01 (a.k.a. BN-01), that are both productive and used for district heating of Akureyri and nearby communities. Although the location was in between two producing wells, it was a poor producer only producing 5-6 liters per minute (0,1 l/s) while being air lifted. For comparison, the mean production from well HG-10 that sits 20 m NNE of HN-13, is about 25 l/s of 90°C hot water. HN-13 was therefore valued as an excellent candidate for demonstration of the stimulation technology, as any increased production after RJD will clearly be revealed. Jetting experiments in WP5 into basalt rock types sent from Iceland to Bochum were shown to be impractical as high pressure and velocities are required. Therefore, softer inter-basaltic layers were targeted. Main information on well HN-13, nearby wells, target depth as well as the RJD field testing are described in this report.

Beschreibung: This report describes the passive seismic data acquired by the TOPASE network deployed over Rittershoffen geothermal field (Alsace, France). The monitoring period extends from March 2013 to November 2014, which includes the stimulation of the first well of the doublet, the drilling of the second well and well tests. These data were acquired using 31 Earth Data Loggers PR6-24 and MARK-SERCEL L-4C-3D 1 Hz seismometers of the Geophysical Instrument Pool Potsdam (GIPP), which were provided to the KIT-AGW-Geothermal research division.

Beschreibung: To date, information about the wellbore integrity of high temperature and high pressure geothermal wells is scarce. Hardly any measurement data is available about the thermal and mechanical load onto the subsurface installation (casing and cemented annulus) during the operation of such wells. In order to monitor the response of the subsurface installation to changing load conditions, a fiber optic cable was installed behind casing of a geothermal well. To increase the knowledge about the wellbore integrity and to benefit from the combined application of different fiber optic sensing technologies, temperature, strain as well as acoustic noise measurements were performed during well completion and testing. These include the distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology, based on Raman scattering, as well as the distributed strain and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technologies, both based on Rayleigh scattering. Here, we present information about the laboratory experiments, the cable installations and downhole measurement campaigns together with results of our analysis. It could be shown that the fiber optic measurements are well suited to monitor the well completion procedures. In addition, the technology offers a possibility to monitor well integrity throughout the lifetime of a geothermal well.

Beschreibung: This study contributes to the effort of space geodesy to reach the 1mm accuracy level on a global scale. This stringent requirement is vital to realize a global reference system upon which phenomena such as sea-level rise can be reliably monitored. The study deals with two interrelated challenges: modeling geophysical loads imposed on the crust of the Earth and quantifying the atmospheric propagation delay of signals employed by space geodetic techniques, namely VLBI, SLR, GNSS, and DORIS. If not adequately modeled, both geophysical loading and propagation delay corrupt space geodetic data analysis results, thus distorting the implied reference frame and compromising the physical interpretation of other parameters. The explicit purpose of this work is to understand how these effects propagate into the parameters estimated within the geodetic adjustment, and to develop models that alleviate geodetic results from these effects. To achieve this goal, the scientific framework was divided into two contributions to be understood and enhanced: the theory governing the effects of geophysical loading and atmospheric propagation, and the space geodetic technique data analysis pipeline, largely using VLBI as a test-bed. In essence, the research conducted here includes: (i) the development of software capable of realistically simulating VLBI, SLR, GNSS, and DORIS observations within a Monte Carlo framework, (ii) the homogenization of in situ meteorological data recorded at VLBI and SLR stations, (iii) the development of ray-traced delays, mapping functions and higher-order gradients for all four space geodetic techniques, (iv) the comprehensive investigation of inter-frequency and inter-system atmospheric ties, (v) the development of models to describe the displacement induced by mass redistribution within Earth’s fluid envelope including the atmosphere, the ocean, and the continental hydrology, (vi) the development of empirical models to describe the signal propagation delay (GFZ-PT) and the non-tidal geophysical loading displacement (EGLM), and (vii) the study of the impact of the atmospheric refraction and non-tidal geophysical loading models in space geodetic data analysis on station coordinates, the terrestrial reference frame, the Earth orientation, and the integrated water vapour trends. A number of developments were carried out herein for the first time, for example, the simulation of space geodetic measurements based on ray-traced delays, the study of systematic errors on the reference frame induced by not properly accounting for the orbital altitude of the satellites in the calculation of atmospheric refraction corrections, and the assessment of the probability of successful laser ranges based on integrated cloud fraction along the ray path. It was found that microwave and optical atmospheric gradients are starkly different both spatially and temporally, and cannot be scaled to fit each other. Failing to account for non-tidal geophysical loading and atmospheric asymmetries induces a scale bias in the SLR reference frame as well as a spurious geocenter motion predominantly along the Z-axis. Employing a VLBI-tailored atmospheric refraction model to reduce DORIS observations displaces stations in the radial component thus inducing a large scale bias in the implied frame. Employing homogeneous in lieu of raw meteorological data in VLBI data analysis reduces the scatter of station coordinates and improves the baseline length repeatability. Employing the mapping functions developed herein in lieu of VMF1 yields an overall improvement in VLBI data analysis. Applying the geophysical loading models developed herein reduces the response of almost all station coordinate and baseline length series at seasonal and synoptic timescales. Based on the investigations carried out herein, differences in Earth orientation induced by the quality of the atmospheric refraction and geophysical loading models — or their very application for the latter — are not statistically significant in the framework of the modern VLBI system. Nevertheless, to fulfill the 1mm requirement, proper treatment of geophysical loading and atmospheric refraction is a necessity.

Beschreibung: The Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC) project supported by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) and the Swedish Scientific Drilling Program (SSDP) drilled a borehole through the Seve Nappe in Sweden to investigate mountain building processes. It recovered 2.5 km of drill core. Five core samples from the depth from 1682 to 2469 m were analyzed in this thesis. A hyperspectral imaging spectrometer (HySpex) was used to conduct the measurements. It is a two sensor system which combines a VNIR and a SWIR sensor. The measurements were taken with a resolution of 0.22 mm/ pixel. As a comparison, mineral maps based on Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) element measurements of approximately the same resolution were used. This thesis developed a working process chain which includes 1) the adjustment of the measurement parameters of the sensors to acquire optimal data cubes, 2) the "unrolling" of a drill core to depict and analyze the whole core mantle surface and to map the distribution of minerals accurately not only over the length but also the whole surface of the core and 3) the mineral mapping based on spectral absorption features with the EnGeoMap algorithm. This can be seen as the beginning of the development of a stand-alone drill core scanner including the geological evaluation by EnGeoMap. The measurements revealed a basic approach to determine the integration time for the VNIR and the SWIR sensor based on the signal-to-noise ratio of the white reflectance standard. An approach of a step-wise rotation of the core and a translation measurement and a mosaicking based on the rectification of the core surface was developed. The stitching of several core images via key points was deployed. The duration of the unrolling amounts to 22 h/ m of core and results in an hyperspectral mosaic of the core mantle surface. Relative to the approximately 550 h needed to measure the surface area of 1 m of core with the LIBS system, 22 h seems tolerable. The feasibility of the unrolling and the mosaicking of drill cores varies. In scientific operations the accuracy is valued higher than the time-consumption, in industrial operations the time is a big factor to make a project profitable. The mineral mapping with EnGeoMap proved to be very precise in case of detecting the abundance of single minerals. When mapping multiple minerals, a bias towards a few minerals showed which were mapped with higher abundances than in reality. This is due to mineral-dependent fit value thresholds and has to be investigated further. When choosing few but distinct proxy minerals, EnGeoMap is a valuable tool to evaluate the mineral abundances and the distribution over the course of a drill core, to highlight changes and to give information about mineral assemblages.

Beschreibung: The spectral characteristics of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) have been poorly researched although the economic interest in these elements is increasing. This study investigates the detection of REEs using remote sensing data. For this purpose the spectral response of each individual REE has been studied with four spectrometers (HySpex (VNIR-1600, SWIR-320m-e), ASD Field Spec 3, Perkin Elmer LAMBDA 950, FTIR Spectrum GX) using a spectral range of 350 to 16000 nm to incorporate different techniques. The relationship between the spectral response and the REE concentration as well as the influence of other materials on the detection of REEs was examined using mixtures of calcium carbonate (the main component of REE ore rocks) and iron (III) oxide (hematite). Finally, characteristic absorption bands have been employed on an EO-1 Hyperion satellite image, covering the REE Mountain Pass mine in California and a HySpex image of a rock sample from Norway (soevite) to evaluate their potential use as REE detectors. The results show that the REEs lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium and ytterbium cause several and differing absorption features in the visible near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave-infrared (SWIR) region. However, in wavelength ranges between 2500 and 16000 nm no absorption bands distinctive of REEs appeared. In most cases, the concentration of REEs and the absorption depth show a logarithmic relationship for different absorption features. The mixtures of neodymium and iron (III) oxide show that in presence of hematite the absorption features of neodymium are superimposed by those features caused by iron (III) oxide. In comparison to hematite, calcium carbonate has had no influence on the detection of neodymium in the VNIR. The application of characteristic absorption bands on the satellite image shows that the REE signal causes only, if any, very small absorption bands in the spectrum at higher REE concentrations. In the rock sample, however, REEs related absorption bands are detectable and can be seen clearly in the spectrum with a neodymium concentration of around 0.14%. This study shows that imaging spectroscopy serves as a helpful tool for the characterization and detection of REE concentrations in the laboratory and field environment. The detection of REEs via satellite images is limited by the low intensity of the absorption features, despite the high REEs concentration. Nevertheless, the detection of REEs by means of remote sensing is a non-invasive method that saves both money and time for sample preparation, underlining its economic value.

Beschreibung: The GEOFON program consists of a global seismic network (GE Network), a seismological data centre (GEOFON DC) and a global earthquake monitoring system (GEOFON EQinfo). These three pillars are part of the MESI research infrastructure of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences aiming at facilitating scientific research. GEOFON provides real-time seismic data, access to its own and third party data from the archive facilities as well as global and rapid earthquake information. The GEOFON Seismological Software can be considered a fourth cross-cutting module of the GEOFON Program. Data, services, products and software openly distributed by GEOFON are used by hundreds of scientists and data centres worldwide. Its earthquake information service is accessed directly by tens of thousands of visitors. The SeisComP software package is the flagship software provided to the community, which is geared for seismic observatory and data centre needs and used extensively to support our internal operations. Like all other MESI (Modular Earth Science Infrastructure) modules GEOFON has the majority of users outside the GFZ as well as an external advisory committee that provides advice to the GFZ Executive Board and to the GEOFON team. This report describes the main activities carried out within the three GEOFON pillars and the software development group.

Beschreibung: In geosciences 3D geomechanical-numerical models are used to estimate the in-situ stress state. In such a model each geological unit is populated with the rock properties Young’s module, Poisson ratio, and density. Usually, each unit is assigned a single set of homogeneous properties. However, variable rock properties are observed and expected within the same geological unit. Even in small volumes large variabilities may. The Python script HIPSTER (Homogeneous to Inhomogeneous rock Properties for Stress TEnsor Research) provides an algorithm to include inhomogeneities in geomechanical-numerical models that use the solver Abaqus®. The user specifies the mean values for the rock properties Young's module, Poisson ratio and density, and their variability for each geological unit. The variability of the material properties is individually defined for each of the three rock properties in each geological layer. For each unit HIPSTER generates a normal or uniform distribution for each rock property. From these distri-butions for each single element HIPSTER draws individual rock properties and writes them to a separate material file. This file defines different material properties for each element. The file is included in the geomechanical-numerical analysis solver deck and the numerical model is solved as usual.

Beschreibung: In geosciences the discretization of complex 3D model volumes into finite elements can be a time-consuming task and often needs experience with a professional software. Es-pecially outcropping or out-pinching geological units, i.e. geological layers that are rep-resented in the model volume, pose serious challenges. Changes in the geometry of a model may occur well into a project at a point, when re-meshing is not an option any-more or would involve a significant amount of additional time to invest. In order to speed up and automate the process of discretization, Apple PY (Automatic Portioning Preventing Lengthy manual Element assignment for PYthon) separates the process of mesh-generation and unit assignment. It requires an existing uniform mesh together with separate information on the depths of the interfaces between geological units (herein called horizons). These two pieces of information are combined and used to assign the individual elements to different units. The uniform mesh is created with a standard meshing software and contains no or only very few and simple structures. The mesh has to be available as an Abaqus input file. The information on the horizons depths and lateral variations in the depths is provided in a text file. Apple PY compares the ele-ment location and depth with that of the horizons in order to assign each element to a corresponding geological unit below or above a certain horizon.

Beschreibung: The distribution of data records for the maximum horizontal stress orientation SHmax in the Earth’s crust is sparse and very unequally. To analyse the stress pattern and its wavelength and to predict the mean SHmax orientation on regular grids, statistical interpolation as conducted e.g. by Coblentz and Richardson (1995), Müller et al. (2003), Heidbach and Höhne (2008), Heidbach et al. (2010) or Reiter et al. (2014) is necessary. Based on their work we wrote the Matlab® script Stress2Grid that provides several features to analyse the mean SHmax pattern. The script facilitates and speeds up this analysis and extends the functionality compared to the publications mentioned before. This script is the update of Stress2Grid v1.0 (Ziegler and Heidbach, 2017). It provides two different concepts to calculate the mean SHmax orientation on regular grids. The first is using a fixed search radius around the grid points and computes the mean SHmax orientation if sufficient data records are within the search radius. The larger the search radius the larger is the filtered wavelength of the stress pattern. The second approach is using variable search radii and determines the search radius for which the standard deviation of the mean SHmax orientation is below a given threshold. This approach delivers mean SHmax orientations with a user-defined degree of reliability. It resolves local stress perturbations and is not available in areas with conflicting information that result in a large standard deviation. Furthermore, the script can also estimate the deviation between plate motion direction and the mean SHmax orientation.

Beschreibung: The MT repository contains geophysical data sets collected in field experiments from all over the world. The acronym MT stands for magnetotelluric, a geophysical method used to probe the Earth's deep interior for its electrical conductivity distribution through electromagnetic (EM) induction. MT is based on EM fields generated by natural processes in the Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere. But the repository also contains data from Controlled Source Electromagnetic (CSEM) projects, for which man-made EM sources are used. The principle form of data in the repository are time-series of EM field components acquired with heterogeneous sets of sensors, recording instruments, and sampling rates. It is the main purpose of this archive or repository to provide the links between the data and their physical meaning by means of metadata. To achieve this, the repository is organized as a combination of data files and associated meta-data in a well defined folder (directory) structure, with the data files being sorted into subfolders. Meta-data are provided as XML (Extensible Markup Language) formatted file.

Beschreibung: In geosciences 3D geomechanical-numerical models are used to estimate the in-situ stress state. In such a model each geological unit is populated with the rock properties Young’s module, Poisson ratio, and density. Usually, each unit is assigned a single set of homogeneous properties. However, variable rock properties are observed and expected within the same geological unit. Even in small volumes large variabilities may. The Python script HIPSTER (Homogeneous to Inhomogeneous rock Properties for Stress TEnsor Research) provides an algorithm to include inhomogeneities in geomechanical-numerical models that use the solver Abaqus®. The user specifies the mean values for the rock properties Young's module, Poisson ratio and density, and their variability for each geological unit. The variability of the material properties is individually defined for each of the three rock properties in each geological layer. For each unit HIPSTER generates a normal or uniform distribution for each rock property. From these distributions for each single element HIPSTER draws individual rock properties and writes them to a separate material file. This file defines different material properties for each element. The file is included in the geomechanical-numerical analysis solver deck and the numerical model is solved as usual. The HIPSTER script files and example files are provided for download at http://github.com/MorZieg/hipster. Table 0-1 Structure of the GitHub repository gives an overview of the repository and files including a short explanation.

Beschreibung: Georges Perec, novelist, filmmaker and essayist, was one of the most inventive and original writers of the twentieth century. A fascinating aspect of his work is its intrinsically geographical nature. With major projects on space and place, Perec’s writing speaks to a variety of geographical, urban and architectural concerns, both in a substantive way, including a focus on cities, streets, homes and apartments, and in a methodological way, experimenting with methods of urban exploration and observation, classification, enumeration and taxonomy.

Beschreibung: Ancient Knowledge Networks is a book about how knowledge travels, in minds and bodies as well as in writings. It explores the forms knowledge takes and the meanings it accrues, and how these meanings are shaped by the peoples who use it. Addressing the relationships between political power, family ties, religious commitments and literate scholarship in the ancient Middle East of the first millennium BC, Eleanor Robson focuses on two regions where cuneiform script was the predominant writing medium: Assyria in the north of modern-day Syria and Iraq, and Babylonia to the south of modern-day Baghdad. She investigates how networks of knowledge enabled cuneiform intellectual culture to endure and adapt over the course of five world empires until its eventual demise in the mid-first century BC. In doing so, she also studies Assyriological and historical method, both now and over the past two centuries, asking how the field has shaped and been shaped by the academic concerns and fashions of the day. Above all, Ancient Knowledge Networks is an experiment in writing about ‘Mesopotamian science’, as it has often been known, using geographical and social approaches to bring new insights into the intellectual history of the world’s first empires.

Beschreibung: This book, which is based on 15 months of ethnographic research in the city of Alto Hospicio in northern Chile, describes how its inhabitants use social networks and the effects on their daily lives. Nell Haynes argues that social networks are a place where residents of Alto Hospicio, or hospice, express their feelings of marginalization as a result of living in a city far from the national capital and with a notoriously low quality of life compared to other areas urban in Chile.

Beschreibung: Este libro, que está basado en 15 meses de investigación etnográfica en la ciudad de Alto Hospicio en el norte de Chile, describe cómo sus habitantes usan las redes sociales y los efectos en sus vidas diarias. Nell Haynes sostiene que las redes sociales son un lugar donde los residentes de Alto Hospicio, u hospiceños, expresan sus sentimientos de marginación como resultado de vivir en una ciudad lejos de la capital nacional y con una calidad de vida notoriamente baja en comparación con otras áreas urbanas en Chile.

Beschreibung: The German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ operates a satellite-receiving station at Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen since 2001. Valuable support for several satellite missions was provided by the station on a best effort basis, while technical and software related issues, as well as uncertainties regarding important system properties, hindered any project participations with more binding commitments. The upcoming US-German GRACE-Follow On satellite mission with on-board GNSS-RO and gravity measurements and subsequent “near real-time” respectively low latency processing chains raised the demand to integrate the Ny-Ålesund station as the primary data receiving station of the mission’s ground segment. This required the demonstration of improved station performance and reliability with a perspective of sustainability as well as the determination of important antenna system parameters, such as the ratio of antenna gain to system noise (G/T). Analysis of receiving problems at the station in the past and considerations on methods to determine the station antennas characteristics suggested that improved antenna operation software was the most important and straightforward element on the planned way. Disappointing experiences with antenna operation programs of third parties, e.g., from shortcomings of functions, flexibility and support, indicated that the effort for an in-house development would pay off. Consequently new software for the semi-automatic operation of the antennas at the satellite receiving station at Ny-Ålesund was developed within this work. Main development objectives were the elimination of antenna operation problems which occurred in the past, to improve the station reliability, and to introduce program features for the support of required antenna measurements, e.g., such that use the sun as a natural radio signal source. Other focal points during the development were the program-internal timing routines, a compact, informative and operation-safe graphical user interface (GUI) and advanced operation logging features. Lessons learned by the operation of software from other parties in the years since 2001 were respected and even some hardware related issues with the antenna systems at Ny-Ålesund were solved by means of the new software. The new software “NYA-Sattrack” provides all required and desired functions, including some unconventional features. One example is the option to use two different external satellite orbit prediction programs and two sets of prediction elements (twoline elements). An operator can switch between the corresponding pass predictions at any time, even during a satellite contact with already moving antenna. This might be useful, e.g., in a Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), when different predictions from different sources and with uncertain quality have to be used. Another example is the generation of graphical logs for each satellite contact. An operator can check these logs very fast and simultaneously with normal, text-based logs through a built-in log-viewer function. An eventually desired adaptation to other antenna system types with different technical properties is explicitly supported by the software design as all antenna-specific program code is allocated to individual software interface modules (Dynamic Link Libraries). The new program “NYA-GPS-SYNC” maintains the accuracy of the antenna operation computer clock to support precise operation timing. The two different antenna positioning systems (Elevation over Azimuth and X over Y) of the satellite-receiving station at Ny-Ålesund are operated routinely with NYA-Sattrack since July 2014 and each of the antennas tracks more than 25 satellite passes per day. The number of outages related to antenna operation issues and the manual effort for the operation of the antennas has decreased significantly since introduction of NYA-Sattrack. The new program features of NYA-Sattrack, e.g., such as the sun-tracking mode combined with scan modes, strongly supported the determination of important antenna system characteristics and the detection of a source of radio interference. All achievements of this work have a benefit for supported missions, e.g., due to a better knowledge about technical boundary conditions for contact planning and less data losses during data reception. NYA-Sattrack significantly improved the reliability, efficiency and sustainability to support current and future satellite missions and the Ny-Ålesund ground station is ready to work as the primary downlink station for the GRACE-FO mission, due for launch in February 2018.

Beschreibung: Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ betreibt seit 2001 eine Satelliten-Empfangsstation bei Ny-Ålesund auf Spitzbergen. Die Station hat, so gut es ging, wertvolle Dienste für etliche Satellitenmissionen geleistet. Verbindliche Verpflichtungen in Projekten konnten aber, wegen hard- und softwaretechnischer Probleme und den nur unsicher bekannten Leistungsparametern der Station, nicht eingegangen werden. Die aufkommende US-amerikanisch-deutsche GRACE-Follow On Satellitenmission für GNSS-RO- und Schwerefeldmessungen und die sich daran anschließenden nahe-Echtzeit Datenverarbeitungsketten führten zu dem Wunsch, die Ny-Ålesund Station als primäre Empfangsstation im Bodensegment der Mission zu integrieren. Dies erforderte den Nachweis von verbesserten Betriebseigenschaften, sowie verbesserter Betriebszuverlässigkeit und Zukunftssicherheit, und die Bestimmung wichtiger Antennenparameter, wie dem Verhältnis von Antennengewinn zu Systemrauschen (G/T). Analysen zu Empfangsproblemen an der Station in der Vergangenheit und Überlegungen zur Bestimmung der Antennencharakteristika legten nahe, dass der wichtigste und direkteste Schritt auf diesem Weg eine verbesserte Software für den Betrieb der Antennen sein würde. Wegen in verschiedener Hinsicht enttäuschenden Erfahrungen mit Antennenbetriebssoftware von Dritten, z.B. wegen unzureichenden Funktionen und mangelnder Flexibilität und Unterstützung, wurde angenommen, dass sich der Aufwand für eine eigene Programmentwicklung auszahlen würde. Infolgedessen wurde mit dieser Arbeit eine neue Software für den halb-automatischen Betrieb der Antennen an der Satelliten-Empfangsstation Ny-Ålesund entwickelt. Die wichtigsten Punkte dabei waren die Lösung der in der Vergangenheit beobachteten Betriebsprobleme mit den Antennen, bzw. die Verbesserung der Zuverlässigkeit der Station, und Funktionen für Messungen an und mit den Antennen, z.B. mit Nutzung der Sonne als natürliche Quelle für Radiosignale. Andere Schwerpunkte der Entwicklung waren die zeitlichen Abläufe im Programm, eine kompakte, informative und betriebssichere graphische Nutzerschnittstelle (GUI) und erweiterte Möglichkeiten zum Protokollieren (Loggen) des Betriebs. Dabei wurden die seit 2001 mit dem Betrieb von extern beschaffter Software gemachten Erfahrungen berücksichtigt und sogar durch Hardware verursachte Probleme beim Betrieb der Antennen in Ny-Ålesund durch die neue Software gelöst. Das neue Programm „NYA-Sattrack“ stellt alle benötigten und gewünschten Funktionen bereit, inklusive einiger ungewöhnlicher Funktionen. Ein Beispiel ist die Möglichkeit zur Nutzung von zwei unterschiedlichen externen Programmen zur Bahnvorhersage mit unterschiedlichen Bahnelementen (twoline elements). Ein Operator kann so jederzeit zwischen den beiden entsprechenden Bahnvorhersagen wechseln, sogar während eines Satellitenkontakts mit sich bereits bewegenden Antennen. Dies könnte z.B. in der ersten Zeit nach einem Satellitenstart nützlich sein, wenn unterschiedliche Bahnberechnungen mit unsicherer Genauigkeit von unterschiedlichen Quellen verwendet werden müssen. Ein anderes Beispiel ist die Erzeugung graphischer Logs für die einzelnen Satellitenkontakte. Diese Logs lassen sich von einem Operator sehr schnell überprüfen, durch eine integrierte Anzeigefunktion sogar zusammen mit den textbasierten Logdateien. Eine möglicherweise gewünschte Anpassung des Programms für andere Antennen mit unterschiedlichen Betriebseigenschaften wird dadurch unterstützt, dass antennenspezifischer Programmcode in Programmerweiterungen (Dynamic Link Libraries) platziert wurde. Das neue Programm “NYA-GPS-SYNC” kontrolliert die Uhr des Computers für die Antennensteuerung und sorgt so für einen zeitlich präzisen Betrieb. Die beiden unterschiedlichen Antennenpositionierungssysteme an der Satelliten- Empfangsstation Ny-Ålesund (Elevation über Azimut und X über Y) werden seit Juli 2014 routinemäßig mit NYA-Sattrack betrieben. Jede der beiden Antennen bedient mehr als 25 Satellitenkontakte pro Tag. Seit der Einführung von NYA-Sattrack haben betriebsbedingte Ausfälle stark abgenommen, ebenso der manuelle Aufwand zum Betrieb der Antennen. Die neuen Funktionen von NYA-Sattrack, wie z.B. das Verfolgen der Sonne mit einer Antenne in Kombination mit speziellen Bewegungsmustern, haben die Bestimmung wichtiger Antennenparameter und das Erkennen einer funktechnischen Störquelle ermöglicht. Alle erzielten Ergebnisse nützen indirekt auch den unterstützten Missionen, z.B. durch bessere Kenntnis der technischen Randbedingungen für die Planung von Kontakten und geringere Datenverluste beim Datenempfang. NYA-Sattrack hat die Zuverlässigkeit, Effektivität und Nachhaltigkeitsperspektive der Station für die Unterstützung aktueller und zukünftiger Satellitenmissionen stark verbessert, so dass diese nun für den geplanten Einsatz als primäre Empfangsstation für GRACE-FO bereit ist (geplanter Start im Februar 2018).

Beschreibung: This brochure is designed for scientists and engineers of upcoming drilling projects and explains the key steps and important challenges in planning and executing continental scientific drilling.

Beschreibung: The processing of Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) data and the estimation of displacement is a nonlinear and user-driven procedure that can introduce large errors for noisy backscatter points. Results may differ significantly depending on chosen thresholds, filter settings, constraints and final interpretation. Thus the identification of valid PS with rather low errors in the SAR data is a crucial step in the PSI workflow. PSI-Explorer is a scientific prototype of our visual-analytics (VA) approach supporting this important task. The prototype is written in Java and operates on Matlab files.

Beschreibung: The consequences of climate change are highly important in the polar regions as ice-sheets and glaciers respond strongly to change in average temperature. The analysis of seismic signals (icequakes) emitted by glaciers (i.e., cryo-seismology) is thus gaining importance as a tool for monitoring glacier activity. To understand the scaling relation between regional glacier-related seismicity and actual small-scale local glacier dynamics and to calibrate the identified classes of icequakes to locally observed waveforms, a temporary passive seismic monitoring experiment was conducted in the vicinity of the calving front of Kronebreen, one of the fastest tidewater glaciers on Svalbard (Fig. 1). By combining the local observations with recordings of the nearby GEOFON station GE.KBS, the local experiment provides an ideal link between local observations at the glacier to regional scale monitoring of NW Spitsbergen. During the 4-month operation period from May to September 2013, eight broadband seismometers and three 4-point short-period arrays were operating around the glacier front of Kronebreen.

Beschreibung: The 3D geomechanical-numerical modelling of the in-situ stress state requires observed stress information at reference locations within the model area to be compared to the modelled stress state. This comparison of stress states and the ensuing adaptation of the displacement boundary conditions provide a best fit stress state in the entire model region that is based on the available stress information. This process is also referred to as calibration. Depending on the amount of available information and the complexity of the model the calibration is a lengthy process of trial-and-error modelling and analysis. The Fast Automatic Stress Tensor Calibration (FAST Calibration) is a method and a Matlab script that facilitates and speeds up the calibration process. The method requires only three model scenarios with different boundary conditions. The modelled stress states at the locations of the observed stress state are extracted. Then they are used to compute the displacement boundary conditions that are required in order to achieve the best fit of the modelled to the observed stress state. Furthermore, the influence of the individual observed stress information on the resulting stress state can be weighted.

Beschreibung: In order to better understand the role of fluids during subduction and subsequent exhumation, we have investigated whole-rock and mineral chemistry (major and trace elements) and Li, B as well as O, Sr, Nd, Pb isotopes on selected continuous drill-core profiles through contrasting lithological boundaries from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Program (CCSD) in Sulu, China. Four carefully selected sample sets have been chosen to investigate geochemical changes as a result of fluid mobilization during dehydration, peak metamorphism, and exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust. Our data reveal that while O and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions remain more or less unchanged, significant Li and/or B isotope fractionations occur between different lithologies that are in close contact during various metamorphic stages. Samples that are supposed to represent prograde dehydration as indicated by veins formed at high pressures (HP) are characterized by element patterns of highly fluid-mobile elements in the veins that are complementary to those of the host eclogite. A second sample set represents a UHP metamorphic crustal eclogite that is separated from a garnet peridotite by a thin transitional interface. Garnet peridotite and eclogite are characterized by a 〉10% difference in MgO, which, together with the presence of abundant hydroxyl-bearing minerals and compositionally different clinopyroxene grains demonstrate that both rocks have been derived from different sources that have been tectonically juxtaposed during subduction, and that hydrous silicate-rich fluids have been added from the subducting slab to the mantle. Two additional sample sets, comprising retrograde amphibolite and relatively fresh eclogite, demonstrate that besides external fluids, internal fluids can be responsible for the formation of amphibolite. Li and B concentrations and isotopic compositions point to losses and isotopic fractionation during progressive dehydration. On the other hand, fluids with isotopically heavier Li and B are added during retrogression. On a small scale, mantle-derived rocks may be significantly metasomatized by fluids derived from the subducted slab. Our study indicates that during high-grade metamorphism, Li and B may show different patterns of enrichment and of isotopic fractionation.

Beschreibung: The Itajaí Basin located in the southern border of the Luís Alves Microplate is considered as a peripheral foreland basin related to the Dom Feliciano Belt. It presents an excellent record of the Ediacaran period, and its upper parts display the best Brazilian example of Precambrian turbiditic deposits. The basal succession of Itajaí Group is represented by sandstones and conglomerates (Baú Formation) deposited in alluvial and deltaic-fan systems. The marine upper sequences correspond to the Ribeirão Carvalho (channelized and non-channelized proximal silty-argillaceous rhythmic turbidites), Ribeirão Neisse (arkosic sandstones and siltites), and Ribeirão do Bode (distal silty turbidites) formations. The Apiúna Formation felsic volcanic rocks crosscut the sedimentary succession. The Cambrian Subida leucosyenogranite represents the last felsic magmatic activity to affect the Itajaí Basin. The Brusque Group and the Florianópolis Batholith are proposed as source areas for the sediments of the upper sequence. For the lower continental units the source areas are the Santa Catarina, São Miguel and Camboriú complexes. The lack of any oceanic crust in the Itajaí Basin suggests that the marine units were deposited in a restricted, internal sea. The sedimentation started around 600 Ma and ended before 560 Ma as indicated by the emplacement of rhyolitic domes. The Itajaí Basin is temporally and tectonically correlated with the Camaquã Basin in Rio Grande do Sul and the Arroyo del Soldado/Piriápolis Basin in Uruguay. It also has several tectono-sedimentary characteristics in common with the African-equivalent Nama Basin.

Beschreibung: Most studies dealing with material properties of sandstones are based on a small data set. The present study utilizes petrographical and petrophysical data from 22 selected sandstones and ~300 sandstones from the literature to estimate/predict the material and weathering behaviour of characteristic sandstones. Composition and fabric properties were determined from detailed thin section analyses. Statistical methods applied consist of data distributions with whisker plots and linear regression with confidence regions for the petrophysical and weathering properties. To identify similarities between individual sandstones and to define groups of specific sandstone types, principal component and cluster analyses were applied. The results confirm an interaction between the composition, depositional environment, stratigraphic association and diagenesis, which leads to a particular material behaviour of sandstones. Three different types of pore radii distributions are observed, whereby each is derived from different pore space modifications during diagenesis and is associated with specific sandstone types: (1) bimodal with a maximum in capillary and micropores, (2) unimodal unequal with a maximum in smaller capillary pores and (3) unimodal equable with a maximum in larger capillary pores. Each distribution shows specific dependencies to water absorption, salt loading and hygric dilatation. The strength–porosity relationship shows dependence on the content of unstable lithic fragments, grain contact and type of pore radii distribution, cementation and degree of alteration. Sandstones showing a maximum of capillary pores and micropores (bimodal) exhibit a distinct hygric dilatation and low salt resistance. These sandstones are highly immature sublitharenites–litharenites, characterized by altered unstable rock fragments, which show pointed-elongated grain contacts, and some pseudomatrix. Quartz arenites and sublitharenites–litharenites which are strongly compacted and cemented, show unimodal unequal pore radii distributions, low porosity, high strength and a high salt resistance. The presence of swellable clay minerals in sublitharenites–litharenites leads to a medium to high hygric dilatation, whereas quartz arenites show little hygric dilatation. Sandstones with unimodal equal pore radii distribution mostly belong to weakly compacted and cemented mature quartz arenites. These are characterized by high water absorption and high porosity, low to medium strength and a low salt resistance. The data compiled in this study are used to create a sandstone quality catalogue. Since material properties are dependent on many different parameters of influence, the transition between different lithotypes is fluent.

Beschreibung: The lattice-preferred orientation (LPOs) of two late-Variscan granitoids, the Meissen monzonite and the Podlesí dyke granite, were determined from high-resolution time-of-flight neutron diffraction patterns gained at the diffractometer SKAT in Dubna, Russia. The results demonstrate that the method is suitable for the LPO analysis of polyphase, relatively coarse-grained (0.1–6 mm) rocks. The Meissen monzonite has a prominent shape-preferred orientation (SPO) of the non-equidimensional minerals feldspar, mica and amphibole, whereas SPO of the Podlesí granite is unapparent at the hand-specimen scale. The neutron diffraction data revealed distinct LPOs in both granitoids. The LPO of the non-equidimensional minerals feldspar, mica and amphibole developed mainly during magmatic flow. In the case of the Meissen monzonite, the magmatic flow was superimposed by regional shear tectonics, which, however, had no significant effect on the LPOs. In both samples, quartz shows a weak but distinct LPO, which is atypical for plastic deformation and different in the syn-kinematic Meissen monzonite and the post-kinematic Podlesí granite. We suggest that, first of all, the quartz LPO of the Meissen monzonite is the result of oriented growth in an anisotropic stress field. The quartz LPO of the Podlesí granite, which more or less resembles a deformational LPO in the flattening field of the local strain field, developed during magmatic flow, whereby the rhombohedral faces of the quartz crystals adhered to the (010) faces of aligned albite and to the (001) faces of zinnwaldite. Due to shape anisotropy of their attachments, the quartz crystals were passively aligned by magmatic flow. Thus, magmatic flow and oriented crystal growth are the major LPO-forming processes in both granitoids. For the Meissen monzonite, the solid-state flow was too weak to cause significant crystallographic re-orientation of the minerals aligned by magmatic flow. Finally, the significance of our results for the evaluation of the regional tectonic environment during magma emplacement is discussed. The discussion on the regional implications of the more methodologically oriented results provides the basis for future, more regionally aimed studies in view of the fabric characteristics of such plutons and their developing mechanisms.

Beschreibung: The Eastern Sierras Pampeanas were structured by three main events: the Ediacaran to early Cambrian (580–510 Ma) Pampean, the late Cambrian–Ordovician (500–440 Ma) Famatinian and the Devonian-Carboniferous (400–350 Ma) Achalian orogenies. Geochronological and Sm–Nd isotopic evidence combined with petrological and structural features allow to speculate for a major rift event (Ediacaran) dividing into two Mesoproterozoic major crustal blocks (source of the Grenvillian age peaks in the metaclastic rocks).This event would be coeval with the development of arc magmatism along the eastern margin of the eastern block. Closure of this eastern margin led to a Cambrian active margin (Sierra Norte arc) along the western margin of the eastern block in which magmatism reworked the same crustal block. Consumption of a ridge segment (input of OIB signature mafic magmas) which controlled granulite-facies metamorphism led to a final collision (Pampean orogeny) with the western Mesoprotrozoic block. Sm–Nd results for the metamorphic basement suggest that the TDM age interval of 1.8–1.7 Ga, which is associated with the less radiogenic values of εNd(540) (−6 to −8), can be considered as the mean average crustal composition for the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas. Increasing metamorphic grade in rocks with similar detrital sources and metamorphic ages like in the Sierras de Córdoba is associated with a younger TDM age and a more positive εNd(540) value. Pampean pre-540 Ma granitoids form two clusters, one with TDM ages between 2.0 and 1.75 Ga and another between 1.6 and 1.5 Ga. Pampean post-540 Ma granitoids exhibit more homogenous TDM ages ranging from 2.0 to 1.75 Ga. Ordovician re-activation of active margin along the western part of the block that collided in the Cambrian led to arc magmatism (Famatinian orogeny) and related ensialic back-arc basin in which high-grade metamorphism is related to mid-crustal felsic plutonism and mafic magmatism with significant contamination of continental crust. TDM values for the Ordovician Famatinian granitoids define a main interval of 1.8–1.6, except for the Ordovician TTG suites of the Sierras de Córdoba, which show younger TDM ages ranging from 1.3 to 1.0 Ga. In Devonian times (Achalian orogeny), a new subduction regime installed west of the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas. Devonian magmatism in the Sierras exhibit process of mixing/assimilation of depleted mantle signature melts and continental crust. Achalian magmatism exhibits more radiogenic εNd(540) values that range between 0.5 and −4 and TDM ages younger than 1.3 Ga. In pre-Devonian times, crustal reworking is dominant, whereas processes during Devonian times involved different geochemical and isotopic signatures that reflect a major input of juvenile magmatism.

Beschreibung: The expansion processes that develop in building stones upon changes of moisture content may be an important contributing factor for their deteriorations. Until recently, few data could be found in the literature concerning this parameter and weathering processes. Moreover, the processes that may be responsible for the moisture related expansion of natural building stones are not yet completely understood. To further elucidate this process, extensive mineralogical, petrophysical and fabric investigations were performed on eight German sandstones in order to obtain more information regarding the weathering process and its dependence on the rock fabric. The analysed sandstones show a wide range of pore size distributions and porosities. A positive correlation with the fabric and the pore space can be found for all studied petrophysical parameters. The intensity of the expansion and related swelling pressure cannot be attributed only to the swelling of clay minerals. The investigations suggest that the micropores and the resulting disjoining pressure during wet/dry cycles also play an important role. The results obtained suggest that the mechanism is related to the presence of liquid water within the porous material.

Beschreibung: The profitable production of dimension stone mainly depends on the extractable block size. The regularity and volume of the blocks are of critical importance, and are controlled by the three-dimensional pattern of the discontinuity system. Therefore, optimization of block size has to be the aim when quarrying for natural stone. This is mainly connected to the quantification of joints and fractures, i.e., their spacing and orientation. The problem of finding unfractured blocks within arbitrarily oriented and distributed planes can be solved effectively by a numerical algorithm. The main effects of joint orientations on block sizes and shapes will be presented in this article. Quantification of unfractured blocks with the aim of optimization is illustrated by detailed studies on several quarries. The algorithm used in this study can be applied as a powerful tool in the planning of a quarry and the future exploitation of dimension stone. Application of the described approach is demonstrated on practical examples of quarrying natural stones, namely, sandstone, granite, rhyolite, etc. Block quarrying can be optimized by using the new 3D-BlockExpert approach. The quantification of unfractured rock masses is also shown to contribute to a more ecological protection and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Beschreibung: Damages to natural building stones induced by the action of frost are considered to be of great importance. Commonly, the frost resistance of building stones is checked by standardised freeze–thaw tests before using. Corresponding tests normally involve 30–50 freeze–thaw action cycles. In order to verify the significance of such measurements, we performed long-term tests on four selected rocks over 1,400 freeze–thaw action cycles. Additionally, numerous petrophysical parameters were analysed to compare the behaviour of rocks in the weathering tests according to the current explanatory models of stress formation by growing ice crystals in the pore space. The long-term tests yield more information about the real frost sensibility of the rocks. A clear deterioration cannot be determined in most cases until 50 weathering cycles have been completed. In the freeze–thaw tests, the samples are also stressed by changing temperature and moisture, indicating that different decay mechanisms can interfere with each other. Thus, thermohygric and moisture expansion are important damage processes.

Beschreibung: Owing to its long building history, different types of building stones comprised the construction of the Cologne Cathedral. Severe damage is observed on the different stones, e.g., sandstones, carbonate, and volcanic rocks, especially when the different stone materials neighbor the medieval “Drachenfels trachyte” from the “Siebengebirge”. The question arises, “Is the insufficient compatibility of the implemented building materials causatively related to the strong decay of the Drachenfels trachyte?” The present investigations focus on the petrography and mineralogical composition of eight different stones from the Cologne Cathedral. Petrophysical data, i.e., phase content, moisture and thermal characteristics as well as strength properties are determined and discussed in correlation to each other, showing that not only in terms of lithology great differences exist, but also the petrophysical properties strongly diverge. The ascertained parameters are discussed in view of the deterioration behavior and decay mechanisms of the different stones. To evaluate the compatibility of original, replacement and modern building materials, the properties of the investigated stones are compared to those of Drachenfels trachyte by means of constraints given in the literature. Besides optical properties, petrophysical criteria are also defined as well as strength values. It could be shown that primarily moisture properties, i.e., capillary and sorptive water uptake, water saturation, drying processes and moisture dilatation can be addressed to the deterioration processes.

Beschreibung: The range of substrates that the bone-eating marine worm Osedax is able to consume has important implications for its evolutionary history, especially its potential link to the rise of whales. Once considered a whale specialist, recent work indicates that Osedax consumes a wide range of vertebrate remains, including whale soft tissue and the bones of mammals, birds and fishes. Traces resembling those produced by living Osedax have now been recognized for the first time in Oligocene whale teeth and fish bones from deep-water strata of the Makah, Pysht and Lincoln Creek formations in western Washington State, USA. The specimens were acid etched from concretions, and details of the borehole morphology were investigated using micro-computed tomography. Together with previously published Osedax traces from this area, our results show that by Oligocene time Osedax was able to colonize the same range of vertebrate remains that it consumes today and had a similar diversity of root morphologies. This supports the view that a generalist ability to exploit vertebrate bones may be an ancestral trait of Osedax.

Beschreibung: Forests in lowland Bolivia suffer from severe deforestation caused by different types of agents and land use activities. We identify three major proximate causes of deforestation. The largest share of deforestation is attributable to the expansion of mechanized agriculture, followed by cattle ranching and small-scale agriculture. We utilize a spatially explicit multinomial logit model to analyze the determinants of each of these proximate causes of deforestation between 1992 and 2004. We substantiate the quantitative insights with a qualitative analysis of historical processes that have shaped land use patterns in the Bolivian lowlands to date. Our results suggest that the expansion of mechanized agriculture occurs mainly in response to good access to export markets, fertile soil, and intermediate rainfall conditions. Increases in small-scale agriculture are mainly associated with a humid climate, fertile soil, and proximity to local markets. Forest conversion into pastures for cattle ranching occurs mostly irrespective of environmental determinants and can mainly be explained by access to local markets. Land use restrictions, such as protected areas, seem to prevent the expansion of mechanized agriculture but have little impact on the expansion of small-scale agriculture and cattle ranching. The analysis of future deforestation trends reveals possible hotspots of future expansion for each proximate cause and specifically highlights the possible opening of new frontiers for deforestation due to mechanized agriculture. Whereas the quantitative analysis effectively elucidates the spatial patterns of recent agricultural expansion, the interpretation of long-term historic drivers reveals that the timing and quantity of forest conversion are often triggered by political interventions and historical legacies.

Beschreibung: Characeae, a family of calcifying green algae, are common in carbonate-rich freshwaters. The southwestern shoreline of Lake Ganau (Kurdistan Region, northeastern Iraq) harbors dense and thick mats of these algae (genus Chara). On the lake bottom and along the shore, carbonate sands and rocks rich in the remains of stems, branches, nodes, and whorls of Chara are deposited. These deposits show all stages of growth and degradation of characean algae, including replacement and lithification into limestone. The replacement of the fragments by fine-grained calcite preserved delicate microstructures of Chara, such as cortical walls, cell shape, inner and outer layers of the stems, and reproductive organs. Based on roundness, sorting, the degree of lithification, and preserved microstructures of the grains (fragments), three facies were recognized. The first is represented by a newly formed lime sand facies showing elongated grains, poor sorting, and reduced roundness, with pristine preservation of characean surface microstructures. The second is a weathered lime sand facies, which shows better sorting and good roundness, whereas internal structures of characean fragments are still well preserved. The third is comprised of a lithified lime sand facies (grainstone), with very well sorted and rounded grains, and poorly preserved external and internal structures of the characeans. As compared to the newly formed lime sand facies, the grainstone facies shows an increase in grain size by more than 30 %, owing to precipitation of micritic lamina of possible microbial origin. Eventually, the Characeae-derived lime sands are lithified into oolitic limestones with sparry calcite cement, forming a grainstone microfacies. The present study has important implications for the interpretation of pre-Quaternary environments, as it records all stages of the fossilization process of characean green algae and highlights the role of these algae in the formation of oolitic carbonate rocks.

Beschreibung: The Mantiqueira Province represents a series of supracrustal segments of the South-American counterpart formed during the Gondwana Supercontinent agglutination. In this crustal domain, the process of escape tectonics played a conspicuous role, generating important NE–N–S-trending lineaments. The oblique component of the motions of the colliding tectonic blocks defined the transpressional character of the main suture zones: Lancinha-Itariri, Cubatão-Arcádia-Areal, Serrinha-Rio Palmital in the Ribeira Belt and Sierra Ballena-Major Gercino in the Dom Feliciano Belt. The process as a whole lasted for ca. 60 Ma, since the initial collision phase until the lateral escape phase predominantly marked by dextral and subordinate sinistral transpressional shear zones. In the Dom Feliciano Belt, southern Brazil and Uruguay, transpressional event at 630–600 Ma is recognized and in the Ribeira Belt, despite less coevally, the transpressional event occurred between 590 and 560 Ma in its northern-central portion and between ca. 625 and 595 Ma in its central-southern portion. The kinematics of several shear zones with simultaneous movement in opposite directions at their terminations is explained by the sinuosity of these lineaments in relation to a predominantly continuous westward compression.

Beschreibung: The Sierras Pampeanas in central and north-western Argentina constitute a distinct morphotectonic feature between 27°S and 33°S. The last stage of uplift and deformation in this area are interpreted to be closely related to the Andean flat-slab subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate. K–Ar fault gouge dating and low-temperature thermochronology along two transects within the Sierra de Comechingones reveal a minimum age for the onset of brittle deformation about 340 Ma, very low exhumation rates since Late Paleozoic time, as well as a total exhumation of about 2.3 km since the Late Cretaceous. New Ar–Ar ages (7.54–1.91 Ma) of volcanic rocks from the San Luis volcanic belt support the eastward propagation of the flat-slab magmatic front, confirming the onset of flat-slab related deformation in this region at 11.2 Ma. Although low-temperature thermochronology does not clearly constrain the signal of the Andean uplift, it is understood that the current structural relief related to the Comechingones range has been achieved after the exhumation of both fault walls (circa 80–70 Ma).

Beschreibung: The Palaeogene was the most recent greenhouse period on Earth. Especially for the Late Palaeocene and Early Eocene, several superimposed short-term hyperthermal events have been described, including extremes such as the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. Major faunal and floral turnovers in the marine and terrestrial realms were recorded in association with these events. High-resolution palynological analysis of the early Middle Eocene maar lake sediments at Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany, provides an insight into the dynamics of a climax vegetation during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate in a time span without significant climatic excursions. Numerical techniques like detrended correspondence analysis and wavelet analysis have been applied to recognize cyclic fluctuations and long-term trends in the vegetation through a time interval of approximately 640 kyr. Based on the numerical zoning of the pollen diagram, three phases in the development of the vegetation may be distinguished. Throughout these phases, the climax vegetation did not change substantially in qualitative composition, but a trend towards noticeably less humid conditions probably in combination with a drop of the water level in the lake may be recognized. A shift in algal population from the freshwater dinoflagellate cyst Messelodinium thielepfeifferae to a dominance of Botryococcus in the uppermost part of the core is interpreted as a response to changes in acidity and nutrient availability within the lake. Time series analyses of pollen assemblages show that variations in the Milankovitch range of eccentricity, obliquity and precession can be distinguished. In addition, fluctuations in the sub-Milankovitch range are indicated. This demonstrates that floral changes during steady depositional conditions in the Middle Eocene of Messel were controlled by orbital forcing.

Beschreibung: In the presented case study, ascomycete fungi and green algae on a marble monument were identified by comparisons of the 18S rRNA gene sequences, which were obtained from DNA either from environmental samples or from enrichment cultures. The organisms were found to be responsible for either black or green surface coverings on different areas of the monument surface. Most fungi were related to plant-inhabiting genera, corresponding to a heavy soiling of the marble surface with honeydew. Whereas green algae of the genera Stichococcus, Chloroidium and Apatococcus were found to be dominant in all samples, isolates of two additional genera were recovered only from enrichment cultures. A reference strain of Apatococcus lobatus and an isolate of Prasiolopsis sp. were investigated with respect to putative surface adhesive structures of the cell envelope. The Prasiolopsis cell walls were covered with a thin adhesive exopolysaccharide layer involved in biofilm formation.

Beschreibung: Bowing is a well-known phenomenon seen in marbles used as building veneers. This form of rock weathering occurs as a result of external factors such as temperature, humidity, the system for anchoring the marble slabs or the panel dimensions. Under the same external conditions, many factors will determine the degree of deformation including petrography, thermal properties and residual locked stresses. The usual way to solve the problem of bowed marble slabs is to replace them with other materials, such as granites, in which the deformation still exists but is less common. In this study, eight ornamental granites with different mineralogy, grain size, grain shape, porosity and fabric were tested in a laboratory to assess their susceptibility to bowing. Three slabs of granite, each cut with a different orientation, were studied under different conditions of temperature (90 and 120°C) and water saturation (dry and wet) to investigate the influence of these factors together with that of anisotropy. At 90°C, only the granite with the coarsest grain size and low porosity exhibited deformation under wet conditions. At 120°C and wet conditions, three of the granites showed evident signs of bowing. Again, the granite with the coarsest grain size was the most deformed. It was concluded that the wide grain size distribution influences microcracking more than other expected factors, such as the quartz content of the rock. Also, mineral shape-preferred orientation and porosity play an important role in the bowing of the studied granites.

Beschreibung: The emplacement of the Mesoproterozoic Götemar Pluton into Paleoproterozoic granitoid host rocks of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt is re-examined by microfabric analysis, including cathodoluminescence microscopy. Field data on the pluton-host rock system are used to strengthen the model. The Götemar Pluton, situated on the Baltic Shield of SE Sweden, is a horizontally zoned tabular structure that was constructed by the intrusion of successive pulses of magma with different crystal/melt ratios, at an estimated crustal depth of 4–8 km. Initial pluton formation involved magma ascent along a vertical dike, which was arrested at a mechanical discontinuity within the granitoid host rocks; this led to the formation of an initial sill. Subsequent sill stacking and their constant inflation resulted in deformation and reheating of existing magma bodies, which also raised the pluton roof. This multi-stage emplacement scenario is indicated by complex dike relationships and the occurrence of several generations of quartz (Si-metasomatism). The sills were charged by different domains of a heterogeneous magma chamber with varying crystal/melt ratios. Ascent or emplacement of magma with a high crystal/melt ratio is indicated by syn-magmatic deformation of phenocrysts. Complex crystallization fabrics (e.g. oscillatory growth zoning caused by high crystal defect density, overgrowth and replacement features, resorbed and corroded crystal cores, rapakivi structure) are mostly related to processes within the main chamber, that is repeated magma mixing or water influx.

Beschreibung: Slates are internationally known as roof and façade-cladding material since prehistoric times. The methods required to mine and manufacture these dimensional stones are relatively simple in comparison to those utilized in granitic dimensional stones. This has led to a worldwide rentable commercialization of slate in the last centuries and also to the development of characteristic cultural landscapes. In Uruguay several slates are mined and used in architecture, especially as façade cladding and floor slabs. The most important slates regarding their production and utilization are the dolomitic slates. These dolomitic slates are associated with the Neoproterozoic thrust and fold belt of the Dom Feliciano belt. Representative samples have been geochemically and petrographically characterized, as well as petrophysically and petromechanically analyzed. The petrophysical and petromechanical properties were investigated in a very systematic way with respect to the new European standards, showing values comparable to those registered for internationally known slates. Detailed structural and deposit analysis were carried out in Uruguay in order to evaluate the dolomitic slate deposits. The slates are linked to calc-silicate strata in a greenschist facies volcano-sedimentary sequence and the deposits are located in the limb of a regional fold, where bedding and cleavage are parallel. The main lithotype is a layered and fine-grained dolomitic slate with a quite diverse palette of colors: light and dark green, gray, dark gray, reddish and black. The mined slate is split into slabs 0.5–2 cm thick. In the past, the average production in Uruguay was around 4,000 tons/year and a historical maximum of 13,000 tons was reached in 1993 (Oyhantçabal et al. in Z dt Ges Geowiss 158(3):417–428, 2007). The oscillations in the regional demand were the cause of several flourishing and decay cycles in the activity, but our investigation shows a considerable volume of indicated resources and therefore a very good potential.

Beschreibung: Microstructure‐based finite-element analysis with a microcracking algorithm was used to simulate an actual degradation phenomenon of marble structures, i.e., microcracking. Both microcrack initiation and crack propagation were characterized, as were their dependence on lattice preferred orientation (LPO), grain shape preferred orientation (SPO), grain size, marble composition (calcite and dolomite) and grain‐boundary fracture toughness. Two LPOs were analyzed: a random orientation distribution function and an orientation distribution function with strong directional crystalline texture generated from a March–Dollase distribution. Three SPOs were considered: equiaxed grains; elongated grains and a mixture of equiaxed and elongated grains. Three different grain sizes were considered: fine grains of order 200 μm (only calcitic marble); medium size grains of order 1 mm (calcitic and dolomitic marbles); and large grains of order 2 mm (only dolomitic marble). The fracture surface energy for the grain boundaries, γig, was chosen to be 20 and 40 % of the fracture surface energy of a grain, γxtal, so that both intergranular and transgranular fracture were possible. Studies were performed on these idealized marble microstructures to elucidate the range of microcracking responses. Simulations were performed for both heating and cooling by 50 °C in steps of 1 °C. Microcracking results were correlated with the thermoelastic responses, which are indicators related to degradation. The results indicate that certain combinations of LPO, SPO, grain size, grain‐boundary fracture toughness and marble composition have a significant influence on the thermal-elastic response of marble. Microstructure with the smallest grain size and the highest degree of SPO and LPO had less of a tendency to microcrack. Additionally, with increasing SPO and LPO microcracking becomes more spatially anisotropic. A significant observation for all microstructures was an asymmetry in microcracking upon heating and cooling: more microcracking was observed upon cooling than upon heating. Given an identical microstructure and crystallographic texture, calcite showed larger thermal stresses than dolomite, had an earlier onset of microcracking upon heating and cooling, and a greater microcracked area at a given temperature differential. Thermal expansion coefficients with and without microcracking were also determined.

Beschreibung: In Uruguay commercial granite varieties comprise mafic rocks, granitoids, and syenitoids. There is a long tradition in Uruguay, as well as worldwide, of using dimensional stones in architecture and art, specially granitic ones. Some of the present applications of these dimensional stones are as façade cladding, countertops, and outdoor and indoor floor slabs. The color spectrum of the Uruguayan granitic dimensional stones varies from black to light gray, covering a wide variety of red and pink and minor greenish-gray. The décor of these granitic dimensional stones is mainly determined by their fabric, fundamentally the grain size and the color distribution between the different minerals that compose the rocks. In the present research the most important commercial granites were sampled to analyze their petrography and petrophysical properties. A detailed structural analysis has been performed in several deposits, as well as the application of the software 3D Block Expert for modeling the possible raw block size distribution. Other factors controlling the mining viability of the deposits were also studied (e.g., homogeneity/heterogeneity of color and décor) and the possible reserves were calculated.

Beschreibung: The old mining city of Guanajuato in middle Mexico preserves one of the most important historical legacies in colonial buildings, the UNESCO declared the city World Heritage Site in 1988. Practically all the colonial constructions were built with natural stones from the neighbourhood, of which stands a greenish to reddish vulcanite, called Loseros Tuff. Although the Loseros Tuff is widely used in historical buildings in the city. It shows significant deterioration and weathering effects, principally in the parts where the tuff shows a coarse grain size. The petrographic, petrophysical, mineralogical and geochemical properties of the Loseros Tuff were analysed in order to determine the causes, effects, behaviour and response to deterioration of this volcanic rock. The results of the investigations suggest that in addition to the parameters like the grain size and the porosity properties, the pore radii distribution is decisive for the effectiveness of porosity and the water transport into the rock. It is recognized that once the liquid water invades the rock the dissolution of the matrix occurs, which is accompanied by a sudden moisture expansion favoured by the newly formed secondary porosity and the high content of expandable clay minerals.

Beschreibung: The degree of weathering in natural stones on buildings and sculptures has been determined for many years in numerous cases by means of ultrasonic measurements. Conclusions concerning the strength of the rock and the type of weathering can thus be drawn. This relationship has not been established for all rock types. Most of the progress utilizing this method has been made in the analysis of marbles, where an increasing degree of weathering shows lower ultrasonic velocities. In the present study, four Carrara marble samples showing similar rock fabrics, but with respect to weathering exhibit considerable differences are investigated. Porosity varies between 0.2 vol. % and ca. 2.4 vol. %, whereby with increasing porosity the pore radii changes as well. Parallel to this the ultrasonic velocities change in dry samples from about 5.5 to 1.6 km/s, respectively. Model calculations reveal that the velocity reduction is caused by cracks with an extremely small aspect ratio of about 0.005 or even less. After a specific loss of strength, however, solution processes can become active, which modify the microcracks and generate an opposite trend. In the process a strong porosity increase correlates to a relatively small velocity reduction. With the presence of water the Vp porosity weathering relationship experiences a considerable modification. Parallel to the reduction of the ultrasonic velocities, it was determined that the mechanical strength (compressive strength, flexural strength, etc.) as well as the static Young’s modulus is reduced almost equally by a progressive advancement of the weathering front. In one case study dealing with tensile strengths, it was clearly documented how tensile cracks develop and propagate in dependence of the rock fabric. The rock mechanical and ultrasonic velocity data were used for stability assessments applied to the marble statuaries from the Schlossbrücke in Berlin. Stability assessments of the sculpture group 4 reveal that some critical parts must be replaced due to safety reasons.

Beschreibung: Fabrics of Cambrian sedimentary dykes formed in Proterozoic granites of the Västervik area (Southeast Sweden) evidence repeated opening/filling and mineralisation/cementation events under varying conditions. Diagnostic features include (1) wall-parallel boundaries between epiclastic fillings and (2) early formed dyke sediments that appear as lithoclasts in subsequently formed sedimentary fillings. The psammitic components mostly consist of well-rounded quartz grains related to a coastal environment and fragments from the granitic host rock. Platy calcitic fragments embedded in the epiclastic matrix originally formed as microveins within already-lithified dyke sediments and the adjacent host rock. Convex downward-pointing, internal sagging structures, together with the preferred orientation of compositional boundaries and long axes of grains/rock fragments parallel to the dyke walls, are interpreted as the result of suction-controlled flow of unconsolidated fillings during episodes of downward dyke growth. Pressure solution of quartz grains are evidence of extensional phases with dyke propagation that were interrupted by phases of horizontal compression normal to the dyke walls. The N–S and NE–SW striking sedimentary dykes formed by opening of a pre-existing joint set during NW–SE oriented rifting during the Cambrian.

Beschreibung: Moisture expansion in natural building stones is considered one of the most important factors affecting their weathering and deterioration. The processes that may be responsible for the expansion under determinate relative humidity (hygric dilatation) and water-saturated conditions (hydric dilatation) are generally attributed to the presence of swellable clay minerals. In contrast to this assumption, our investigations show that moisture expansion also takes place in volcanic tuff building stones almost free from clay minerals. To provide a deeper understanding of the processes, swelling and deterioration were performed on 14 volcanic tuffs used as important building stones of different ages, compositions and weathering stages from Mexico, Germany and Hungary. The investigations undertaken include extensive chemical, petrophysical and fabric analyses. The samples show a wide range of effective porosity, microporosity, capillary water absorption, moisture expansion, and CEC values. High moisture expansion does not seem to depend on clay mineral content alone. We also observed that there is no significant effect on dilatation if clay minerals are present but only form a thin coat on the outer shell of bigger pores. Moreover, we identified a correlation between microporosity, average pore radius and moisture expansion. The investigations highlight the fact that moisture expansion cannot only be attributed to swellable clay minerals, and suggest that the presence and accumulation of micropores and their average radius and distribution play an important role for non-clay associated swelling intensity, which can most probably be attributed to the disjoining pressure.

Beschreibung: Investigation by Raman spectroscopy of samples from different geological settings shows that the occurrence of TiO2 polymorphs other than rutile can hardly be predicted, and furthermore, the occurrence of anatase is more widespread than previously thought. Metamorphic pressure and temperature, together with whole rock chemistry, control the occurrence of anatase, whereas variation of mineral assemblage characteristics and/or fluid occurrence or composition takes influence on anatase trace element characteristics and re-equilibration of relict rutiles. Evaluation of trace element contents obtained by electron microprobe in anatase, brookite, and rutile shows that these vary significantly between the three TiO2 phases. Therefore, on the one hand, an appropriation to source rock type according to Nb and Cr contents, but as well application of thermometry on the basis of Zr contents, would lead to erroneous results if no phase specification is done beforehand. For the elements Cr, V, Fe, and Nb, variation between the polymorphs is systematic and can be used for discrimination on the basis of a linear discriminant analysis. Using phase group means and coefficients of linear discriminants obtained from a compilation of analyses from samples with well-defined phase information together with prior probabilities of groupings from a natural sample compilation, one is able to calculate phase grouping probabilities of any TiO2 analysis containing at least the critical elements Cr, V, Fe, and Nb. An application of this calculation shows that for the appropriation to the phase rutile, a correct-classification rate of 99.5% is obtained. Hence, phase specification by trace elements proves to be a valuable tool besides Raman spectroscopy.

Beschreibung: A new U–Pb SHRIMP age of 551 ± 4 Ma on a mylonitic porphyry that intruded into the Sierra Ballena Shear Zone (Southernmost Dom Feliciano Belt, Uruguay) and a review of relevant published data make possible a more refined correlation and reconstruction of Brasiliano/Pan-African transpressional events. Paleogeographic reconstruction, kinematics and timing of events indicate a connection between the shear systems of the Dom Feliciano and Kaoko Belts at 580–550 Ma. Sinistral transpression recorded in shear zones accommodates deformation subsequent to collision between the Congo and Río de la Plata Cratons. The correlation is strengthened by the similarity of magmatic and metamorphic ages in the Coastal Terrane of the Kaoko Belt and the Punta del Este Terrane of the Dom Feliciano Belt. This post-collisional sinistral transpression brought these units near to their final position in Gondwana and explains the different evolution at 550–530 Ma. While in the Kaoko Belt, an extensional episode resulted in exhumation as a consequence of collision in the Damara Belt, in the Dom Feliciano Belt, sinistral transpression occurred associated with the closure of the southern Adamastor Ocean due to Kalahari-Río de la Plata collision.

Beschreibung: This study documents the chemical and textural responses of zircon in the Elba igneous complex, with particular reference to the 7- to 7.8-Ma-old Monte Capanne pluton in relation to its coeval volcanic counterpart (Capraia), using BSE imaging and quantitative electron microprobe analyses. The Monte Capanne pluton displays multiple field and geochemical evidence for magma mixing. The samples we have investigated (including monzogranitic, mafic enclave and dyke samples) display similar zircon textures and are associated with an extremely large range of trace and minor element (Hf, Y, HREE, Th, U) compositions, which contrast with relatively simple textures and zoning patterns in zircons from a Capraia dacite. We have used a relatively simple textural classification (patchy zoning, homogenous cores, oscillatory zoning and unzoned zircon) as the basis for discussing the chemical composition and chemical variation within zircons from the Monte Capanne pluton. Based on these data and other works (Dini et al. 2004 in Lithos 78:101–118, 2004) , it is inferred that mixing between metaluminous and peraluminous melts occurred early in the evolution of the Monte Capanne magma chamber. In particular, mixing was responsible for the development of the patchy-zoning texture in the zircon cores, which was associated with reactions between other accessory phases (including monazite, apatite, allanite), which we infer to have significantly affected the Th distribution in zircon. Zircons from the MC pluton displaying “homogeneous cores” have chemical affinities with zircons in the coeval Capraia volcanic system, consistent with the participation of a Capraia-like mantle end-member during mixing. Further zircon growth in the MC pluton produced the oscillatory zoning texture, which records both long-term (crystal fractionation) and transient (recharge with both silicic and mafic magmas) events in a hybrid magma chamber. It is inferred that Hf and the Th/U ratio cannot be used alone to infer magmatic processes due to their dependency on temperature, nor are they a diagnostic feature of xenocrystic grains. This study shows that zircon chemistry coupled with detailed textural analysis can provide a powerful tool to elucidate the complex evolution of a magma system.

Beschreibung: The bowing of natural stone panels is especially known for marble slabs. The bowing of granite is mainly known from tombstones in subtropical humid climate. Field inspections in combination with laboratory investigations with respect to the thermal expansion and the bowing potential was performed on two different granitoids (Cezlak granodiorite and Flossenbürg granite) which differ in the composition and rock fabrics. In addition, to describe and explain the effect of bowing of granitoid facade panels, neutron time-of-flight diffraction was applied to determine residual macro- and microstrain. The measurements were combined with investigations of the crystallographic preferred orientation of quartz and biotite. Both samples show a significant bowing as a function of panel thickness and destination temperature. In comparison to marbles the effect of bowing is more pronounced in granitoids at temperatures of 120°C. The bowing as well as the thermal expansion of the Cezlak sample is also anisotropic with respect to the rock fabrics. A quantitative estimate was performed based on the observed textures. The effect of the locked-in stresses may also have a control on the bowing together with the thermal stresses related to the different volume expansion of the rock-forming minerals.

Beschreibung: Multi-isotope study including whole-rock Nd–Sr, single zircon Hf, and SIMS δ18O analyses of zircons sheds light on magma sources in the northernmost Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) during ~820–570 Ma. Reconnaissance initial Nd and Sr isotope data for the older rocks (~820–740 Ma) reaffirms previous estimates that early crustal evolution in this part of the shield involved some crustal contamination by pre-ANS material. Prominent isotope provinciality is displayed by post-collisional calc-alkaline and alkaline igneous rocks of ~635–570 Ma across a NW-SE transect across basement of the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) and southern Israel. Silicic rocks of the NW-region are characterized by lower εNd(T)–εHf(T) and higher Sri and δ18O compared with rocks of the SE-region, and the transition between the regions is gradual. Within each region isotope ratios are independent of the extent of magma fractionation, and zircon cores and rims yield similar δ18O values. Comparison with southern segments of the ANS shows that the source for most ~635–570 Ma rocks can be modeled as the isotopically aged lower-intermediate crust in the ANS core (SE-region) and its northern, more contaminated ANS margins (NW-region). Nevertheless, Nd–Sr isotope enrichment of the lithospheric mantle is indicated by some basic magmas of the NW-region displaying the most enriched Nd–Sr isotope compositions. Comparison of Nd and Hf depleted mantle model ages for rocks of the SE-region may indicate that crustal formation events in the ANS geographical core took place at 1.1–1.2 Ga and were followed by crustal differentiation starting at ~0.9 Ga.

Beschreibung: Oligoclase and labradorite crystals have been experimentally replaced by albite in an aqueous sodium silicate solution at 600°C and 2 kbars. The replacement is pseudomorphic and is characterised by a sharp chemical interface which progresses through the feldspar while preserving the crystallographic orientation. Reaction rims of albite, up to 50 μm thick, can be readily achieved within 14 days. Re-equilibration of plagioclase in an 18O-enriched sodium- and silica-bearing solution results in oxygen isotope redistribution within the feldspar framework structure. The observed characteristics of the reaction products are similar to naturally albitised plagioclase and are indicative of an interface-coupled dissolution–reprecipitation mechanism. Chemical analyses demonstrate that the albitisation is accompanied by the mobilisation of major, minor and trace elements also including elements such as Al and Ti which are commonly regarded as immobile during hydrothermal alteration. The results contribute to developing our understanding of the close association between large-scale albitisation and secondary ore mineralisation which is common in nature.

Beschreibung: The Sierra de San Luis forms the southern tip of the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas in central Argentina. Two narrow belts of low-grade phyllites and quartz arenites, i.e. the San Luis Formation, have accommodated part of the strain-related differential exhumation of the medium- to high-grade metamorphic domains that constitute to the basement complex of the sierra. Eleven phyllite samples were subjected to the K/Ar fine-fraction dating technique. Results are interpreted in relation to the Kübler index of the illites, which indicate epimetamorphic conditions for the majority of the samples. Obtained ages between 330 and 290 Ma cover a period of compressional tectonics in the late Mississippian (Visean/Serpukhovian boundary) followed by the subsidence during the formation of the Paganzo Basin in the provinces of La Rioja and San Luis. These tectonic movements are coincident with the Toco orogeny in northern Chile and southern Bolivia. This suggests that the older K/Ar ages document the compressional stage and that younger ages record the cooling of the basement during the subsequent extensional uplift of the basement.

Beschreibung: A review of the lithostratigraphic units in the Río de la Plata Craton and of new and previously published geochronological, isotopic and geophysical data is presented. Sm–Nd TDM model ages between 2.6 and 2.2 Ga characterize the Piedra Alta Terrane of this craton. Crystallization ages between 2.2 and 2.1 Ga for the metamorphic protoliths and 2.1–2.0 Ga for the post-orogenic granitoids indicate juvenile crust, followed by a short period of crustal recycling. Cratonization of this terrane occurred during the late Paleoproterozoic. Younger overprinting is not observed, suggesting it had a thick and strong lithosphere in the Neoproterozoic. A similar scenario is indicated for the Tandilia Belt of Argentina. Sm–Nd TDM model ages for the Nico Pérez Terrane show two main events of crustal growth (3.0–2.6 and 2.3–1.6 Ga). The crystallization ages on zircon ranges between 3.1 and 0.57 Ga, which is evidence for long-lived crustal reworking. The age for cratonization is still uncertain. In the Taquarembó Block, which is considered the prolongation of the Nico Pérez Terrane in southern Brazil, a similar scenario can be observed. These differences together with contrasting geophysical signatures support the redefinition of the Río de la Plata Craton comprising only the Piedra Alta Terrane and the Tandilia Belt. The Sarandí del Yí Shear Zone is regarded as the eastern margin of this Craton.

Beschreibung: The volcaniclastic Tepoztlán Formation (TF) represents an important rock record to unravel the early evolution of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB). Here, a depositional model together with a chronostratigraphy of this Formation is presented, based on detailed field observations together with new geochronological, paleomagnetic, and petrological data. The TF consists predominantly of deposits from pyroclastic density currents and extensive epiclastic products such as tuffaceous sandstones, conglomerates and breccias, originating from fluvial and mass flow processes, respectively. Within these sediments fall deposits and lavas are sparsely intercalated. The clastic material is almost exclusively of volcanic origin, ranging in composition from andesite to rhyolite. Thick gravity-driven deposits and large-scale alluvial fan environments document the buildup of steep volcanic edifices. K-Ar and Ar-Ar dates, in addition to eight magnetostratigraphic sections and lithological correlations served to construct a chronostratigraphy for the entire Tepoztlán Formation. Correlation of the 577 m composite magnetostratigraphic section with the Cande and Kent (1995) Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS) suggests that this section represents the time intervall 22.8–18.8 Ma (6Bn.1n-5Er; Aquitanian-Burdigalian, Lower Miocene). This correlation implies a deposition of the TF predating the extensive effusive activity in the TMVB at 12 Ma and is therefore interpreted to represent its initial phase with predominantly explosive activity. Additionally, three subdivisions of the TF were established, according to the dominant mode of deposition: (1) the fluvial dominated Malinalco Member (22.8–22.2 Ma), (2) the volcanic dominated San Andrés Member (22.2–21.3 Ma) and (3) the mass flow dominated Tepozteco Member (21.3–18.8 Ma).

Beschreibung: The Sierra Ballena Shear Zone (SBSZ) is part of a high-strain transcurrent system that divides the Neoproterozoic Dom Feliciano Belt of South America into two different domains. The basement on both sides of the SBSZ shows a deformation stage preceding that of the transcurrent deformation recognized as a high temperature mylonitic foliation associated with migmatization. Grain boundary migration and fluid-assisted grain boundary diffusion enhanced by partial melting were the main deformation mechanisms associated with this foliation. Age estimate of this episode is 〉658 Ma. The second stage corresponds to the start of transpressional deformation and the nucleation and development of the SBSZ. During this stage, pure shear dominates the deformation, and is characterized by the development of conjugate dextral and sinistral shear zones and the emplacement of syntectonic granites. This event dates to 658–600 Ma based on the age of these intrusions. The third stage was a second transpressional event at about 586 to 〈560 Ma that was associated with the emplacement of porphyry dikes and granites that show evidence of flattening. Deformation in the SBSZ took place, during the late stages, under regional low-grade conditions, as indicated by the metamorphic paragenesis in the supracrustals of the country rocks. Granitic mylonites show plastic deformation of quartz and brittle behavior of feldspar. A transition from magmatic to solid-state microstructures is also frequently observed in syntectonic granites. Mylonitic porphyries and quartz mylonites resulted from the deformation of alkaline porphyries and quartz veins emplaced in the shear zone. Quartz veins reflect the release of silica associated with the breakdown of feldspar to white mica during the evolution of the granitic mylonites to phyllonites, which resulted in shear zone weakening. Quartz microstructures characteristic of the transition between regime 2 and regime 3, grain boundary migration and incipient recrystallization in feldspar indicate deformation under lower amphibolite to upper greenschist conditions (550–400°C). On the other hand, the mylonitic porphyries display evidence of feldspar recrystallization suggesting magmatic or high-T solid-state deformation during cooling of the dikes.

Beschreibung: Movement within the Earth’s upper crust is commonly accommodated by faults or shear zones, ranging in scale from micro-displacements to regional tectonic lineaments. Since faults are active on different time scales and can be repeatedly reactivated, their displacement chronology is difficult to reconstruct. This study represents a multi-geochronological approach to unravel the evolution of an intracontinental fault zone locality along the Danube Fault, central Europe. At the investigated fault locality, ancient motion has produced a cataclastic deformation zone in which the cataclastic material was subjected to hydrothermal alteration and K-feldspar was almost completely replaced by illite and other phyllosilicates. Five different geochronological techniques (zircon Pb-evaporation, K–Ar and Rb–Sr illite, apatite fission track and fluorite (U-Th)/He) have been applied to explore the temporal fault activity. The upper time limit for initiation of faulting is constrained by the crystallization age of the primary rock type (known as “Kristallgranit”) at 325 ± 7 Ma, whereas the K–Ar and Rb–Sr ages of two illite fractions 〈2 μm (266–255 Ma) are interpreted to date fluid infiltration events during the final stage of the cataclastic deformation period. During this time, the “Kristallgranit” was already at or near the Earth’s surface as indicated by the sedimentary record and thermal modelling results of apatite fission track data. (U–Th)/He thermochronology of two single fluorite grains from a fluorite–quartz vein within the fault zone yield Cretaceous ages that clearly postdate their Late-Variscan mineralization age. We propose that later reactivation of the fault caused loss of helium in the fluorites. This assertion is supported by geological evidence, i.e. offsets of Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments along the fault and apatite fission track thermal modelling results are consistent with the prevalence of elevated temperatures (50–80°C) in the fault zone during the Cretaceous.

Beschreibung: The application of the SHRIMP U/Pb dating technique to zircon and monazite of different rock types of the Sierras de Córdoba provides an important insight into the metamorphic history of the basement domains. Additional constraints on the Pampean metamorphic episode were gained by Pb/Pb stepwise leaching (PbSL) experiments on two titanite and garnet separates. Results indicate that the metamorphic history recorded by Crd-free gneisses (M2) started in the latest Neoproterozoic/earliest Cambrian (553 and 543 Ma) followed by the M4 metamorphism at ~530 Ma that is documented in the diatexites. Zircon ages of 492 Ma in the San Carlos Massif correlate partly with rather low Th/U ratios (〈0.1) suggesting their growth by metamorphic fluids. This age is even younger than the PbSL titanite ages of 506 Ma. It is suggested that the fluid alteration relates to the beginning of the Famatinien metamorphic cycle in the neighbouring Sierra de San Luis and has not affected the titanite ages. The PTt evolution can be correlated with the plate tectonic processes responsible for the formation of the Pampean orogene, i.e., the accretion of the Pampean basement to the Río de La Plata craton (M2) and the later collision of the Western Pampean basement with the Pampean basement.

Beschreibung: Aspidochirote holothurian ossicles were discovered in Upper Ordovician-aged Öjlemyr cherts from Gotland, Sweden. The well-preserved material allows definitive assignment to the family Synallactidae, a deep-sea sea cucumber group that is distributed worldwide today. The new taxon Tribrachiodemas ordovicicus gen. et sp. nov. is described, representing the oldest member of the Aspidochirotida. The further fossil record of Synallactidae and evolutionary implications are also discussed.

Beschreibung: The configurational heat capacity, shear modulus and shear viscosity of a series of Na2O–Fe2O3–Al2O3–SiO2 melts have been determined as a function of composition. A change in composition dependence of each of the physical properties is observed as Na2O/(Na2O + Al2O3) is decreased, and the peralkaline melts become peraluminous and a new charge-balanced Al-structure appears in the melts. Of special interest are the frequency dependent (1 mHz–1 Hz) measurements of the shear modulus. These forced oscillation measurements determine the lifetimes of Si–O bonds and Na–O bonds in the melt. The lifetime of the Al–O bonds could not, however, be resolved from the mechanical spectrum. Therefore, it appears that the lifetime of Al–O bonds in these melts is similar to that of Si–O bonds with the Al–O relaxation peak being subsumed by the Si–O relaxation peak. The appearance of a new Al-structure in the peraluminous melts also cannot be resolved from the mechanical spectra, although a change in elastic shear modulus is determined as a function of composition. The structural shear-relaxation time of some of these melts is not that which is predicted by the Maxwell equation, but up to 1.5 orders of magnitude faster. Although the configurational heat capacity, density and shear modulus of the melts show a change in trend as a function of composition at the boundary between peralkaline and peraluminous, the deviation in relaxation time from the Maxwell equation occurs in the peralkaline regime. The measured relaxation times for both the very peralkaline melts and the peraluminous melts are identical with the calculated Maxwell relaxation time. As the Maxwell equation was created to describe the timescale of flow of a mono-structure material, a deviation from the prediction would indicate that the structure of the melt is too complex to be described by this simple flow equation. One possibility is that Al-rich channels form and then disappear with decreasing Si/Al, and that the flow is dominated by the lifetime of Si–O bonds in the Al-poor peralkaline melts, and by the lifetime of Al–O bonds in the relatively Si-poor peralkaline and peraluminous melts with a complex flow mechanism occurring in the mid-compositions. This anomalous deviation from the calculated relaxation time appears to be independent of the change in structure expected to occur at the peralkaline/peraluminous boundary due to the lack of charge-balancing cations for the Al-tetrahedra.

Beschreibung: The giant ignimbrites that erupted from the Cerro Galán caldera complex in the southern Puna of the high Andean plateau are considered to be linked to crustal and mantle melting as a consequence of delamination of gravitationally unstable thickened crust and mantle lithosphere over a steepening subduction zone. Major and trace element analyses of Cerro Galán ignimbrites (68–71% SiO2) that include 75 new analyses can be interpreted as reflecting evolution at three crustal levels. AFC modeling and new fractionation corrected δ18O values from quartz (+7.63–8.85‰) are consistent with the ignimbrite magmas being near 50:50 mixtures of enriched mantle (87Sr/86Sr ~ 0.7055) and crustal melts (87Sr/86Sr near 0.715–0.735). Processes at lower crustal levels are predicated on steep heavy REE patterns (Sm/Yb = 4–7), high Sr contents (〉250 ppm) and very low Nb/Ta (9-5) ratios, which are attributed to amphibolite partial melts mixing with fractionating mantle basalts to produce hybrid melts that rise leaving a gravitationally unstable garnet-bearing residue. Processes at mid crustal levels create large negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.45–0.70) and variable trace element enrichment in a crystallizing mush zone with a temperature near 800–850°C. The mush zone is repeatedly recharged from depth and partially evacuated into upper crustal magma chambers at times of regional contraction. Crystallinity differences in the ignimbrites are attributed to biotite, zoned plagioclase and other antecrysts entering higher level chambers where variable amounts of near-eutectic crystallization occurs at temperatures as low as 680°C just preceding eruption. 40Ar/39Ar single crystal sanidine weighted mean plateau and isochron ages combined with trace element patterns show that the Galán ignimbrite erupted in more than one batch including a ~ 2.13 Ma intracaldera flow and outflows to the west and north at near 2.09 and 2.06 Ma. Episodic delamination of gravitationally unstable lower crust and mantle lithosphere and injection of basaltic magmas, whose changing chemistry reflects their evolution over a steepening subduction zone, could trigger the eruptions of the Cerro Galán ignimbrites.

Beschreibung: The construction suitability of a dimension stone depends on its weathering properties along with the petrology and the petrophysical properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of the dimension stones from the “Drei Gleichen” area for construction and replacement purposes. In total, six sandstones (Ingersleben, Wachsenburg, Hindfelden, Seeberg, Röhnberg, Gleichenberg; Upper Triassic) as well as two carbonates (Wachsenburg sinter; Quaternary, Wandersleben dolomite; Middle Triassic) were analysed. The results from our laboratory and on-site studies of the dimension stones show that rocks from the same stratigraphic layer, like the sandstones from the upper Triassic, can show major differences in their petrophysical and weathering properties. These differences are attributed to their different diagenesis, resulting, e.g. in varying pore space, water balance and strength properties. The pore size distribution can be divided into four different groups based on their occurring maxima and micropore content. The determined water balance properties as well as moisture expansion and salt attack depend on these groups. Next to this, the mineralogical composition significantly influences the weathering resistance. Sandstones with a high content of altered lithoclasts show a high amount of moisture expansion, low strength and, in consequence, a low weathering resistance against salt attack. Based on the results of the present study, an evaluation of construction suitability could be accomplished. From the analysed sandstones, only the Seebergen sandstone is suitable for construction purposes due to its good availability, good strength properties (high compressive and tensile strength, low softening degree) as well as a low porosity. Furthermore, the Wachsenburg sandstone also shows good petrophysical and petrological properties, but exploitable deposits are too sparse to be of commercial interest. From the carbonates, the Wachsenburg sinter shows very suitable rock parameters, but only sparse outcrops occur, which are not appropriate for mining.

Beschreibung: In the Aztec period and in colonial times different natural stones originating in the Valley of Mexico were used for building construction. Stone weathering was investigated onsite at various historical buildings within the old quarter of Mexico City. In this study, different aspects of weathering and deterioration at three significant historical buildings will be presented, the Aztec excavation site Templo Mayor, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the colonial palace of the dukes of Heras Soto. Petrophysical properties of the main building stones of these structures were investigated like density, porosity, pore radii distribution, water uptake rate and coefficient, thermal and hygric expansion, and the mechanical properties of uniaxial compressive strength. A relationship between single critical property values, according to anisotropy fabric characteristics, and specific weathering forms could be deduced.

Beschreibung: A 782 d solubilization study using not shaken batch experiments and involving one uranium-bearing rock and three natural carbonate minerals was conducted to characterize uranium (U) leaching under oxic conditions. Results showed that aqueous U concentration increased continuously with a solubilization rate of 0.16 mgm-2h-1 for the first 564 d (1.5 y). After 1.5 y, U concentration reached a maximum value (saturation) and decreased afterwards. The saturation concentration of 54 mgL-1 (mean value) was influenced to various extent by the presence of carbonate minerals. Dissolution/precipitation, adsorption or ion exchange processes appear to control U solubilization.