@phdthesis{Koyan2024,
  author    = {Koyan, Philipp},
  title     = {3D attribute analysis and classification to interpret ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data collected across sedimentary environments: Synthetic studies and field examples},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-63948},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-639488},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xi, 115, A51},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die Untersuchung des oberfl{\"a}chennahen Untergrundes erfolgt heutzutage bei Frage- stellungen aus den Bereichen des Bauwesens, der Arch{\"a}ologie oder der Geologie und Hydrologie oft mittels zerst{\"o}rungsfreier beziehungsweise zerst{\"o}rungsarmer Methoden der angewandten Geophysik. Ein Bereich, der eine immer zentralere Rolle in Forschung und Ingenieurwesen einnimmt, ist die Untersuchung von sediment{\"a}ren Umgebungen, zum Beispiel zur Charakterisierung oberfl{\"a}chennaher Grundwassersysteme. Ein in diesem Kontext h{\"a}ufig eingesetztes Verfahren ist das des Georadars (oftmals GPR - aus dem Englischen ground-penetrating radar). Dabei werden kurze elektromagnetische Impulse von einer Antenne in den Untergrund ausgesendet, welche dort wiederum an Kontrasten der elektromagnetischen Eigenschaften (wie zum Beispiel an der Grundwasseroberfl{\"a}che) reflektiert, gebrochen oder gestreut werden. Eine Empfangsantenne zeichnet diese Signale in Form derer Amplituden und Laufzeiten auf. Eine Analyse dieser aufgezeichneten Signale erm{\"o}glicht Aussagen {\"u}ber den Untergrund, beispielsweise {\"u}ber die Tiefenlage der Grundwasseroberfl{\"a}che oder die Lagerung und Charakteristika oberfl{\"a}chennaher Sedimentschichten. Dank des hohen Aufl{\"o}sungsverm{\"o}gens der GPR-Methode sowie stetiger technologischer Entwicklungen erfolgt heutzutage die Aufzeichnung von GPR- Daten immer h{\"a}ufiger in 3D. Trotz des hohen zeitlichen und technischen Aufwandes f{\"u}r die Datenakquisition und -bearbeitung werden die resultierenden 3D-Datens{\"a}tze, welche den Untergrund hochaufl{\"o}send abbilden, typischerweise von Hand interpretiert. Dies ist in der Regel ein {\"a}ußerst zeitaufwendiger Analyseschritt. Daher werden oft repr{\"a}sentative 2D-Schnitte aus dem 3D-Datensatz gew{\"a}hlt, in denen markante Reflektionsstrukuren markiert werden. Aus diesen Strukturen werden dann sich {\"a}hnelnde Bereiche im Untergrund als so genannte Radar-Fazies zusammengefasst. Die anhand von 2D-Schnitten erlangten Resultate werden dann als repr{\"a}sentativ f{\"u}r die gesamte untersuchte Fl{\"a}che angesehen. In dieser Form durchgef{\"u}hrte Interpretationen sind folglich oft unvollst{\"a}ndig sowie zudem in hohem Maße von der Expertise der Interpretierenden abh{\"a}ngig und daher in der Regel nicht reproduzierbar. Eine vielversprechende Alternative beziehungsweise Erg{\"a}nzung zur manuellen In- terpretation ist die Verwendung von so genannten GPR-Attributen. Dabei werden nicht die aufgezeichneten Daten selbst, sondern daraus abgeleitete Gr{\"o}ßen, welche die markanten Reflexionsstrukturen in 3D charakterisieren, zur Interpretation herangezogen. In dieser Arbeit wird anhand verschiedener Feld- und Modelldatens{\"a}tze untersucht, welche Attribute sich daf{\"u}r insbesondere eignen. Zudem zeigt diese Arbeit, wie ausgew{\"a}hlte Attribute mittels spezieller Bearbeitungs- und Klassifizierungsmethoden zur Erstellung von 3D-Faziesmodellen genutzt werden k{\"o}nnen. Dank der M{\"o}glichkeit der Erstellung so genannter attributbasierter 3D-GPR-Faziesmodelle k{\"o}nnen zuk{\"u}nftige Interpretationen zu gewissen Teilen automatisiert und somit effizienter durchgef{\"u}hrt werden. Weiterhin beschreiben die so erhaltenen Resultate den untersuchten Untergrund in reproduzierbarer Art und Weise sowie umf{\"a}nglicher als es bisher mittels manueller Interpretationsmethoden typischerweise m{\"o}glich war.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Sharma2024,
  author    = {Sharma, Shubham},
  title     = {Integrated approaches to earthquake forecasting},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-63612},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-636125},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xvi, 76},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {A comprehensive study on seismic hazard and earthquake triggering is crucial for effective mitigation of earthquake risks. The destructive nature of earthquakes motivates researchers to work on forecasting despite the apparent randomness of the earthquake occurrences. Understanding their underlying mechanisms and patterns is vital, given their potential for widespread devastation and loss of life. This thesis combines methodologies, including Coulomb stress calculations and aftershock analysis, to shed light on earthquake complexities, ultimately enhancing seismic hazard assessment. The Coulomb failure stress (CFS) criterion is widely used to predict the spatial distributions of aftershocks following large earthquakes. However, uncertainties associated with CFS calculations arise from non-unique slip inversions and unknown fault networks, particularly due to the choice of the assumed aftershocks (receiver) mechanisms. Recent studies have proposed alternative stress quantities and deep neural network approaches as superior to CFS with predefined receiver mechanisms. To challenge these propositions, I utilized 289 slip inversions from the SRCMOD database to calculate more realistic CFS values for a layered-half space and variable receiver mechanisms. The analysis also investigates the impact of magnitude cutoff, grid size variation, and aftershock duration on the ranking of stress metrics using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results reveal the performance of stress metrics significantly improves after accounting for receiver variability and for larger aftershocks and shorter time periods, without altering the relative ranking of the different stress metrics. To corroborate Coulomb stress calculations with the findings of earthquake source studies in more detail, I studied the source properties of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and its aftershocks, aiming to unravel the seismotectonics of the NW Himalayan syntaxis. I simultaneously relocated the mainshock and its largest aftershocks using phase data, followed by a comprehensive analysis of Coulomb stress changes on the aftershock planes. By computing the Coulomb failure stress changes on the aftershock faults, I found that all large aftershocks lie in regions of positive stress change, indicating triggering by either co-seismic or post-seismic slip on the mainshock fault. Finally, I investigated the relationship between mainshock-induced stress changes and associated seismicity parameters, in particular those of the frequency-magnitude (Gutenberg-Richter) distribution and the temporal aftershock decay (Omori-Utsu law). For that purpose, I used my global data set of 127 mainshock-aftershock sequences with the calculated Coulomb Stress (ΔCFS) and the alternative receiver-independent stress metrics in the vicinity of the mainshocks and analyzed the aftershocks properties depend on the stress values. Surprisingly, the results show a clear positive correlation between the Gutenberg-Richter b-value and induced stress, contrary to expectations from laboratory experiments. This observation highlights the significance of structural heterogeneity and strength variations in seismicity patterns. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that aftershock productivity increases nonlinearly with stress, while the Omori-Utsu parameters c and p systematically decrease with increasing stress changes. These partly unexpected findings have significant implications for future estimations of aftershock hazard. The findings in this thesis provides valuable insights into earthquake triggering mechanisms by examining the relationship between stress changes and aftershock occurrence. The results contribute to improved understanding of earthquake behavior and can aid in the development of more accurate probabilistic-seismic hazard forecasts and risk reduction strategies.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Lilienkamp2024,
  author    = {Lilienkamp, Henning},
  title     = {Enhanced computational approaches for data-driven characterization of earthquake ground motion and rapid earthquake impact assessment},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-63195},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-631954},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {x, 145},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Rapidly growing seismic and macroseismic databases and simplified access to advanced machine learning methods have in recent years opened up vast opportunities to address challenges in engineering and strong motion seismology from novel, datacentric perspectives. In this thesis, I explore the opportunities of such perspectives for the tasks of ground motion modeling and rapid earthquake impact assessment, tasks with major implications for long-term earthquake disaster mitigation. In my first study, I utilize the rich strong motion database from the Kanto basin, Japan, and apply the U-Net artificial neural network architecture to develop a deep learning based ground motion model. The operational prototype provides statistical estimates of expected ground shaking, given descriptions of a specific earthquake source, wave propagation paths, and geophysical site conditions. The U-Net interprets ground motion data in its spatial context, potentially taking into account, for example, the geological properties in the vicinity of observation sites. Predictions of ground motion intensity are thereby calibrated to individual observation sites and earthquake locations. The second study addresses the explicit incorporation of rupture forward directivity into ground motion modeling. Incorporation of this phenomenon, causing strong, pulse like ground shaking in the vicinity of earthquake sources, is usually associated with an intolerable increase in computational demand during probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) calculations. I suggest an approach in which I utilize an artificial neural network to efficiently approximate the average, directivity-related adjustment to ground motion predictions for earthquake ruptures from the 2022 New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model. The practical implementation in an actual PSHA calculation demonstrates the efficiency and operational readiness of my model. In a follow-up study, I present a proof of concept for an alternative strategy in which I target the generalizing applicability to ruptures other than those from the New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model. In the third study, I address the usability of pseudo-intensity reports obtained from macroseismic observations by non-expert citizens for rapid impact assessment. I demonstrate that the statistical properties of pseudo-intensity collections describing the intensity of shaking are correlated with the societal impact of earthquakes. In a second step, I develop a probabilistic model that, within minutes of an event, quantifies the probability of an earthquake to cause considerable societal impact. Under certain conditions, such a quick and preliminary method might be useful to support decision makers in their efforts to organize auxiliary measures for earthquake disaster response while results from more elaborate impact assessment frameworks are not yet available. The application of machine learning methods to datasets that only partially reveal characteristics of Big Data, qualify the majority of results obtained in this thesis as explorative insights rather than ready-to-use solutions to real world problems. The practical usefulness of this work will be better assessed in the future by applying the approaches developed to growing and increasingly complex data sets.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{JimenezAlvaro2023,
  author    = {Jim{\´e}nez {\´A}lvaro, Eliana},
  title     = {An{\´a}lisis neotect{\´o}nico y lito-tefroestratigr{\´a}fico de los grandes movimientos en masa asociados al fallamiento activo de la cuenca intermontana Quito-Guayllabamba, Ecuador},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62220},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-622209},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {195},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Within the Quito-Guayllabamba intermontane basin of Ecuador, five unusually large colluvial deposits of ancient landslides have been identified and analyzed in this study. The voluminous rotational MM-5 Guayllabamba landslide is the largest one, with a volume of 1183 million m3. The mega debris-avalanches MM-1 Conocoto, MM-3 Oyacoto, and MM-4 San Francisco were originally triggered by an initial rupture that was associated with a rotational landslide, the corresponding deposits have volumes between 399 to 317 million m3. Finally, the deposit with the smallest volume, the MM-2 Bat{\´a}n rotational landslide and debris fall, has a volume of 8,7 million m3. In this thesis, a detailed study of these large mass movements was carried out using neotectonic and litho-tephrostratigraphic methods to understand the geological and geomorphological boundary conditions that might have been relevant for triggering such mass movements. The neotectonic part of the study was based on the qualitative and quantitative geomorphic analysis of these large mass-movement deposits through the structural characterization of anticlines located east of the Quito sub-basin and their collapsed flanks that constitute the break-off areas. This part of the analysis was furthermore supported by the application of different morphometric indices to reveal tectonically forced landscape evolution processes that may have aided mass-movement generation. The litho-tephrostratigraphic part of the study was based on the analysis of petrographic, geochemical, and geochronological characteristics of soil horizons and intercalated volcanic ashes with the aim to constrain the timing of individual mass-movement events and their potential correlation. The results were integrated into chronostratigraphic schemes using break-off surfaces, cross-cutting and superposition relationships of landslide deposits and subsequently deposited strata to understand the mass movements in the tectonic and temporal context of the intermontane basin setting, as well as to identify the triggering mechanisms for each event. The MM-5 Guayllabamba mass movement is the result of the collapse of the southwestern slope of the Mojanda volcano and was triggered by the interaction of geologic and morphologic conditions approximately 0,81 Ma. The first debris-avalanche episode of the MM-3 Oyacoto and MM-4 San Francisco mass movements could be related to both geological and morphological conditions, given the highly fractured rocks and uplift of the Bellavista-Catequilla anticline that was subsequently incised at the foot of the slope by fluvial erosion. This first episode of collapse most likely occurred around 0,8 Ma. The MM-2 Bat{\´a}n mass movement was possibly also facilitated by a combination of geological and morphological conditions, most likely associated with a reduction in the lithostatic stresses affecting the Chiche and Mach{\´a}ngara formations and an increase of shear stresses during lateral fluvial scouring processes at the flanks of the source areas. This points to a linked process between river erosion and uplift processes associated with the evolution of the El Bat{\´a}n-La Bota anticline that could have occurred between 0,5 and 0,25 Ma. The voluminous MM-1 Conocoto debris avalanche, as well as the second debris avalanche episode that generated the MM-3 Oyacoto and MM-4 San Francisco mass movements, were caused by the gravitational collapse of the Mojanda and Cangahua formations that are characterized by the intercalation of volcanic ashes. The failure of the eastern flank of the anticlines probably was associated with increased available humidity related to regional Holocene climatic variations. The results of paleosol chronology combined with regional chronostratigraphic and paleoclimate data suggests that these debris avalanches were triggered between 5 and 4 ka. Active tectonics has shaped the morphological features of the Quito-Guayllabamba intermontane basin. The triggering of mass movements in this environment is associated with failure of Pleistocene lithologies (lake sediments, alluvial and volcanic deposits) subjected to ongoing deformation processes, seismic activity, and superposed episodes of climate variability. The Metropolitan District of Quito is an integral part of this complex environment and the geological, climatic, and topographic conditions that continue to influence the urban geographic space within this intermontane basin. The city of Quito comprises the area with the largest urban consolidation including the sub-basins of Quito and San Antonio, with a population of 2,872 million inhabitants, reflecting the importance of studying the inherent geological and climatic hazards that this region is confronted with.},
  language  = {es}
}
@phdthesis{Antonoglou2024,
  author    = {Antonoglou, Nikolaos},
  title     = {GNSS-based remote sensing: Innovative observation of key hydrological parameters in the Central Andes},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62825},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-628256},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xxii, 116},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {The Central Andean region is characterized by diverse climate zones with sharp transitions between them. In this work, the area of interest is the South-Central Andes in northwestern Argentina that borders with Bolivia and Chile. The focus is the observation of soil moisture and water vapour with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) remote-sensing methodologies. Because of the rapid temporal and spatial variations of water vapour and moisture circulations, monitoring this part of the hydrological cycle is crucial for understanding the mechanisms that control the local climate. Moreover, GNSS-based techniques have previously shown high potential and are appropriate for further investigation. This study includes both logistic-organization effort and data analysis. As for the prior, three GNSS ground stations were installed in remote locations in northwestern Argentina to acquire observations, where there was no availability of third-party data. The methodological development for the observation of the climate variables of soil moisture and water vapour is independent and relies on different approaches. The soil-moisture estimation with GNSS reflectometry is an approximation that has demonstrated promising results, but it has yet to be operationally employed. Thus, a more advanced algorithm that exploits more observations from multiple satellite constellations was developed using data from two pilot stations in Germany. Additionally, this algorithm was slightly modified and used in a sea-level measurement campaign. Although the objective of this application is not related to monitoring hydrological parameters, its methodology is based on the same principles and helps to evaluate the core algorithm. On the other hand, water-vapour monitoring with GNSS observations is a well-established technique that is utilized operationally. Hence, the scope of this study is conducting a meteorological analysis by examining the along-the-zenith air-moisture levels and introducing indices related to the azimuthal gradient. The results of the experiments indicate higher-quality soil moisture observations with the new algorithm. Furthermore, the analysis using the stations in northwestern Argentina illustrates the limits of this technology because of varying soil conditions and shows future research directions. The water-vapour analysis points out the strong influence of the topography on atmospheric moisture circulation and rainfall generation. Moreover, the GNSS time series allows for the identification of seasonal signatures, and the azimuthal-gradient indices permit the detection of main circulation pathways.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Manu2023,
  author    = {Manu, Evans},
  title     = {Hydrogeochemical characterization of water resources in the Pra Basin (Ghana) for quality assessment and water management},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62806},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-628062},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {XVI, 106},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Watershed management requires an understanding of key hydrochemical processes. The Pra Basin is one of the five major river basins in Ghana with a population of over 4.2 million people. Currently, water resources management faces challenges due to surface water pollution caused by the unregulated release of untreated household and industrial waste into aquatic ecosystems and illegal mining activities. This has increased the need for groundwater as the most reliable water supply. Our understanding of groundwater recharge mechanisms and chemical evolution in the basin has been inadequate, making effective management difficult. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to gain insight into the processes that determine the hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater quality in the Pra Basin. The combined use of stable isotope, hydrochemistry, and water level data provides the basis for conceptualizing the chemical evolution of groundwater in the Pra Basin. For this purpose, the origin and evaporation rates of water infiltrating into the unsaturated zone were evaluated. In addition, Chloride Mass Balance (CMB) and Water Table Fluctuations (WTF) were considered to quantify groundwater recharge for the basin. Indices such as water quality index (WQI), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Wilcox diagram, and salinity (USSL) were used in this study to determine the quality of the resource for use as drinking water and for irrigation purposes. Due to the heterogeneity of the hydrochemical data, the statistical techniques of hierarchical cluster and factor analysis were applied to subdivide the data according to their spatial correlation. A conceptual hydrogeochemical model was developed and subsequently validated by applying combinatorial inverse and reaction pathway-based geochemical models to determine plausible mineral assemblages that control the chemical composition of the groundwater. The interactions between water and rock determine the groundwater quality in the Pra Basin. The results underline that the groundwater is of good quality and can be used for drinking water and irrigation purposes. It was demonstrated that there is a large groundwater potential to meet the entire Pra Basin's current and future water demands. The main recharge area was identified as the northern zone, while the southern zone is the discharge area. The predominant influence of weathering of silicate minerals plays a key role in the chemical evolution of the groundwater. The work presented here provides fundamental insights into the hydrochemistry of the Pra Basin and provides data important to water managers for informed decision-making in planning and allocating water resources for various purposes. A novel inverse modelling approach was used in this study to identify different mineral compositions that determine the chemical evolution of groundwater in the Pra Basin. This modelling technique has the potential to simulate the composition of groundwater at the basin scale with large hydrochemical heterogeneity, using average water composition to represent established spatial groupings of water chemistry.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Mueller2024,
  author    = {M{\"u}ller, Daniel},
  title     = {Identification and monitoring of structures, controls, and evolution dynamics of hydrothermal systems and associated alteration through high-resolution remote sensing and in situ analysis},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62668},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-626683},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {205},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Volcanic hydrothermal systems are an integral part of most volcanoes and typically involve a heat source, adequate fluid supply, and fracture or pore systems through which the fluids can circulate within the volcanic edifice. Associated with this are subtle but powerful processes that can significantly influence the evolution of volcanic activity or the stability of the near-surface volcanic system through mechanical weakening, permeability reduction, and sealing of the affected volcanic rock. These processes are well constrained for rock samples by laboratory analyses but are still difficult to extrapolate and evaluate at the scale of an entire volcano. Advances in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), sensor technology, and photogrammetric processing routines now allow us to image volcanic surfaces at the centimeter scale and thus study volcanic hydrothermal systems in great detail. This thesis aims to explore the potential of UAS approaches for studying the structures, processes, and dynamics of volcanic hydrothermal systems but also to develop methodological approaches to uncover secondary information hidden in the data, capable of indicating spatiotemporal dynamics or potentially critical developments associated with hydrothermal alteration. To accomplish this, the thesis describes the investigation of two near-surface volcanic hydrothermal systems, the El Tatio geyser field in Chile and the fumarole field of La Fossa di Vulcano (Italy), both of which are among the best-studied sites of their kind. Through image analysis, statistical, and spatial analyses we have been able to provide the most detailed structural images of both study sites to date, with new insights into the driving forces of such systems but also revealing new potential controls, which are summarized in conceptual site-specific models. Furthermore, the thesis explores methodological remote sensing approaches to detect, classify and constrain hydrothermal alteration and surface degassing from UAS-derived data, evaluated them by mineralogical and chemical ground-truthing, and compares the alteration pattern with the present-day degassing activity. A significant contribution of the often neglected diffuse degassing activity to the total amount of degassing is revealed and constrains secondary processes and dynamics associated with hydrothermal alteration that lead to potentially critical developments like surface sealing. The results and methods used provide new approaches for alteration research, for the monitoring of degassing and alteration effects, and for thermal monitoring of fumarole fields, with the potential to be incorporated into volcano monitoring routines.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{WindirschWoiwode2024,
  author    = {Windirsch-Woiwode, Torben},
  title     = {Permafrost carbon stabilisation by recreating a herbivore-driven ecosystem},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62424},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-624240},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {X, 104, A-57},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {With Arctic ground as a huge and temperature-sensitive carbon reservoir, maintaining low ground temperatures and frozen conditions to prevent further carbon emissions that contrib-ute to global climate warming is a key element in humankind's fight to maintain habitable con-ditions on earth. Former studies showed that during the late Pleistocene, Arctic ground condi-tions were generally colder and more stable as the result of an ecosystem dominated by large herbivorous mammals and vast extents of graminoid vegetation - the mammoth steppe. Characterised by high plant productivity (grassland) and low ground insulation due to animal-caused compression and removal of snow, this ecosystem enabled deep permafrost aggrad-ation. Now, with tundra and shrub vegetation common in the terrestrial Arctic, these effects are not in place anymore. However, it appears to be possible to recreate this ecosystem local-ly by artificially increasing animal numbers, and hence keep Arctic ground cold to reduce or-ganic matter decomposition and carbon release into the atmosphere. By measuring thaw depth, total organic carbon and total nitrogen content, stable carbon iso-tope ratio, radiocarbon age, n-alkane and alcohol characteristics and assessing dominant vegetation types along grazing intensity transects in two contrasting Arctic areas, it was found that recreating conditions locally, similar to the mammoth steppe, seems to be possible. For permafrost-affected soil, it was shown that intensive grazing in direct comparison to non-grazed areas reduces active layer depth and leads to higher TOC contents in the active layer soil. For soil only frozen on top in winter, an increase of TOC with grazing intensity could not be found, most likely because of confounding factors such as vertical water and carbon movement, which is not possible with an impermeable layer in permafrost. In both areas, high animal activity led to a vegetation transformation towards species-poor graminoid-dominated landscapes with less shrubs. Lipid biomarker analysis revealed that, even though the available organic material is different between the study areas, in both permafrost-affected and sea-sonally frozen soils the organic material in sites affected by high animal activity was less de-composed than under less intensive grazing pressure. In conclusion, high animal activity af-fects decomposition processes in Arctic soils and the ground thermal regime, visible from reduced active layer depth in permafrost areas. Therefore, grazing management might be utilised to locally stabilise permafrost and reduce Arctic carbon emissions in the future, but is likely not scalable to the entire permafrost region.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schifferle2024,
  author    = {Schifferle, Lukas},
  title     = {Optical properties of (Mg,Fe)O at high pressure},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-62216},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-622166},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {XIV, 90},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Large parts of the Earth's interior are inaccessible to direct observation, yet global geodynamic processes are governed by the physical material properties under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. It is therefore essential to investigate the deep Earth's physical properties through in-situ laboratory experiments. With this goal in mind, the optical properties of mantle minerals at high pressure offer a unique way to determine a variety of physical properties, in a straight-forward, reproducible, and time-effective manner, thus providing valuable insights into the physical processes of the deep Earth. This thesis focusses on the system Mg-Fe-O, specifically on the optical properties of periclase (MgO) and its iron-bearing variant ferropericlase ((Mg,Fe)O), forming a major planetary building block. The primary objective is to establish links between physical material properties and optical properties. In particular the spin transition in ferropericlase, the second-most abundant phase of the lower mantle, is known to change the physical material properties. Although the spin transition region likely extends down to the core-mantle boundary, the ef-fects of the mixed-spin state, where both high- and low-spin state are present, remains poorly constrained. In the studies presented herein, we show how optical properties are linked to physical properties such as electrical conductivity, radiative thermal conductivity and viscosity. We also show how the optical properties reveal changes in the chemical bonding. Furthermore, we unveil how the chemical bonding, the optical and other physical properties are affected by the iron spin transition. We find opposing trends in the pres-sure dependence of the refractive index of MgO and (Mg,Fe)O. From 1 atm to ~140 GPa, the refractive index of MgO decreases by ~2.4\% from 1.737 to 1.696 (±0.017). In contrast, the refractive index of (Mg0.87Fe0.13)O (Fp13) and (Mg0.76Fe0.24)O (Fp24) ferropericlase increases with pressure, likely because Fe Fe interactions between adjacent iron sites hinder a strong decrease of polarizability, as it is observed with increasing density in the case of pure MgO. An analysis of the index dispersion in MgO (decreasing by ~23\% from 1 atm to ~103 GPa) reflects a widening of the band gap from ~7.4 eV at 1 atm to ~8.5 (±0.6) eV at ~103 GPa. The index dispersion (between 550 and 870 nm) of Fp13 reveals a decrease by a factor of ~3 over the spin transition range (~44-100 GPa). We show that the electrical band gap of ferropericlase significantly widens up to ~4.7 eV in the mixed spin region, equivalent to an increase by a factor of ~1.7. We propose that this is due to a lower electron mobility between adjacent Fe2+ sites of opposite spin, explaining the previously observed low electrical conductivity in the mixed spin region. From the study of absorbance spectra in Fp13, we show an increasing covalency of the Fe-O bond with pressure for high-spin ferropericlase, whereas in the low-spin state a trend to a more ionic nature of the Fe-O bond is observed, indicating a bond weakening effect of the spin transition. We found that the spin transition is ultimately caused by both an increase of the ligand field-splitting energy and a decreasing spin-pairing energy of high-spin Fe2+.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{LauerDuenkelberg2023,
  author    = {Lauer-D{\"u}nkelberg, Gregor},
  title     = {Extensional deformation and landscape evolution of the Central Andean Plateau},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-61759},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-617593},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xviii, 195},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Mountain ranges can fundamentally influence the physical and and chemical processes that shape Earths' surface. With elevations of up to several kilometers they create climatic enclaves by interacting with atmospheric circulation and hydrologic systems, thus leading to a specific distribution of flora and fauna. As a result, the interiors of many Cenozoic mountain ranges are characterized by an arid climate, internally drained and sediment-filled basins, as well as unique ecosystems that are isolated from the adjacent humid, low-elevation regions along their flanks and forelands. These high-altitude interiors of orogens are often characterized by low relief and coalesced sedimentary basins, commonly referred to as plateaus, tectono-geomorphic entities that result from the complex interactions between mantle-driven geological and tectonic conditions and superposed atmospheric and hydrological processes. The efficiency of these processes and the fate of orogenic plateaus is therefore closely tied to the balance of constructive and destructive processes - tectonic uplift and erosion, respectively. In numerous geological studies it has been shown that mountain ranges are delicate systems that can be obliterated by an imbalance of these underlying forces. As such, Cenozoic mountain ranges might not persist on long geological timescales and will be destroyed by erosion or tectonic collapse. Advancing headward erosion of river systems that drain the flanks of the orogen may ultimately sever the internal drainage conditions and the maintenance of storage of sediments within the plateau, leading to destruction of plateau morphology and connectivity with the foreland. Orogenic collapse may be associated with the changeover from a compressional stress field with regional shortening and topographic growth, to a tensional stress field with regional extensional deformation and ensuing incision of the plateau. While the latter case is well-expressed by active extensional faults in the interior parts of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalaya, for example, the former has been attributed to have breached the internally drained areas of the high-elevation sectors of the Iranian Plateau. In the case of the Andes of South America and their internally drained Altiplano-Puna Plateau, signs of both processes have been previously described. However, in the orogenic collapse scenario the nature of the extensional structures had been primarily investigated in the northern and southern terminations of the plateau; in some cases, the extensional faults were even regarded to be inactive. After a shallow earthquake in 2020 within the Eastern Cordillera of Argentina that was associated with extensional deformation, the state of active deformation and the character of the stress field in the central parts of the plateau received renewed interest to explain a series of extensional structures in the northernmost sectors of the plateau in north-western Argentina. This study addresses (1) the issue of tectonic orogenic collapse of the Andes and the destruction of plateau morphology by studying the fill and erosion history of the central eastern Andean Plateau using sedimentological and geochronological data and (2) the kinematics, timing and magnitude of extensional structures that form well-expressed fault scarps in sediments of the regional San Juan del Oro surface, which is an integral part of the Andean Plateau and adjacent morphotectonic provinces to the east. Importantly, sediment properties and depositional ages document that the San Juan del Oro Surface was not part of the internally-drained Andean Plateau, but rather associated with a foreland-directed drainage system, which was modified by the Andean orogeny and that became successively incorporated into the orogen by the eastward-migration of the Andean deformation front during late Miocene - Pliocene time. Structural and geomorphic observations within the plateau indicate that extensional processes must have been repeatedly active between the late Miocene and Holocene supporting the notion of plateau-wide extensional processes, potentially associated with Mw ~ 7 earthquakes. The close relationship between extensional joints and fault orientations underscores that 3 was oriented horizontally in NW-SE direction and 1 was vertical. This unambiguously documents that the observed deformation is related to gravitational forces that drive the orogenic collapse of the plateau. Applied geochronological analyses suggest that normal faulting in the northern Puna was active at about 3 Ma, based on paired cosmogenic nuclide dating of sediment fill units. Possibly due to regional normal faulting the drainage system within the plateau was modified, promoting fluvial incision.},
  language  = {en}
}