TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Tomas A1 - Hrubcova, Pavla A1 - Dahm, Torsten A1 - Woith, Heiko A1 - Vylita, Tomas A1 - Ohrnberger, Matthias A1 - Vlcek, Josef A1 - Horalek, Josef A1 - Dedecek, Petr A1 - Zimmer, Martin A1 - Lipus, Martin P. A1 - Pierdominici, Simona A1 - Kallmeyer, Jens A1 - Krüger, Frank A1 - Hannemann, Katrin A1 - Korn, Michael A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Reinsch, Thomas A1 - Klicpera, Jakub A1 - Vollmer, Daniel A1 - Daskalopoulou, Kyriaki T1 - ICDP drilling of the Eger Rift observatory BT - magmatic fluids driving the earthquake swarms and deep biosphere JF - Scientific Drilling N2 - The new in situ geodynamic laboratory established in the framework of the ICDP Eger project aims to develop the most modern, comprehensive, multiparameter laboratory at depth for studying earthquake swarms, crustal fluid flow, mantle-derived CO2 and helium degassing, and processes of the deep biosphere. In order to reach a new level of high-frequency, near-source and multiparameter observation of earthquake swarms and related phenomena, such a laboratory comprises a set of shallow boreholes with high-frequency 3-D seismic arrays as well as modern continuous real-time fluid monitoring at depth and the study of the deep biosphere. This laboratory is located in the western part of the Eger Rift at the border of the Czech Republic and Germany (in the West Bohemia-Vogtland geodynamic region) and comprises a set of five boreholes around the seismoactive zone. To date, all monitoring boreholes have been drilled. This includes the seismic monitoring boreholes S1, S2 and S3 in the crystalline units north and east of the major Novy Kostel seismogenic zone, borehole F3 in the Hartousov mofette field and borehole S4 in the newly discovered Bazina maar near Liba. Supplementary borehole P1 is being prepared in the Neualbenreuth maar for paleoclimate and biological research. At each of these sites, a borehole broadband seismometer will be installed, and sites S1, S2 and S3 will also host a 3-D seismic array composed of a vertical geophone chain and surface seismic array. Seismic instrumenting has been completed in the S1 borehole and is in preparation in the remaining four monitoring boreholes. The continuous fluid monitoring site of Hartousov includes three boreholes, F1, F2 and F3, and a pilot monitoring phase is underway. The laboratory also enables one to analyze microbial activity at CO2 mofettes and maar structures in the context of changes in habitats. The drillings into the maar volcanoes contribute to a better understanding of the Quaternary paleoclimate and volcanic activity. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-31-31-2022 SN - 1816-8957 SN - 1816-3459 VL - 31 SP - 31 EP - 49 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Qi A1 - Adler, Karsten A1 - Lipus, Daniel A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Bussert, Robert A1 - Plessen, Birgit A1 - Schulz, Hans-Martin A1 - Krauze, Patryk A1 - Horn, Fabian A1 - Wagner, Dirk A1 - Mangelsdorf, Kai A1 - Alawi, Mashal T1 - Microbial signatures in deep CO2-saturated miocene sediments of the active Hartousov mofette system (NW Czech Republic) JF - Frontiers in microbiology N2 - The Hartousov mofette system is a natural CO2 degassing site in the central Cheb Basin (Eger Rift, Central Europe). In early 2016 a 108 m deep core was obtained from this system to investigate the impact of ascending mantle-derived CO2 on indigenous deep microbial communities and their surrounding life habitat. During drilling, a CO2 blow out occurred at a depth of 78.5 meter below surface (mbs) suggesting a CO2 reservoir associated with a deep low-permeable CO2-saturated saline aquifer at the transition from Early Miocene terrestrial to lacustrine sediments. Past microbial communities were investigated by hopanoids and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) reflecting the environmental conditions during the time of deposition rather than showing a signal of the current deep biosphere. The composition and distribution of the deep microbial community potentially stimulated by the upward migration of CO2 starting during Mid Pleistocene time was investigated by intact polar lipids (IPLs), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis. The deep biosphere is characterized by microorganisms that are linked to the distribution and migration of the ascending CO2-saturated groundwater and the availability of organic matter instead of being linked to single lithological units of the investigated rock profile. Our findings revealed high relative abundances of common soil and water bacteria, in particular the facultative, anaerobic and potential iron-oxidizing Acidovorax and other members of the family Comamonadaceae across the whole recovered core. The results also highlighted the frequent detection of the putative sulfate-oxidizing and CO2-fixating genus Sulfuricurvum at certain depths. A set of new IPLs are suggested to be indicative for microorganisms associated to CO2 accumulation in the mofette system. KW - geo-bio interaction KW - CO2 KW - mofette systems KW - Eger Rift KW - microbial lipid KW - biomarker KW - microbial diversity KW - deep biosphere KW - saline groundwater Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.543260 SN - 1664-302X VL - 11 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rohrmüller, J. A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Geiss, E. A1 - Grossmann, J. A1 - Grun, I. A1 - Mingram, Jens A1 - Mrlina, J. A1 - Plessen, Birgit A1 - Stebich, M. A1 - Veress, C. A1 - Wendt, A. A1 - Nowaczyk, Nobert T1 - Reconnaissance study of an inferred Quaternary maar structure in the western part of the Bohemian Massif near Neualbenreuth, NE-Bavaria (Germany) JF - International journal of earth sciences N2 - After a comprehensive geophysical prospecting the Quaternary MA 1/2 tina Maar, located on a line between the two Quaternary scoria cones Komorni could be revealed by a scientific drilling at the German-Czech border in 2007. Further geophysical field investigations led to the discovery of another geological structure about 2.5 km ESE of the small town Neualbenreuth (NE-Bavaria, Germany), inferred to be also a maar structure, being the fourth volcanic feature aligned along the NW-SE trending Tachov fault zone. It is only faintly indicated as a partial circular rim in the digital elevation model. Though not expressed by a clear magnetic anomaly, geoelectric and refraction seismic tomography strongly indicates a bowl-shaped depression filled with low-resistivity and low-velocity material, correlating well with the well-defined negative gravity anomaly of - 2.5 mGal. Below ca. 15 m-thick debris layer, successions of mostly laminated sediments were recovered in a 100 m-long sediment core in 2015. Sections of finely laminated layers, likely varves, rich in organic matter and tree pollen, were recognized in the upper (22-30 m) and lower (70-86 m) part of the core, respectively, interpreted as interglacials, whereas mostly minerogenic laminated deposits, poor in organic matter, and (almost) barren of tree pollen are interpreted as clastic glacial deposits. According to a preliminary age model based on magnetostratigraphy, palynology, radiocarbon dating, and cyclostratigraphy, the recovered sediments span the time window from about 85 ka back to about 270 ka, covering marine isotope stages 5-8. Sedimentation rates are in the range of 10 cm ka(-1) in interglacials and up to 100 cm ka(-1) in glacial phases. The stratigraphic record resembles the one from MA 1/2 tina Maar, with its eruption date being derived from a nearby tephra deposit at 288 +/- 17 ka, thus supporting the age model of the inferred Neualbenreuth Maar. KW - Eger Rift KW - Quaternary maar volcanism KW - Geophysical prospecting KW - Magnetostratigraphy KW - Palynology KW - Paleoclimate Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-017-1543-0 SN - 1437-3254 SN - 1437-3262 VL - 107 IS - 4 SP - 1381 EP - 1405 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Qi A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Bussert, Robert A1 - Krauze, Patryk A1 - Horn, Fabian A1 - Nickschick, Tobias A1 - Plessen, Birgit A1 - Wagner, Dirk A1 - Alawi, Mashal T1 - Influence of CO2 degassing on the microbial community in a dry mofette field in Hartoušov, Czech Republic (Western Eger Rift) JF - Frontiers in Microbiology N2 - The Cheb Basin (CZ) is a shallow Neogene intracontinental basin filled with fluvial and lacustrine sediments that is located in the western part of the Eger Rift. The basin is situated in a seismically active area and is characterized by diffuse degassing of mantle-derived CO2 in mofette fields. The Hartousov mofette field shows a daily CO2 flux of 23-97 tons of CO2 released over an area of 0.35 km(2) and a soil gas concentration of up to 100% CO2. The present study aims to explore the geo-bio interactions provoked by the influence of elevated CO2 concentrations on the geochemistry and microbial community of soils and sediments. To sample the strata, two 3-m cores were recovered. One core stems from the center of the degassing structure, whereas the other core was taken 8 m from the ENE and served as an undisturbed reference site. The sites were compared regarding their geochemical features, microbial abundances, and microbial community structures. The mofette site is characterized by a low pH and high TOC/sulfate contents. Striking differences in the microbial community highlight the substantial impact of elevated CO2 concentrations and their associated side effects on microbial processes. The abundance of microbes did not show a typical decrease with depth, indicating that the uprising CO2-rich fluid provides sufficient substrate for chemolithoautotrophic anaerobic microorganisms. Illumine MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes and multivariate statistics reveals that the pH strongly influences microbial composition and explains around 38.7% of the variance at the mofette site and 22.4% of the variance between the mofette site and the undisturbed reference site. Accordingly, acidophilic microorganisms (e.g., OTUs assigned to Acidobacteriaceae and Acidithiobacillus) displayed a much higher relative abundance at the mofette site than at the reference site. The microbial community at the mofette site is characterized by a high relative abundance of methanogens and taxa involved in sulfur cycling. The present study provides intriguing insights into microbial life and geo-bio interactions in an active seismic region dominated by emanating mantle-derived CO2-rich fluids, and thereby builds the basis for further studies, e.g., focusing on the functional repertoire of the communities. However, it remains open if the observed patterns can be generalized for different time-points or sites. KW - geo–bio interaction KW - elevated CO2 KW - concentration KW - paleo-sediment KW - deep biosphere KW - acidophilic microorganisms KW - Acidobacteriaceae KW - Acidithiobacillus KW - Acidothermus Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02787 SN - 1664-302X VL - 9 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krauze, Patryk A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Horn, Fabian A1 - Liu, Qi A1 - Voropaev, Andrey A1 - Wagner, Dirk A1 - Alawi, Mashal T1 - Microbiological and Geochemical Survey of CO2-Dominated Mofette and Mineral Waters of the Cheb Basin, Czech Republic JF - Frontiers in microbiology N2 - The Cheb Basin (NW Bohemia, Czech Republic) is a shallow, neogene intracontinental basin. It is a non-volcanic region which features frequent earthquake swarms and large-scale diffuse degassing of mantle-derived CO2 at the surface that occurs in the form of CO2-rich mineral springs and wet and dry mofettes. So far, the influence of CO2 degassing onto the microbial communities has been studied for soil environments, but not for aquatic systems. We hypothesized, that deep-trenching CO2 conduits interconnect the subsurface with the surface. This admixture of deep thermal fluids should be reflected in geochemical parameters and in the microbial community compositions. In the present study four mineral water springs and two wet mofettes were investigated through an interdisciplinary survey. The waters were acidic and differed in terms of organic carbon and anion/cation concentrations. Element geochemical and isotope analyses of fluid components were used to verify the origin of the fluids. Prokaryotic communities were characterized through quantitative PCR and Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Putative chemolithotrophic, anaerobic and microaerophilic organisms connected to sulfur (e.g., Sulfuricurvum, Sulfurimonas) and iron (e.g., Gallionella, Sideroxydans) cycling shaped the core community. Additionally, CO2-influenced waters form an ecosystem containing many taxa that are usually found in marine or terrestrial subsurface ecosystems. Multivariate statistics highlighted the influence of environmental parameters such as pH, Fe2+ concentration and conductivity on species distribution. The hydrochemical and microbiological survey introduces a new perspective on mofettes. Our results support that mofettes are either analogs or rather windows into the deep biosphere and furthermore enable access to deeply buried paleo-sediments. KW - elevated CO2 concentration KW - microbial ecology KW - deep biosphere KW - Eger Rift KW - paleo-sediment KW - Sulfuricurvum KW - Gallionella KW - Sideroxydans Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02446 SN - 1664-302X VL - 8 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mrlina, Jan A1 - Kämpf, Horst A1 - Kroner, Corinna A1 - Mingram, Jens A1 - Stebich, Martina A1 - Brauer, Achim A1 - Geissler, Wolfram H. A1 - Kallmeyer, Jens A1 - Matthes, Heidrun A1 - Seidl, Michal T1 - Discovery of the first Quaternary maar in the Bohemian Massif, Central Europe, based on combined geophysical and geological surveys N2 - Based on results of previous investigations of tephra-tuff volcaniclastic deposits and a geophysical survey in the surroundings of the Zelezna hurka Quaternary volcano, West Bohemia, we performed detailed geophysical Surveys using gravimetry, magnetometry and electrical conductivity techniques. Striking anomalies were revealed in a morphological depression near Mytina, West Bohemia, as a strong evidence of the assumed maar-diatreme structure. The sharp isometric gravity low of -2.30 mGal, as well as the corresponding positive magnetic anomaly of 200 nT with a negative rim on its northern side indicate a steeply clipping geological body of low density and containing magnetic rocks/minerals. Magnetic survey also showed pronounced local anomalies outside the depression that can reflect relicts of the tephra rim of the maar. This geophysical evidence was then proven by an exploratory drilling near the centre of the gravity anomaly. Macroscopic on-site evaluation of the core, and more detailed sedimentological, petrochemical, palynological and microbiological laboratory analyses further confirmed the existence of a maar structure filled by 84 m of lake sediments reflecting a Succession of several warm and cold climatic periods. Results Of palynological analyses confirm the presence of a continuous palaeoclimate archive, with at least three successive warmer periods of most probably interstadial character from the upper Quaternary Saalian complex. Therefore. the recovered sediment sequence holds strong potential for in-depth palaeoclimate reconstruction and deep biosphere studies. At the bottom of the Mytina-1 (MY- 1) borehole (84-85.5 M), Country rock debris Was found, containing also volcanic bombs and lapilli. The discovered volcanic Structure is considered to be the first known Quaternary maar-diatreme volcano on the territory of the Bohemian Massif. Because of hidden active magmatic processes in combination with earthquake swarm seismicity ca. 20-30 km north of the Mytina maar, reconstruction of the palaeovolcanological evolution is important for evaluation of hazard potential of the NE and E Part of the Cheb Basin. Y1 - 2009 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03770273 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.01.027 SN - 0377-0273 ER -