Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
- 2015 (256) (entfernen)
Dokumenttyp
- Wissenschaftlicher Artikel (203)
- Dissertation (33)
- Postprint (4)
- Rezension (4)
- Habilitation (3)
- Sonstiges (3)
- Monographie/Sammelband (2)
- Preprint (2)
- Bachelorarbeit (1)
- Konferenzveröffentlichung (1)
Gehört zur Bibliographie
- ja (256)
Schlagworte
- Holocene (6)
- climate change (4)
- erosion (4)
- India-Asia collision (3)
- Ostracoda (3)
- Pamir (3)
- Seismicity and tectonics (3)
- ecohydrology (3)
- landscape evolution (3)
- Cerrado (2)
Institut
- Institut für Geowissenschaften (256) (entfernen)
The mechanisms by which climate and vegetation affect erosion rates over various time scales lie at the heart of understanding landscape response to climate change. Plot-scale field experiments show that increased vegetation cover slows erosion, implying that faster erosion should occur under low to moderate vegetation cover. However, demonstrating this concept over long time scales and across landscapes has proven to be difficult, especially in settings complicated by tectonic forcing and variable slopes. We investigate this problem by measuring cosmogenic Be-10-derived catchment-mean denudation rates across a range of climate zones and hillslope gradients in the Kenya Rift, and by comparing our results with those published from the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda. We find that denudation rates from sparsely vegetated parts of the Kenya Rift are up to 0.13 mm/yr, while those from humid and more densely vegetated parts of the Kenya Rift flanks and the Rwenzori Mountains reach a maximum of 0.08 mm/yr, despite higher median hillslope gradients. While differences in lithology and recent land-use changes likely affect the denudation rates and vegetation cover values in some of our studied catchments, hillslope gradient and vegetation cover appear to explain most of the variation in denudation rates across the study area. Our results support the idea that changing vegetation cover can contribute to complex erosional responses to climate or land-use change and that vegetation cover can play an important role in determining the steady-state slopes of mountain belts through its stabilizing effects on the land surface.
In the last decade, the number and dimensions of catastrophic flooding events in the Niger River Basin (NRB) have markedly increased. Despite the devastating impact of the floods on the population and the mainly agriculturally based economy of the riverine nations, awareness of the hazards in policy and science is still low. The urgency of this topic and the existing research deficits are the motivation for the present dissertation.
The thesis is an initial detailed assessment of the increasing flood risk in the NRB. The research strategy is based on four questions regarding (1) features of the change in flood risk, (2) reasons for the change in the flood regime, (3) expected changes of the flood regime given climate and land use changes, and (4) recommendations from previous analysis for reducing the flood risk in the NRB.
The question examining the features of change in the flood regime is answered by means of statistical analysis. Trend, correlation, changepoint, and variance analyses show that, in addition to the factors exposure and vulnerability, the hazard itself has also increased significantly in the NRB, in accordance with the decadal climate pattern of West Africa. The northern arid and semi-arid parts of the NRB are those most affected by the changes.
As potential reasons for the increase in flood magnitudes, climate and land use changes are attributed by means of a hypothesis-testing framework. Two different approaches, based on either data analysis or simulation, lead to similar results, showing that the influence of climatic changes is generally larger compared to that of land use changes. Only in the dry areas of the NRB is the influence of land use changes comparable to that of climatic alterations.
Future changes of the flood regime are evaluated using modelling results. First ensembles of statistically and dynamically downscaled climate models based on different emission scenarios are analyzed. The models agree with a distinct increase in temperature. The precipitation signal, however, is not coherent. The climate scenarios are used to drive an eco-hydrological model. The influence of climatic changes on the flood regime is uncertain due to the unclear precipitation signal. Still, in general, higher flood peaks are expected. In a next step, effects of land use changes are integrated into the model. Different scenarios show that regreening might help to reduce flood peaks. In contrast, an expansion of agriculture might enhance the flood peaks in the NRB. Similarly to the analysis of observed changes in the flood regime, the impacts of climate- and land use changes for the future scenarios are also most severe in the dry areas of the NRB.
In order to answer the final research question, the results of the above analysis are integrated into a range of recommendations for science and policy on how to reduce flood risk in the NRB. The main recommendations include a stronger consideration of the enormous natural climate variability in the NRB and a focus on so called “no-regret” adaptation strategies which account for high uncertainty, as well as a stronger consideration of regional differences. Regarding the prevention and mitigation of catastrophic flooding, the most vulnerable and sensitive areas in the basin, the arid and semi-arid Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian regions, should be prioritized. Eventually, an active, science-based and science-guided flood policy is recommended. The enormous population growth in the NRB in connection with the expected deterioration of environmental and climatic conditions is likely to enhance the region´s vulnerability to flooding. A smart and sustainable flood policy can help mitigate these negative impacts of flooding on the development of riverine societies in West Africa.
Climate or Land Use?
(2015)
This study intends to contribute to the ongoing discussion on whether land use and land cover changes (LULC) or climate trends have the major influence on the observed increase of flood magnitudes in the Sahel. A simulation-based approach is used for attributing the observed trends to the postulated drivers. For this purpose, the ecohydrological model SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model) with a new, dynamic LULC module was set up for the Sahelian part of the Niger River until Niamey, including the main tributaries Sirba and Goroul. The model was driven with observed, reanalyzed climate and LULC data for the years 1950-2009. In order to quantify the shares of influence, one simulation was carried out with constant land cover as of 1950, and one including LULC. As quantitative measure, the gradients of the simulated trends were compared to the observed trend. The modeling studies showed that for the Sirba River only the simulation which included LULC was able to reproduce the observed trend. The simulation without LULC showed a positive trend for flood magnitudes, but underestimated the trend significantly. For the Goroul River and the local flood of the Niger River at Niamey, the simulations were only partly able to reproduce the observed trend. In conclusion, the new LULC module enabled some first quantitative insights into the relative influence of LULC and climatic changes. For the Sirba catchment, the results imply that LULC and climatic changes contribute in roughly equal shares to the observed increase in flooding. For the other parts of the subcatchment, the results are less clear but show, that climatic changes and LULC are drivers for the flood increase; however their shares cannot be quantified. Based on these modeling results, we argue for a two-pillar adaptation strategy to reduce current and future flood risk: Flood mitigation for reducing LULC-induced flood increase, and flood adaptation for a general reduction of flood vulnerability.
Samples of 474 forest stands in Germany were analysed for concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in three sampling depths. Enhanced concentrations were mainly found at spots relatively close to densely industrialized and urbanized regions and at some topographically elevated areas. Average enrichment factors between mineral soil and humic layer depend on humus type i.e. decrease from mull via moder to more Based on their compound-patterns, the observed samples could be assigned to three main clusters. For some parts of our study area a uniform assignment of samples to clusters over larger regions could be identified. For instance, samples taken at vicinity to brown-coal strip-mining districts are characterized by high relative abundances of low-molecular-weight PAHs. These results suggest that PAHs are more likely originated from local and regional emitters rather than from long-range transport and that specific source-regions can be identified based on PAH fingerprints. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Central Asia is located at the confluence of large-scale atmospheric circulation systems. It is thus likely to be highly susceptible to changes in the dynamics of those systems; however, little is still known about the regional paleoclimate history. Here we present carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of n-alkanoic acids from a late Holocene sediment core from Lake Karakuli (eastern Pamir, Xinjiang Province, China). Instrumental evidence and isotopeenabled climate model experiments with the Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique Zoom model version 4 (LMDZ4) demonstrate that delta D values of precipitation in the region are influenced by both temperature and precipitation amount. We find that these parameters are inversely correlated on an annual scale, i.e., the climate has varied between relatively cool and wet and more warm and dry over the last 50 years. Since the isotopic signals of these changes are in the same direction and therefore additive, isotopes in precipitation are sensitive recorders of climatic changes in the region. Additionally, we infer that plants use year-round precipitation (including snowmelt), and thus leaf wax delta D values must also respond to shifts in the proportion of moisture derived from westerly storms during late winter and early spring. Downcore results give evidence for a gradual shift to cooler and wetter climates between 3.5 and 2.5 cal kyr BP, interrupted by a warm and dry episode between 3.0 and 2.7 kyr BP. Further cool and wet episodes occur between 1.9 and 1.5 and between 0.6 and 0.1 kyr BP, the latter coeval with the Little Ice Age. Warm and dry episodes from 2.5 to 1.9 and 1.5 to 0.6 kyr BP coincide with the Roman Warm Period and Medieval Climate Anomaly, respectively. Finally, we find a drying tend in recent decades. Regional comparisons lead us to infer that the strength and position of the westerlies, and wider northern hemispheric climate dynamics, control climatic shifts in arid Central Asia, leading to complex local responses. Our new archive from Lake Karakuli provides a detailed record of the local signatures of these climate transitions in the eastern Pamir.
Topographic migration of 2D and 3D ground-penetrating radar data considering variable velocities
(2015)
We present a 2D/3D topographic migration scheme for ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data which is able to account for variable velocities by using the root mean square (rms) velocity approximation. We test our migration scheme using a synthetic 2D example and compare our migrated image to the results obtained using common GPR migration approaches. Furthermore, we apply it to 2D and 3D field data. These examples are recorded across common subsurface settings including surface topography and variations in the GPR subsurface velocity field caused by a shallow ground water table. In such field settings, our migration strategy provides well focused images of commonoffset GPR data without the need for a detailed interval velocity model. The synthetic and field examples demonstrate that our topographic migration scheme allows for accurate GPR imaging in the presence of variations in surface topography and subsurface velocity.
Flow phenomena in the unsaturated zone are highly variable in time and space. Thus, it is challenging to measure and monitor such processes under field conditions. Here, we present a new setup and interpretation approach for combining a dye tracer experiment with a 4D ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey. Therefore, we designed a rainfall experiment during which we measured three surface-based 3D GPR surveys using a pair of 500 MHz antennas. Such a survey setup requires accurate acquisition and processing techniquesto extract time-lapse information supporting the interpretation of selected cross-sections photographed after excavating the site. Our results reveal patterns of traveltime changes in the measured GPR data, which are associated with soil moisture changes. As distinct horizons are present at our site, such changes can be quantified and transferred into changes in total soil moisture content. Our soil moisture estimates are similar to the amount of infiltrated water, which confirms our experimental approach and makes us confident for further developing this strategy, especially, with respect to improving the temporal and spatial resolution. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Mapping urban forest leaf area index with airborne lidar using penetration metrics and allometry
(2015)
In urban areas, leaf area index (LAI) is a key ecosystem structural attribute with implications for energy and water balance, gas exchange, and anthropogenic energy use. In this study, we estimated LAI spatially using airborne lidar in downtown Santa Barbara, California, USA. We implemented two different modeling approaches. First, we directly estimated effective LAI (LAIe) using scan angle- and clump-corrected lidar laser penetration metrics (LPM). Second, we adapted existing allometric equations to estimate crown structural metrics including tree height and crown base height using lidar. The latter approach allowed for LAI estimates at the individual tree-crown scale. The LPM method, at both high and decimated point densities, resulted in good linear agreement with estimates from ground-based hemispherical photography (r(2) = 0.82, y = 0.99x) using a model that assumed a spherical leaf angle distribution. Within individual tree crown segments, the lidar estimates of crown structure closely paralleled field measurements (e.g., r(2) = 0.87 for crown length). LAI estimates based on the lidar crown measurements corresponded well with estimates from field measurements (r(2) = 0.84, y = 0.97x + 0.10). Consistency of the LPM and allometric lidar methods was also strong at 71 validation plots (r(2) = 0.88) and at 450 additional sample locations across the entire study area (r(2) = 0.72). This level of correspondence exceeded that of the canopy hemispherical photography and allometric, ground-based estimates (r(2) = 0.53). The first-order alignment of these two disparate methods may indicate that the error bounds for mapping LAI in cities are small enough to pursue large scale, spatially explicit estimation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved.
With accelerating climate cooling in the late Cenozoic, glacial and periglacial erosion became more widespread on the surface of the Earth. The resultant shift in erosion patterns significantly changed the large-scale morphology of many mountain ranges worldwide. Whereas the glacial fingerprint is easily distinguished by its characteristic fjords and U-shaped valleys, the periglacial fingerprint is more subtle but potentially prevails in some mid- to high-latitude landscapes. Previous models have advocated a frost-driven control on debris production at steep headwalls and glacial valley sides. Here we investigate the important role that periglacial processes also play in less steep parts of mountain landscapes. Understanding the influences of frost-driven processes in low-relief areas requires a focus on the consequences of an accreting soil mantle, which characterises such surfaces. We present a new model that quantifies two key physical processes: frost cracking and frost creep, as a function of both temperature and sediment thickness. Our results yield new insights into how climate and sediment transport properties combine to scale the intensity of periglacial processes. The thickness of the soil mantle strongly modulates the relation between climate and the intensity of mechanical weathering and sediment flux. Our results also point to an offset between the conditions that promote frost cracking and those that promote frost creep, indicating that a stable climate can provide optimal conditions for only one of those processes at a time. Finally, quantifying these relations also opens up the possibility of including periglacial processes in large-scale, long-term landscape evolution models, as demonstrated in a companion paper.
The Central Pontides is an accretionary-type orogenic area within the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt characterized by pre-collisional tectonic continental growth. The region comprises Mesozoic subduction-accretionary complexes and an accreted intra-oceanic arc that are sandwiched between the Laurasian active continental margin and Gondwana-derived the Kırşehir Block. The subduction-accretion complexes mainly consist of an Albian-Turonian accretionary wedge representing the Laurasian active continental margin. To the north, the wedge consists of slate/phyllite and metasandstone intercalation with recrystallized limestone, Na-amphibole-bearing metabasite (PT= 7–12 kbar and 400 ± 70 ºC) and tectonic slices of serpentinite representing accreted distal part of a large Lower Cretaceous submarine turbidite fan deposited on the Laurasian active continental margin that was subsequently accreted and metamorphosed. Raman spectra of carbonaceous material (RSCM) of the metapelitic rocks revealed that the metaflysch sequence consists of metamorphic packets with distinct peak metamorphic temperatures. The majority of the metapelites are low-temperature (ca. 330 °C) slates characterized by lack of differentiation of the graphite (G) and D2 defect bands. They possibly represent offscraped distal turbidites along the toe of the Albian accretionary wedge. The rest are phyllites that are characterized by slightly pronounced G band with D2 defect band occurring on its shoulder. Peak metamorphic temperatures of these phyllites are constrained to 370-385 °C. The phyllites are associated with a strip of incipient blueschist facies metabasites which are found as slivers within the offscraped distal turbidites. They possibly represent underplated continental metasediments together with oceanic crustal basalt along the basal décollement. Tectonic emplacement of the underplated rocks into the offscraped distal turbidites was possibly achieved by out-of-sequence thrusting causing tectonic thickening and uplift of the wedge. 40Ar/39Ar phengite ages from the phyllites are ca. 100 Ma, indicating Albian subduction and regional HP metamorphism.
The accreted continental metasediments are underlain by HP/LT metamorphic rocks of oceanic origin along an extensional shear zone. The oceanic metamorphic sequence mainly comprises tectonically thickened deep-seated eclogite to blueschist facies metabasites and micaschists. In the studied area, metabasites are epidote-blueschists locally with garnet (PT= 17 ± 1 kbar and 500 ± 40 °C). Lawsonite-blueschists are exposed as blocks along the extensional shear zone (PT= 14 ± 2 kbar and 370–440 °C). They are possibly associated with low shear stress regime of the initial stage of convergence. Close to the shear zone, the footwall micaschists consist of quartz, phengite, paragonite, chlorite, rutile with syn-kinematic albite porphyroblast formed by pervasive shearing during exhumation. These types of micaschists are tourmaline-bearing and their retrograde nature suggests high-fluid flux along shear zones. Peak metamorphic mineral assemblages are partly preserved in the chloritoid-micaschist farther away from the shear zone representing the zero strain domains during exhumation. Three peak metamorphic assemblages are identified and their PT conditions are constrained by pseudosections produced by Theriak-Domino and by Raman spectra of carbonaceous material: 1) garnet-chloritoid-glaucophane with lawsonite pseudomorphs (P= 17.5 ± 1 kbar, T: 390-450 °C) 2) chloritoid with glaucophane pseudomorphs (P= 16-18 kbar, T: 475 ± 40 °C) and 3) relatively high-Mg chloritoid (17%) with jadeite pseudomorphs (P= 22-25 kbar; T: 440 ± 30 °C) in addition to phengite, paragonite, quartz, chlorite, rutile and apatite. The last mineral assemblage is interpreted as transformation of the chloritoid + glaucophane assemblage to chloritoid + jadeite paragenesis with increasing pressure. Absence of tourmaline suggests that the chloritoid-micaschist did not interact with B-rich fluids during zero strain exhumation. 40Ar/39Ar phengite age of a pervasively sheared footwall micaschist is constrained to 100.6 ± 1.3 Ma and that of a chloritoid-micaschist is constrained to 91.8 ± 1.8 Ma suggesting exhumation during on-going subduction with a southward younging of the basal accretion and the regional metamorphism. To the south, accretionary wedge consists of blueschist and greenschist facies metabasite, marble and volcanogenic metasediment intercalation. 40Ar/39Ar phengite dating reveals that this part of the wedge is of Middle Jurassic age partly overprinted during the Albian. Emplacement of the Middle Jurassic subduction-accretion complexes is possibly associated with obliquity of the Albian convergence.
Peak metamorphic assemblages and PT estimates of the deep-seated oceanic metamorphic sequence suggest tectonic stacking within wedge with different depths of burial. Coupling and exhumation of the distinct metamorphic slices are controlled by decompression of the wedge possibly along a retreating slab. Structurally, decompression of the wedge is evident by an extensional shear zone and the footwall micaschists with syn-kinematic albite porphyroblasts. Post-kinematic garnets with increasing grossular content and pseudomorphing minerals within the chloritoid-micaschists also support decompression model without an extra heating.
Thickening of subduction-accretionary complexes is attributed to i) significant amount of clastic sediment supply from the overriding continental domain and ii) deep level basal underplating by propagation of the décollement along a retreating slab. Underplating by basal décollement propagation and subsequent exhumation of the deep-seated subduction-accretion complexes are connected and controlled by slab rollback creating a necessary space for progressive basal accretion along the plate interface and extension of the wedge above for exhumation of the tectonically thickened metamorphic sequences. This might be the most common mechanism of the tectonic thickening and subsequent exhumation of deep-seated HP/LT subduction-accretion complexes.
To the south, the Albian-Turonian accretionary wedge structurally overlies a low-grade volcanic arc sequence consisting of low-grade metavolcanic rocks and overlying metasedimentary succession is exposed north of the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture (İAES), separating Laurasia from Gondwana-derived terranes. The metavolcanic rocks mainly consist of basaltic andesite/andesite and mafic cognate xenolith-bearing rhyolite with their pyroclastic equivalents, which are interbedded with recrystallized pelagic limestone and chert. The metavolcanic rocks are stratigraphically overlain by recrystallized micritic limestone with rare volcanogenic metaclastic rocks. Two groups can be identified based on trace and rare earth element characteristics. The first group consists of basaltic andesite/andesite (BA1) and rhyolite with abundant cognate gabbroic xenoliths. It is characterized by relative enrichment of LREE with respect to HREE. The rocks are enriched in fluid mobile LILE, and strongly depleted in Ti and P reflecting fractionation of Fe-Ti oxides and apatite, which are found in the mafic cognate xenoliths. Abundant cognate gabbroic xenoliths and identical trace and rare earth elements compositions suggest that rhyolites and basaltic andesites/andesites (BA1) are cogenetic and felsic rocks were derived from a common mafic parental magma by fractional crystallization and accumulation processes. The second group consists only of basaltic andesites (BA2) with flat REE pattern resembling island arc tholeiites. Although enriched in LILE, this group is not depleted in Ti or P.
Geochemistry of the metavolcanic rocks indicates supra-subduction volcanism evidenced by depletion of HFSE and enrichment of LILE. The arc sequence is sandwiched between an Albian-Turonian subduction-accretionary complex representing the Laurasian active margin and an ophiolitic mélange. Absence of continent derived detritus in the arc sequence and its tectonic setting in a wide Cretaceous accretionary complex suggest that the Kösdağ Arc was intra-oceanic. This is in accordance with basaltic andesites (BA2) with island arc tholeiite REE pattern.
Zircons from two metarhyolite samples give Late Cretaceous (93.8 ± 1.9 and 94.4 ± 1.9 Ma) U/Pb ages. Low-grade regional metamorphism of the intra-oceanic arc sequence is constrained 69.9 ± 0.4 Ma by 40Ar/39Ar dating on metamorphic muscovite from a metarhyolite indicating that the arc sequence became part of a wide Tethyan Cretaceous accretionary complex by the latest Cretaceous. The youngest 40Ar/39Ar phengite age from the overlying subduction-accretion complexes is 92 Ma confirming southward younging of an accretionary-type orogenic belt. Hence, the arc sequence represents an intra-oceanic paleo-arc that formed above the sinking Tethyan slab and finally accreted to Laurasian active continental margin. Abrupt non-collisional termination of arc volcanism was possibly associated with southward migration of the arc volcanism similar to the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system.
The intra-oceanic Kösdağ Arc is coeval with the obducted supra-subduction ophiolites in NW Turkey suggesting that it represents part of the presumed but missing incipient intra-oceanic arc associated with the generation of the regional supra-subduction ophiolites. Remnants of a Late Cretaceous intra-oceanic paleo-arc and supra-subduction ophiolites can be traced eastward within the Alp-Himalayan orogenic belt. This reveals that Late Cretaceous intra-oceanic subduction occurred as connected event above the sinking Tethyan slab. It resulted as arc accretion to Laurasian active margin and supra-subduction ophiolite obduction on Gondwana-derived terranes.
A tectonic slice of an arc sequence consisting of low-grade metavolcanic rocks and overlying metasedimentary succession is exposed in the Central Pontides north of the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture separating Laurasia from Gondwana-derived terranes. The metavolcanic rocks mainly consist of basaltic andesite/andesite and mafic cognate xenolith-bearing rhyolite with their pyroclastic equivalents, which are interbedded with recrystallized pelagic limestone and chert. The metasedimentary succession comprises recrystallized micritic limestone with rare volcanogenic metaclastic rocks and stratigraphically overlies the metavolcanic rocks. The geochemistry of the metavolcanic rocks indicates an arc setting evidenced by depletion of HFSE (Ti, P and Nb) and enrichment of fluid mobile LILE. Identical trace and rare earth elements compositions of basaltic andesites/andesites and rhyolites suggest that they are cogenetic and derived from a common parental magma. The arc sequence crops out between an Albian-Turonian subduction-accretionary complex representing the Laurasian active margin and an ophiolitic melange. Absence of continent derived detritus in the arc sequence and its tectonic setting in a wide Cretaceous accretionary complex suggest that the Kosdag Arc was intra-oceanic. Zircons from two metarhyolite samples give Late Cretaceous (93.8 +/- 1.9 and 94.4 +/- 1.9 Ma) U/Pb ages. These ages are the same as the age of the supra-subduction ophiolites in western Turkey, which implies that that the Kosdag Arc may represent part of the incipient arc formed during the generation of the supra-subduction ophiolites. The low-grade regional metamorphism in the Kosdag Arc is constrained to 69.9 +/- 0.4 Ma by Ar-40/Ar-39 muscovite dating indicating that the arc sequence became part of a wide Tethyan Cretaceous accretionary complex by the latest Cretaceous. Non-collisional cessation of the arc volcanism is possibly associated with southward migration of the magmatism as in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system. (c) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Albian-Turonian subduction-accretionary complexes are exposed widely in the Central Pontides. A major portion of the accretionary complexes is made up of a metaflysch sequence consisting of slate/phyllite and metasandstone intercalation with blocks of marble, Na-amphibole bearing metabasite, and serpentinite. The metaflysch sequence represents distal parts of a large Lower Cretaceous submarine turbidite fan deposited on the Laurasian active continental margin that was subsequently accreted and metamorphosed during the Albian. Raman spectra of carbonaceous material of the metapelitic rocks revealed that the metaflysch consists of metamorphic packets with distinct peak metamorphic temperatures. The majority of the metapelites are low-temperature (ca. 330 degrees C) slates characterized by lack of differentiation of the graphite (G) and D2 defect bands. They possibly represent offscraped distal turbidites along the toe of the Albian accretionary wedge. Other phyllites are characterized by a slightly pronounced G band with a D2 defect band occurring on its shoulder. Peak metamorphic temperatures of these phyllites are constrained to 370-385 degrees C. The phyllites are associated with a strip of incipient blueschist facies metabasites and are found as a sliver within the offscraped distal turbidites. We interpret the phyllites as underplated continental sediments together with oceanic crustal basalt along the basal decollement. Tectonic emplacement of the underplated rocks into the offscraped distal turbidites was possibly achieved by out-of-sequence thrusting causing tectonic thickening and uplift of the wedge.
The idea that climatically modulated erosion may impact orogenic processes has challenged geoscientists for decades. Although modeling studies and physical calculations have provided a solid theoretical basis supporting this interaction, to date, field-based work has produced inconclusive results. The central-western Alborz Mountains in the northern sectors of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone constitute a promising area to explore these potential feedbacks. This region is characterized by asymmetric precipitation superimposed on an orogen with a history of spatiotemporal changes in exhumation rates, deformation patterns, and prolonged, km-scale base-level changes. Our analysis suggests that despite the existence of a strong climatic gradient at least since 17.5 Ma, the early orogenic evolution (from similar to 36 to 9-6 Ma) was characterized by decoupled orographic precipitation and tectonics. In particular, faster exhumation and sedimentation along the more arid southern orogenic flank point to a north-directed accretionary flux and underthrusting of Central Iran. Conversely, from 6 to 3 Ma, erosion rates along the northern orogenic flank became higher than those in the south, where they dropped to minimum values. This change occurred during a similar to 3-Myr-long, km-scale base-level lowering event in the Caspian Sea. We speculate that mass redistribution processes along the northern flank of the Alborz and presumably across all mountain belts adjacent to the South Caspian Basin and more stable areas of the Eurasian plate increased the sediment load in the basin and ultimately led to the underthrusting of the Caspian Basin beneath the Alborz Mountains. This underthrusting in turn triggered a new phase of northward orogenic expansion, transformed the wetter northern flank into a new pro-wedge, and led to the establishment of apparent steady-state conditions along the northern orogenic flank (i.e., rock uplift equal to erosion rates). Conversely, the southern mountain front became the retro-wedge and experienced limited tectonic activity. These observations overall raise the possibility that mass-distribution processes during a pronounced erosion phase driven by base-level changes may have contributed to the inferred regional plate-tectonic reorganization of the northern Arabia-Eurasia collision during the last similar to 5 Ma. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Cosmic-Ray neutron sensing (CRS) is a unique approach to measure soil moisture at field scale filling the gap of current methodologies. However, CRS signal is affected by all the hydrogen pools on the land surface and understanding their relative importance plays an important role for the application of the method e.g., validation of remote sensing products and data assimilation. In this study, a soil moisture scaling approach is proposed to estimate directly the correct CRS soil moisture based on the soil moisture profile measured at least in one position within the field. The approach has the advantage to avoid the need to introduce one correction for each hydrogen contribution and to estimate indirectly all the related time-varying hydrogen pools. Based on the data collected in three crop seasons, the scaling approach shows its ability to identify and to quantify the seasonal biomass water equivalent. Additionally, the analysis conducted at sub-daily time resolution is able to quantify the daily vertical redistribution of the water biomass and the rainfall interception, showing promising applications of the CRS method also for these types of measurements. Overall, the study underlines how not only soil moisture but all the specific hydrological processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum should be considered for a proper evaluation of the CRS signal. For this scope, the scaling approach reveals to be a simple and pragmatic analysis that can be easily extended to other experimental sites. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Combinations of runoff characteristics are commonly used to represent distinct conceptual models of stormflow generation. In this study, three runoff characteristics: hydrograph response, time source of runoff water, and flow path are used to classify catchments. Published data from the scientific literature are used to provide evidence from small, forested catchments. Each catchment was assigned to one of the eight conceptual models, depending on the combination of quick/slow response, old/new water, and overland/subsurface flow. A standard procedure was developed to objectively diagnose the predominant conceptual model of stormflow generation for each catchment and assess its temporal and spatial support. The literature survey yielded 42 catchments, of which 30 catchments provide a complete set of qualitative runoff characteristics resulting in one of the eight conceptual models. The majority of these catchments classify as subsurface flow path dominated. No catchments were found for conceptual models representing combinations of quick response-new water-subsurface flow (SSF), slow-new-SSF, slow-old-overland flow (OF) nor new-slow-OF. Of the 30 qualitatively classified catchments, 24 provide a complete set of quantitative measures. In summary, the field support is strong for 19 subsurface-dominated catchments and is weak for 5 surface flow path dominated catchments (six catchments had insufficient quantitative data). Two alternative explanations exist for the imbalance of field support between the two flow path classes: (1) the selection of research catchments in past field studies was mainly to explain quick hydrograph response in subsurface dominated catchments; (2) catchments with prevailing subsurface flow paths are more common in nature. We conclude that the selection of research catchments needs to cover a wider variety of environmental conditions which should lead to a broader, and more widely applicable, spectrum of resulting conceptual models and process mechanisms. This is a prerequisite in studies where catchment organization and similarity approaches are used to develop catchment classification systems in order to regionalize stormflow.
In the Sri Lankan Highlands erosion and chemical weathering rates are among the lowest for global mountain denudation. In this tropical humid setting, highly weathered deep saprolite profiles have developed from high-grade metamorphic charnockite during spheroidal weathering of the bedrock. The spheroidal weathering produces rounded corestones and spalled rindlets at the rock-saprolite interface. We used detailed textural, mineralogical and chemical analyses to reconstruct the sequence of weathering reactions and their causes. The first mineral attacked by weathering was found to be pyroxene initiated by in situ Fe oxidation. Volumetric calculations suggest that this oxidation leads to the generation of porosity due to the formation of micro-fractures allowing for fluid transport and subsequent dissolution of biotite and plagioclase. The rapid ensuing plagioclase weathering leads to formation of high secondary porosity in the corestone over a distance of only a few cm and eventually to the final disaggregation of bedrock to saprolite. The first secondary phases are oxides or amorphous precipitates from which secondary minerals (mainly gibbsite, kaolinite and goethite) form. As oxidation is the first weathering reaction, the supply of O-2 is a rate-limiting factor for chemical weathering. Hence, the supply of O-2 and its consumption at depth connects processes at the weathering front with those at the Earth's surface in a feedback mechanism. The strength of the feedback depends on the relative weight of advective versus diffusive transport of O-2 through the weathering profile. The feedback will be stronger with dominating diffusive transport. The low weathering rate is explained by the nature of this feedback that is ultimately dependent on the transport of O-2 through the whole regolith, and on lithological factors such as low bedrock porosity and the amount of Fe-bearing primary minerals. Tectonic quiescence in this region and low pre-development erosion rate (attributed to a dense vegetation cover) minimize the rejuvenation of the thick and cohesive regolith column, finally leading to low denudation rates. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Much progress has been made in estimating recurrence intervals of great and giant subduction earthquakes using terrestrial, lacustrine, and marine paleoseismic archives. Recent detailed records suggest these earthquakes may have variable recurrence periods and magnitudes forming supercycles. Understanding seismic supercycles requires long paleoseismic archives that record timing and magnitude of such events. Turbidite paleoseismic archives may potentially extend past earthquake records to the Pleistocene and can thus complement commonly shorter-term terrestrial archives. However, in order to unambiguously establish recurring seismicity as a trigger mechanism for turbidity currents, synchronous deposition of turbidites in widely spaced, isolated depocenters has to be ascertained. Furthermore, characteristics that predispose a seismically active continental margin to turbidite paleoseismology and the correct sample site selection have to be taken into account.
Here we analyze 8 marine sediment cores along 950 km of the Chile margin to test for the feasibility of compiling detailed and continuous paleoseismic records based on turbidites. Our results suggest that the deposition of areally widespread, synchronous turbidites triggered by seismicity is largely controlled by sediment supply and, hence, the climatic and geomorphic conditions of the adjacent subaerial setting. The feasibility of compiling a turbidite paleoseismic record depends on the delicate balance between sufficient sediment supply providing material to fail frequently during seismic shaking and sufficiently low sedimentation rates to allow for coeval accumulation of planktonic foraminifera for high-resolution radiocarbon dating.
We conclude that offshore northern central Chile (29-32.5 degrees S) Holocene turbidite paleoseismology is not feasible, because sediment supply from the semi-arid mainland is low and almost no Holocene turbidity-current deposits are found in the cores. In contrast, in the humid region between 36 and 38 degrees S frequent Holocene turbidite deposition may generally correspond to paleoseismic events. However, high terrigenous sedimentation rates prevent high-resolution radiocarbon dating. The climatic transition region between 32.5 and 36 degrees S appears to be best suited for turbidite paleoseismology. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Newly acquired high-resolution bathymetric data (with 5 m and 2 m grid sizes) from the continental shelf off Concepcion (Chile), in combination with seismic reflection profiles, reveal a distinctly different evolution for the Biobio submarine canyon compared to that of one of its tributaries. Both canyons are incised into the shelf of the active margin. Whereas the inner shelf appears to be mantled with unconsolidated sediment, the outer shelf shows the influence of strong bottom currents that form drifts of loose sediment and transport -material into the Biobio submarine canyon and onto the continental slope.
The main stem of the Biobio Canyon is connected to the mouth of the Biobio River and currently provides a conduit for terrestrial sediment from the continental shelf to the deep seafloor. In contrast, the head of its tributary closest to the coast is located similar to 24 km offshore of the present-day coastline at 120 m water depth, and it is subject to passive sedimentation. However, canyon activity within the study area is interpreted to be controlled not only by the direct input of fluvial sediments into the canyon head facilitated by the river-mouth to canyon-head connection, but also by input from southward-directed bottom currents and possibly longshore drift. In addition, about 24 km offshore of the present-day coastline, the main stem of the Biobio Canyon has steep canyon walls next to sites of active tectonic deformation that are prone to wall failure. Mass-failure events may also foster turbidity currents and contribute to canyon feeding. In contrast, the tributary has less steep canyon walls with limited evidence of canyon-wall failure and is located down-system of bottom currents from the Biobio Canyon. It consequently receives neither fluvial nor longshore sediments. Therefore, the canyon's connectivity to fluvial or longshore sediment delivery pathways is affected by the distance of the canyon head from the coastline and the orientation of the canyon axis relative to the direction of bottom currents.
The ability of a submarine canyon to act as an active conduit for large quantities of terrestrial sediment toward the deep sea during sea-level highstands may be controlled by several different conditions simultaneously. These include bottom current direction, structural deformation of the seafloor affecting canyon location and orientation as well as canyon-wall failure, shelf gradient and associated distance from the canyon head to the coast, and fluvial networks. The complex interplay between these factors may vary even within an individual canyon system, resulting in distinct levels of canyon activity on a regional scale.