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07.10.2011 - Digital field mapping with DraganFlyer X6

 

Digital field mapping with DraganFlyer X6

The field mapping campaign of Bernhard Grasemann, Cornelius Tschegg, Benjamin Huet and Hugh Rice in Greece this September was supported by the use of a Draganflyer X6 RC helicopter (www.draganfly.com). The possibility to apply individual aerial photography opens up a new generation of field mapping, providing the documentation of geological features at a scale neither resolvable from satellite images nor from outcrop observation. The presented aerial photos were taken with the X6 and show geological details of a large area at a glance. It proved to be very useful for mapping structures like mega-grooves in a knife-sharp detachment plane of a low angle normal fault on Serifos.

 

04.10.2011 - Meeting of the German Stratigraphic Subcommission

Meeting of the German Stratigraphic Subcommission 

News from the Meeting of the German Stratigraphic Subcommission for the Cretaceous in Sonthofen/Germany, end of September 2011. Michael Wagreich is now a Corresponding Member of the Subcommission, dealing with Alpine Cretaceous Stratigraphy and the correlation of units from Austria to Bavaria and Switzerland.

From Africa to Europe - a section in the Walsertal from the Northern Calcareous Alps in the background to Rhenodanubian Flysch and the Helvetic Nappes.

 

02.09.2011 - Blockkurs 'Stable Isotopes in the Sedimentary Environment'

 

Blockkurs 'Stable Isotopes in the Sedimentary Environment'

Guest professor Benjamin Brunner from the MPI for Marine Microbiology in Bremen will give a 'Blockkurs' on Stable Isotopes in the Sedimentary Environment. Topics are: Introduction on stable isotopes, Stable isotope mass balance as a tool, Microbial processes and corresponding isotope effects, Consequences of transport processes, Carriers of isotope signatures. The Course will take place from October 17. to 21. and will be devided in lecture (from 9:00 to 12:30 a.m.) and literature club (from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.). For further information about Benjamin Brunner please have a look at his homepage: www.mpi-bremen.de/en/Benjamin_Brunner.html. For further information about the course please contact Simone Ziegenbalg (simone.ziegenbalg@univie.ac.at) or Katrin Heindel (katrin.heindel@univie.ac.at)

Link to the Course Flyer

02.08.2011 - 'Geodynamic evolution of the Zagros' in the Geological Magazin

'Geodynamic evolution of the Zagros' in the Geological Magazin

Bernhard Grasemann edited together with Olivier Lacombe and Guy Simpson a special issue 'Geodynamic evolution of the Zagros' for the Geological Magazin. Download the Table of Contents - Volume 148 - Issue 5-6 (THEMATIC
ISSUE: Geodynamic evolution of the Zagros) - 2011.

Link to the volume

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02.08.2011 - New results of the deformation mechanisms in deformation bands in a porous carbonate grainstone

New results of the deformation mechanisms in deformation bands in a porous carbonate grainstone

The AAPG bulletin published in its August issue, a paper by Alexander Rath, Ulrike Exner, Cornelius Tschegg, Bernhard Grasemann, Richard Laner and Erich Draganits about microstructural investigations and petrophysical properties of deformation bands in a carbonate grainstone. Cathodoluminescence microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, minipermeamter measurements and microcomputed tomography data reveal a multistage evolution of the deformation bands and a strong reduction of porosity and permeability.

Alexander Rath, Ulrike Exner, Cornelius Tschegg, Bernhard Grasemann, Richard Laner, and Erich Draganits,  2011, Diagenetic control of deformation mechanisms in deformation bands in a carbonate grainstone: AAPG Bulletin, v. 95, no. 8, p. 1369-1381, DOI: 10.1306/01031110118

Link to the article

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19.07.2011 - Geology paper on boundary conditions in simple shear analogue models

Geology paper on boundary conditions in simple shear analogue models

The August issue of Geology features a collaborative work of Marcel Frehner and Ulrike Exner, together with Neil Mancktelow from the ETH Zürich and Djordje Grujic at Halifax, Canada. Unintended boundary effects like foldis or shear strain gradients at the boundaries of simple shear analogue rigs hinder a useful interpretation of quantitative data from analouge experiments. Combining 2D and 3D finite element models, we identify the non-trivial cause of these boundary effects and provide helpful instructions how to avoid or minimize them.

Frehner, M., Exner, U., Mancktelow, N.S. & Grujic, D. (2011): The not-so-simple effects of boundary conditions on models of simple shear. Geology 39, 8, 717-722, doi:10.1130/G31957.1

Link to the article

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17.06.2011 - Quantitative structural analysis using remote sensing data: Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Quantitative structural analysis using remote sensing data: Kurdistan Region of Iraq

A recently published AAPG Bulletin paper by Daniel Reif, Bernhard Grasemann and Robert Faber reveals details on the use of a recently developed software tool for extracting dip direction and angle measurements from digital elevation models and remote sensing data. The cover photo of the bulletin shows the incompetent layers of the pelagic marls of Upper Shiranish Formation in the study area.

Daniel Reif, Bernhard Grasemann, and Robert H. Faber: Quantitative structural analysis using remote sensing data: Kurdistan, northeast Iraq. AAPG Bulletin 2011 95: 941-956.

Link to the article

 

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07.06.2011 - Modern Structural Geology in Academia and Industry

Modern Structural Geology in Academia and Industry

Gabor Tari (OMV Exploration & Production) and Bernhard Grasemann (University of Vienna) organized at the 73rd EAGE Conference & Exhibition (23-26 May 2011, Vienna) a workshop, which brought together  technical experts from oil companies and researchers from academic institutions to discuss and explore the mutually important areas of modern structural geology. Besides a strong regional focus on the geodynamic evolution of the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt,  the scientists discussed modern numerical, analytical and interpretational techniques with direct applications to exploration issues.

Link to workshop

03.06.2011 - EARTHTIME-EU Steering Committee Meeting at the Department

EARTHTIME-EU Steering Committee Meeting at the Department

Michael Wagreich hosted the Steering Committee Meeting of EARTHTIME-EU, an ESF Research Network Project (RPN), to synchronize the rock clock. The ultimate goal of EARTHTIME-EU is to improve the time scale of the Cenozoic and Late Cretaceous to an error in the per mil range. The Steering Committee discussed various matters, i.e. plans for science meetings and workshops connected to absolute dating and chronostratigraphy. EGU 2012, April 22-27,  will see a session on EARTHTIME-EU and the scientific achievements of the project.

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29.04.2011 - "Most Cited Article 2005-2010" in the JSG

"Most Cited Article 2005-2010" in the JSG

Bernhard Grasemann has been awarded the "Most Cited Article 2005-2010" published in the Journal of Structural Geology (www.elsevier.com/locate/jsg) for his article: Reverse and normal drag along faults. Volume 27, Issue 6 (2005), Pages 999-1010. The article was co-authored by Steve Martel and Cees Passchier.

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29.04.2011 - New Scientists at the Department

New Scientists at the Department of Geodynamics and Sedimentology

Since 1st of April the staff of the Structural Processes Group has increased by two new research scientists: Dr. Benjamin Huet  from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris) will be involved in the Doctoral School DOGMA, investigating mechanical-chemical feedback mechanisms during rock deformation. Dr. Martin Schöpfer  from the Fault Analysis Group (UCD, Doublin) is working on quantitative parameterisation of fault zones in outcrop for inclusion in reservoir flow models (www.fault-analysis-group.ucd.ie/Projects/quaff.html).

 

 

18.04.2011 - Outcrop exercise within the course: “Sedimentology and Facies Analysis”

 

Outcrop exercise within the course: "Sedimentology and Facies Analysis"

In favorable weather more than 35 students experienced their first contacts with clastic sediments in the outcrop near Oberthern in Niederösterreich. Michael Wagreich and Susanne Gier explained sedimentological field methods including the documentation of bed-by-bed lithostratigraphic sections, recognition and analysis of sedimentary structures, the measurement of grain size parameters, rock type determination of pebbles, etc. aiming for the proper investigation of clastic sediments in the field and the interpretation of their depositional environment.

03.03.2011 - New insights into active kinematics and fault segmentation of the Vienna Basin strike-slip fault

Thursday 03. March 2011

New insights into active kinematics and fault segmentation of the Vienna Basin strike-slip fault

A recently published Tectonophysics paper reveals details on the 3D geometry of the Miocene Lassee flower structure and the impact of its Quaternary reactivation on the Pleistocene landscape evolution. In their paper, Andreas Beidinger and Kurt Decker further illustrate geometrical fault segmentation and active kinematics of the sinistral Vienna Basin strike-slip fault system at a seismogenic relevant depth. Several fault-segments are defined, which can be used for constraining the maximum fault surfaces, which can break during single earthquakes. The data on active kinematics and geometrical fault segmentation of the strike-slip fault may serve as a basic input for future assessments of maximum credible earthquake estimates.

Beidinger, A., and Decker, K., 2011, 3D geometry and kinematics of the Lassee flower structure: Implications for segmentation and seismotectonics of the Vienna Basin strike-slip fault, Austria: Tectonophysics, v. 499, no. 1-4, p. 22-40. DOI:10.1016/j.tecto.2010.11.006

Link to the article

02.03.2011 - Dinosaurs got extinct earlier than previously thought? EARTHTIME-EU kick-off event in Barcelona

 

Dinosaurs got extinct earlier than previously thought? EARTHTIME-EU kick-off event in Barcelona

EARTHTIME-EU, an ESF Research Network Project (RPN), is an initiative to synchronize the rock clock, i.e. the dating of rocks. The ultimate goal is to improve the time scale of the Cenozoic and Late Cretaceous to an error in the per mil range. Michael Wagreich and Mathias Harzhauser (NHM Vienna) were at the kick off meeting of the invited group of European researchers at Barcelona to discuss new dating techniques, cyclostratigraphy and biostratigraphy. High-precision dating, new calibrations,  and astrochronology gives a new age model for the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary – instead of 65.5 Ma years, the boundary now slips down considerably to 65.9 or even 66.1 Ma. The next steering committee meeting of EARTHTIME-EU will be organized by Michael Wagreich in the beginning of June 2011 in Vienna or Salzburg.

Link to ESF

Link to GTSnext

Link to Earthtime-EU 

 

15.02.2010 - Special Issue of Elsevier's Sedimentary Geology on oxic-anoxic changes edited by Michael Wagreich

Special Issue of Elsevier's Sedimentary Geology on oxic-anoxic changes edited by Michael Wagreich

A special issue titled "Causes of oxic - anoxic changes in Cretaceous marine environments and their implications for Earth systems" is just published in Sedimentary Geology, Volume 235, Issues 1-2, Pages 1-132. The special issue was edited by Michael Wagreich, Xiumian Hu (Nanjing, PR China) and Brad Sageman (Evanston, USA). This special issue originated from a session at the 33th International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, sponsored by theUNESCO-IGCP555 project. You can find the website link below through Sciencedirect (Elsevier). Main topics are detailed records and models of oxic-anoxic changes in the Cretaceous Greenhouse world leading to questions such as if humans can force a return to a 'Cretaceous’ climate.

Link to the special issue