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Press Release
Geodynamic Development
Profile - Investigating Miocene geodynamic
events in Eastern Alpine basins
Vienna/Leoben (FWF) - The Miocene epoch, part of the early Tertiary period,
began some 24 million years ago and saw the development of a wide range
of important animals, in particular mammals, and plants. Within the scope
of an extensive project cluster sponsored by the Austrian Science Fund,
Robert Scholger from the Institute of Geophysics of the University of
Leoben is investigating the effects of geodynamic processes on the ecosystems
and the environment of the Eastern Alps during the Miocene. The aim of
the project is to establish a modern database, which provides comprehensive
information about the major Miocene basins and can be made available to
anyone interested in the subject.
The European Miocene started out dry, then became extremely humid, then
once more dry again and finally ended humid. The climatic situation (glaciation)
and the mountain folding processes went hand in hand with changes in the
sea level. It is this dynamic epoch in the Earth's history that provided
the backdrop for the development of the Eastern Alpine ecosystems. "We
want to examine to what extent the geodynamic processes of that time had
an impact on these ecosystems with special emphasis on the Vienna, Styrian
and Lavanttal basins", Scholger explained, adding, "One of our
objectives is to establish a paleomagnetic record of the tectonic movements
in Tertiary Eastern Alpine basins".
He will employ various strategies to achieve this goal: In a first approach,
sediment basins of the same age located around the Alps will be investigated
and compared in order to find out whether these basins have moved relative
to each other and to determine in what direction they have basically moved.
The second approach involves the use of magnetostratigraphic profiles
for a detailed verification of the age of the rock layers. The results
of these investigations, together with paleo-ecological and biostratigraphic
data will finally allow the geodynamic events that took place in the Eastern
Alpine Miocene to be reconstructed.
Comprehensive database
Data acquisition has been largely completed. The data will be evaluated
this summer and the database is expected to be available by October. It
will meet state-of-the-art technological criteria and will also be made
accessible to other people interested in the subject. "One of our
first results was that the geodynamic development of the deposits under
investigation took place in a counter-clockwise direction. The Vienna
and Styrian basins show consistent results indicating a certain geodynamic
development - a successive rotation and movement relative to each other",
explains Scholger.
The positive impressions and results have motivated Scholger to launch
another project in order to investigate specific periods in more detail
on the basis of the existing data. The meaningfulness of the new climate
indicators, which are based on magnetic parameters, will be examined in
direct comparison with traditional methods. New sampling procedures allow
research into unconsolidated sediment areas, which have not been accessible
to investigation as yet.
Dr. Robert Scholger
Institute of Geophysics, University of Leoben
Phone.: ++43 (0)3126 50415
Released:
CLOOS + PARTNER, Public Relations Agency
Phone.:++43 (0)1 710 85 99
Vienna, 11 April 2002
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