Oil-oil and oil-source rock correlations in the Alpine Foreland Basin of Austria: Insights from biomarker and stable carbon isotope studies

The Alpine Foreland Basin is a minor oil and moderate gas province in central Europe. In the Austrian part of the Alpine Foreland Basin, oil and minor thermal gas are thought to be predominantly sourced from Lower Oligocene horizons (Schöneck and Eggerding formations). The source rocks are immature where the oil fields are located and enter the oil window at ca. 4 km depth beneath the Alpine nappes indicating long-distance lateral migration. Most important reservoirs are Upper Cretaceous and Eocene basal sandstones.Stable carbon isotope and biomarker ratios of oils from different reservoirs indicate compositional trends in W-E direction which reflect differences in source, depositional environment (facies), and maturity of potential source rocks. Thermal maturity parameters from oils of different fields are only in the western part consistent with northward displacement of immature oils by subsequently generated oils. In the eastern part of the basin different migration pathways must be assumed. The trend in S/(S + R) isomerisation of ααα-C₂₉ steranes versus the αββ (20R)/ααα (20R) C₂₉ steranes ratio from oil samples can be explained by differences in thermal maturation without involving long-distance migration. The results argue for hydrocarbon migration through highly permeable carrier beds or open faults rather than relatively short migration distances from the source. The lateral distance of oil fields to the position of mature source rocks beneath the Alpine nappes in the south suggests minimum migration distances between less than 20 km and more than 50 km.Biomarker compositions of the oils suggest Oligocene shaly to marly successions (i.e. Schoeneck, Dynow, and Eggerding formations) as potential source rocks, taking into account their immature character. Best matches are obtained between the oils and units a/b (marly shale) and c (black shale) of the “normal” Schöneck Formation, as well as with the so-called “Oberhofen Facies”. Results from open system pyrolysis-gas chromatography of potential source rocks indicate slightly higher sulphur content of the resulting pyrolysate from unit b. The enhanced dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene ratios of oils from the western part of the basin would be consistent with a higher contribution of unit b to hydrocarbon expulsion in this area. Differences in the relative contribution of sedimentary units to oil generation are inherited from thickness variations of respective units in the overthrusted sediments. The observed trend towards lighter δ¹³C values of hydrocarbon fractions from oil fields in a W-E direction are consistent with lower δ¹³C values of organic matter in unit c.     

Composition and origin of organic matter in surface sediments of Lake Sarbsko: A highly eutrophic and shallow coastal lake (northern Poland)

We present an organic geochemical study of surface sediments of Lake Sarbsko, a shallow coastal lake on the middle Polish Baltic coast. The aim was to provide evidence concerning the origin of the organic matter (OM) and its compositional diversity in surface deposits of this very productive, highly dynamic water body. The content and composition of the OM in the bottom sediments were investigated at 11 sampling stations throughout the lake basin. OM sources were assigned on the basis of bulk indicators [total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), δ¹³C_TOC and δ¹⁵N and extractable OM yield], biomarker composition of extractable OM and compound-specific C isotope signatures. The source characterization of autochthonous compounds was verified via phytoplankton analysis. The distribution of gaseous hydrocarbons in the sediments, as well as temporal changes in lake water pH, the concentration of DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) and δ¹³C_DIC were used to trace OM decomposition.The sedimentary OM is composed mainly of well preserved phytoplankton compounds and shows minor spatial variability in composition. However, the presence of CH₄ and CO₂ in the bottom deposits provides evidence for microbial degradation of sedimentary OM. The transformation of organic compounds in surface, bottom and pore waters via oxidative processes influences carbonate equilibrium in the lake and seasonally favours precipitation or dissolution of CaCO₃.The data enhance our understanding of the relationships between the composition of sedimentary OM and environmental conditions within coastal ecosystems and shed light on the reliability of OM proxies for environmental reconstruction of coastal lakes.     

The multiple chronological techniques applied to the Lake Suigetsu SG06 sediment core,central Japan

The varved sediment of Lake Suigetsu (central Japan) provides a valuable opportunity to obtain high‐resolution, multi‐proxy palaeoenvironmental data across the last glacial/interglacial cycle. In order to maximize the potential of this archive, a well‐constrained chronology is required. This paper outlines the multiple geochronological techniques being applied – namely varve counting, radiocarbon dating, tephrochronology (including argon–argon dating) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) – and the approaches by which these techniques are being integrated to form a single, coherent, robust chronology. Importantly, we also describe here the linkage of the floating Lake Suigetsu (SG06) varve chronology and the absolute (IntCal09 tree‐ring) time scale, as derived using radiocarbon data from the uppermost (non‐varved) portion of the core. This tie‐point, defined as a distinct (flood) marker horizon in SG06 (event layer B‐07–08 at 1397.4 cm composite depth), is thus derived to be 11 255 to 11 222 IntCal09 cal. years BP (68.2% probability range).     

Palynology of Triassic–Jurassic boundary sections in northern Switzerland

A first palynostratigraphic scheme of Upper Triassic deposits in northern Switzerland was established based on spore-pollen associations and dinoflagellate cyst records from the upper part of the Upper Triassic Klettgau Formation and the lower part of the Lower Jurassic Staffelegg Formation. Drill cores from the Adlerberg region (Basel Tabular Jura) and from Weiach (northern part of Canton Zurich) as well as from an outcrop at the Chilchzimmersattel (Basel Folded Jura) were studied and five informal palynological associations are distinguished. These palynological associations correlate with palynological association of the Central European Epicontinental Basin and the Tethyan realm and provide a stratigraphic framework for the uppermost Triassic sediments in northern Switzerland. Throughout the uppermost Triassic to Jurassic palynological succession a remarkable prominence of Classopollis spp. is observed. Besides Classopollis spp. the three Rhaetian palynological associations A to C from the Upper Triassic Belchen Member include typical Rhaetian spore-pollen and dinoflagellate taxa (e.g., Rhaetipollis germanicus, Geopollis zwolinskae, Rhaetogonyaulax rhaetica, and Dapcodinium priscum). Association B differs from association A in a higher relative abundance of the sporomorph taxa Perinopollenites spp. and the consistent occurrence of Granuloperculatipollis rudis and Ricciisporites tuberculatus. Spore diversity is highest in the late Rhaetian palynological association C and includes Polypodiisporites polymicroforatus. A Rhaetian age for the Belchen Member is confirmed by palynological associations A–C, but there is no record of the latest Rhaetian and the earliest Jurassic. In contrast to the Rhaetian palynological associations the Early Jurassic associations W and D include Pinuspollenites spp., Trachysporites fuscus (in association W), and Ischyosporites variegatus. In the view of the end-Triassic mass extinction and contemporaneous environmental changes the described palynofloral succession represents the pre-extinction phase (associations A and B) including a distinct transgression, the extinction phase (association C) associated with a regression, and the post-extinction phase (association W).     

小型激光天文动力学空间计划概念

小型激光天文动力学空间计划是 :使用在太阳轨道上无拖曳航天器和地面站以激光干涉和脉冲测距的方法 ,精确地探讨天文动力学 ,检测相对论与时空基本定律 ,改进探测引力波的灵敏度以及更准确地测定太阳、行星和小行星的参数。 1 969年开始的月球激光 (反射 )测距 ,对地球物理、参考坐标的选定、相对论的检验均有重要的贡献。 3 0年来 ,激光技术的长足进步 ,使现在正是适合于开始进行研究空间有源 (主动 )测距和光波空间通讯的时候。激光天文动力学的兴起是必然的趋势 ,其精确度将比现在提高 3到 6个数量级 ,将是天文动力学革命性的发展。小型激光天文动力学空间计划可以起到带头作用。它的关键技术有三 ,即 :弱光锁相、极精确无拖曳航天和高衰减日冕仪。弱光锁相已有长足的进步。对高衰减日冕仪的研究 ,也有了初步的方案。LISA空间计划将于 2 0 0 6年 8月发射SMART -2 ,研究测试极精确无拖曳航天。小型激光天文动力学空间计划的关键技术已日趋成熟。在第一届国际激光天文动力学研讨会 ( 2 0 0 1 ,9.1 3 -2 3 )中介绍了各相关学科背景及前沿研究 ,讨论了激光天文动力学空间计划科学目标及相关技术 ,并召开了两次小型激光天文动力学空间计划预研究筹备会 ,建立了和欧洲的合作关系。会后着手进行此项对基础     

Origin of ore fluids in the Muruntau gold system: Constraints from noble gas, carbon isotope and halogen data

Hydrothermal vein minerals directly associated with native gold mineralization in the Muruntau vein system (Uzbekistan) have been studied for noble gas, carbon isotope and halogen chemistry of the trapped ore-related fluids. Helium trapped in early arsenopyrite 1, which has preserved the original fluid signature better than associated scheelite and quartz, indicates a small input from a mantle source (?5% of total He). However, the overwhelming majority of the He in the fluid (∼95%) is from crustal sources. The noble gases Ne, Kr and Xe in the sample fluids are dominated by gases of atmospheric origin. The carbon isotope (δ¹³C: −2.1‰ to −5.3‰) and halogen characteristics of the fluids (log Br/Cl: −2.64 to −3.23) lend further support for the activity of juvenile fluids during the main ore stage. The high proportion of crustal components in the ore-forming fluids may be explained by intense fluid-rock interaction and is also supported by previous Nd and Sr isotope studies. The involvement of a juvenile fluid component during the main stage of hydrothermal activity at Muruntau (∼275 Ma) can be linked to the emplacement of lamprophyric dikes at Muruntau, due to apparently overlapping ages for high-temperature alteration, related ore vein formation and intrusion of the dikes. The input of mantle-derived fluids, possibly related to the Hercynian collisional event in the western Tien Shan, stimulated intense fluid-rock interaction in the crust. In this context, the mantle-derived fluid should be considered as one possible carrier of metals. Significant amounts of external meteoric fluids circulating in fracture systems are interpreted to have modified the noble gas signature of fluid in quartz, mostly during late, low temperature fluid circulation.