Triassic Time (IGCP-467)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Leopold KRYSTYN, Institute of Paleontology, University of Vienna
Duration: 6 years (beginning 2002)

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Leopold Krystyn
Institute of Paleontology
University of Vienna
Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna
leopold.krystyn@univie.ac.at

Drilling at the Bosumtwi impact crater, Ghana

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Christian KÖBERL, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Vienna; Dr. Norbert SCHLEIFER, Department of Geophysics, University of Leoben
Duration: 3 years (beginning 2004)


Abstract

The 11-km-diameter Bosumtwi impact crater in Ghana (West Africa) is the one of the most interesting impact structures on Earth that can be used to obtain information on the danger of impact events of such a size. The 1.07 million year old crater is the youngest large complex impact structure known on Earth. It is mostly filled with a lake and it was shown that the lake sediments are deposited in the form of varves, i.e., they show annual resolution. Thus, studies of drill cores through the lake sediments will allow extracting paleoclimatic information over a one million year duration with annual resolution. The importance of the paleoclimatic information, as well as the importance of the crater for impact research, led to a drilling program in 2004 of the "International Continental Scientific Drilling Program" (ICDP). Sixteen cores were recovered in this drilling program, including two that pennetrated the impact rocks to depths of 540 and 450 meters. As part of this international project, the Austrian contribution in studying the drill cores consists of geochemical, petrographic, mineralogic and petrophysical analyses of the impact-derived rocks.


Contact:
Prof. Dr. Christian Köberl
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Vienna
Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna
T +43 1 4277-53110
F +43 1 4277-9531
christian.koeberl@univie.ac.at

Dr. Norbert Schleifer
Department of Geophysics
University of Leoben
Peter-Tunner Str. 27, 8700 Leoben
T +43 3842 402-2625
F +43 3842 402-2602
schleifer@unileoben.ac.at

Upper Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds in the Eastern Alps (IGCP-463)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Michael WAGREICH, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Vienna
Duration: 5 years (beginning 2002)


Abstract

Upper Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds: response to Ocean/Climate Global Change

A major change in oceanic sedimentation from sediments enriched in organic carbon to oceanic red beds, mainly red shales and marls, occurred in the world oceans during the Late Cretaceous (ca. 100 - 65 my). A variety of processes such as organic carbon drawdown, palaeoproductivity changes, tectonic, palaeoceanographic, eustatic, paleoclimatic changes or a combination of any above could cause such a change from black shales to red pelitic deposits devoid of any carbon. The main objective of the project is to investigate and understand conditions which resulted in the change from anoxic to oxic sediments deposition in the world oceans during the Late Cretaceous by means of geochemical, sedimentological and stratigraphic analyses. Based on these Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORB) data and models of past global paleoclimatic and palaeoceanographic changes will be developed. The Austrian part concentrates on stratigraphy and geochemistry of the cyclic transitions from grey to red oceanic sedimentation.


Contact:
Prof. Dr. Michael Wagreich
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Vienna
Althansstraße 14, 1090 Vienna
T +43 1 4277-53465
F +43 1 4277-9534
michael.wagreich@univie.ac.at

Dysoxic to Oxic Change in the Middle Cretaceous (IGCP-494)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Michael WAGREICH, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Vienna
Duration: 3 years (beginning 2003)


Abstract

Dysoxic to Oxic Change in Ocean Sedimentation During the Middle Cretaceous: A Study of the Tethyan Realm

The IGCP 494 Young Scientist Project aims to foster international cooperation between prospective young scientists from developing and developed countries early in their careers. The scientific program of IGCP494 is to gain knowledge about the oceanographic conditions, which caused occasional changes from dysoxic/anoxic deep-sea sedimentation into oxic. Such changes particularly occurred during the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 125 - 93 my) of the Tethyan realm, e.g. from Italy to the Himalaya. As the sediments record the effects of palaeoclimatic, palaeoceanographic and tectonic change this project will study the conditions, which could lead to the oscillations from dysoxic to oxic depositional setting. The study aims at a better understanding of the causes of changes in the burial rates, the amount of organic carbon and the content of oxygen in the world oceans during mid-Cretaceous time.


Contact:
Prof. Dr. Michael Wagreich
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Vienna
Althansstraße 14, 1090 Vienna
T +43 1 4277-53465
F +43 1 4277-9534
michael.wagreich@univie.ac.at

DIMS - Depth Images of the Earth´s Crust Supported by Magnetotelluric Soundings (IGCP-474)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Franz KOHLBECK, Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Vienna University of Technology
Duration: 3 years (beginning 2005)


Abstract

DIMS - Depth Images of the Earth´s Crust Supported by Magnetotelluric Soundings

The magnetotelluric method is used to investigate the earth structure along the eastern border of the alps (Burgenland , Steiermark) within Austria. This region has already been investigated by the seismic projects CELEBRATION and ALP2002. The comparison of the results of these projects should help to better understand the structure and physical properties of the area. The frequency range observed will cover 1000Hz to 0.001Hz. The depth of penetration is estimated to be about 50km (crust and upper mantle). The measurements will start with Metronix instruments. The application of other instruments and experiments with seismic amplifiers and storage units are planned. The final evaluation of the data will use the full impedance tensor.


Contact:
Prof. Dr. Franz Kohlbeck
Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics
Vienna University of Technology
Gusshausstraße 27-29, 1040 Vienna
T +43 1 58801-12820
F +43 1 5044232
fkohlbec@pop.tuwien.ac.at