The soda lake---mesosaline halite lake transition in the Ries impact crater basin (drilling Löpsingen 2012, Miocene, southern Germany)

Year:

2016

Type of Publication:

Artikel

Autoren:

Arp, Gernot; Hansen, Bent T.; Pack, Andreas; Reimer, Andreas; Schmidt, Burkhard C.; Simon, Klaus; Jung, Dietmar

Journal:

Facies

Volume:

63

Nummer:

1

Seiten:

1

Monat:

Oktober

ISSN:

1612-4820

BibTex:

@article{Arp2016, author = "Gernot Arp and Bent T. Hansen and Andreas Pack and Andreas Reimer and Burkhard C. Schmidt and Klaus Simon and Dietmar Jung", abstract = "Lacustrine sediments of impact craters form valuable climate archives, although chemical evolution and changes in the catchment area potentially superimpose, distort, or obliterate primary climate signals. The 15 Ma N{\{\&}quot;o}rdlinger Ries in southern Germany, one of the most intensively studied terrestrial impact structures, harbors a well-preserved but controversially interpreted lacustrine sedimentary fill. While earlier studies proposed a climate-driven development from a playa to a mesosaline soda lake (Units A and B), which then decreased in salinity (Units C and D), new investigations suggest a chemical evolution from a playa and soda lake (Units A--C) to a mesosaline halite lake (Unit D), which then turned into a hypersaline halite lake, until an outlet formed. However, problems in the stratigraphic correlation of basin center and margin sediments impeded the recognition of the hypothetical soda to halite lake transition to date. A new drilling in the central crater now provides a solution for the problem. Unit C still comprises analcime-rich dolomite marl with reversely correlated $\delta$13C and $\delta$18O values, thereby reflecting a shallow, highly alkaline, saline meromictic lake (Na--Mg--CO3--SO4). In turn, Unit D is characterized by a change to cycles composed of lignite, diatomite, claystone, marl, and limestone. Gypsum pseudomorphs at the cycle tops indicate saline lake water (Na--Mg--Cl--SO4) with increased Ca2+ concentrations. Reworked, previously aragonitic, green algal tubes prove that early parts of Unit D sediments formed contemporaneously to basin margin green algal bioherms, contrary to previous assumptions. Therefore, the change from a highly alkaline soda lake to a mesosaline halite lake reflects increasing influx of waters from the Bunte Breccia into the lake, while suevite-derived weathering solutions decreased. Low-salinity conditions during Unit D are temporary phases during lake-level rise at the beginning of short-term cycles, whereas stable oxygen isotope ratios indicate meso- to hypersaline conditions at cycle tops. However, the long-term increase in salinity leading to continuous hypersaline conditions is only preserved in carbonates at the crater rim.", day = "31", doi = "10.1007/s10347-016-0483-7", issn = "1612-4820", journal = "Facies", month = "Oct", number = "1", pages = "1", title = "{T}he soda lake---mesosaline halite lake transition in the {R}ies impact crater basin (drilling {L}{\"o}psingen 2012, {M}iocene, southern {G}ermany)", url = "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-016-0483-7", volume = "63", year = "2016", }

Kurzzusammenfassung:

Lacustrine sediments of impact craters form valuable climate archives, although chemical evolution and changes in the catchment area potentially superimpose, distort, or obliterate primary climate signals. The 15 Ma N{\"o}rdlinger Ries in southern Germany, one of the most intensively studied terrestrial impact structures, harbors a well-preserved but controversially interpreted lacustrine sedimentary fill. While earlier studies proposed a climate-driven development from a playa to a mesosaline soda lake (Units A and B), which then decreased in salinity (Units C and D), new investigations suggest a chemical evolution from a playa and soda lake (Units A--C) to a mesosaline halite lake (Unit D), which then turned into a hypersaline halite lake, until an outlet formed. However, problems in the stratigraphic correlation of basin center and margin sediments impeded the recognition of the hypothetical soda to halite lake transition to date. A new drilling in the central crater now provides a solution for the problem. Unit C still comprises analcime-rich dolomite marl with reversely correlated $\delta$13C and $\delta$18O values, thereby reflecting a shallow, highly alkaline, saline meromictic lake (Na--Mg--CO3--SO4). In turn, Unit D is characterized by a change to cycles composed of lignite, diatomite, claystone, marl, and limestone. Gypsum pseudomorphs at the cycle tops indicate saline lake water (Na--Mg--Cl--SO4) with increased Ca2+ concentrations. Reworked, previously aragonitic, green algal tubes prove that early parts of Unit D sediments formed contemporaneously to basin margin green algal bioherms, contrary to previous assumptions. Therefore, the change from a highly alkaline soda lake to a mesosaline halite lake reflects increasing influx of waters from the Bunte Breccia into the lake, while suevite-derived weathering solutions decreased. Low-salinity conditions during Unit D are temporary phases during lake-level rise at the beginning of short-term cycles, whereas stable oxygen isotope ratios indicate meso- to hypersaline conditions at cycle tops. However, the long-term increase in salinity leading to continuous hypersaline conditions is only preserved in carbonates at the crater rim.