Long sequence of Quaternary Rocks in the Heidelberg Basin Depocentre

authored by: Dietrich Ellwanger, Gerald Gabriel, Theo Simon, Ulrike Wielandt-Schuster, Reinhard O. Greiling, Eva Marie Hagedorn, Jürgen Hahne, Jürgen Heinz
Abstract: A description and classification of the successions of the new scientific core drillings at Heidelberg is presented. Since 2002 drilling and research activities were ongoing in the Heidelberg Basin (HDB), as a mid-continental sedimentary archive within the Upper Rhine Graben (URG), Germany. The HDB is supposed to host one of the longest continuous successions of Quaternary sediments in Europe, due to continuous subsidence of the basin and sediment input from various sources. The HDB is about half-way between the Alpine source area of the Rhine and the North Sea. Here the Quaternary input is least affected by discontinuities due to climate events as alpine glacier meltdown events or periods of low sea level. Reversely, the low influence of climate leads to a larger tectonic control. The sedimentary succession of more than 500 m is considered as primarily controlled by tectonics, but with incorporated climate signals. For classification purposes, sediment provenance, lithofacies-associations, and the ratio of accommodation space and sediment input are used. Some biostratigraphic markers are also available. We suggest a sedimentary scenario where the overall fluvial environment is twice interrupted by lacustrine intervals. The accommodation space varies too: in one period it expands even beyond the eastern boundary fault of the HDB.
External Organisation(s): Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Hydroisotop GmbH
Landesamt für Geologie, Rohstoffe und Bergbau Baden-Württemberg (LGRB)
Type: Article
Journal: E and G Quaternary Science Journal
Volume: 57
Pages: 316-337
No. of pages: 22
ISSN: 0424-7116
Publication date: 01.04.2009
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Archaeology, Archaeology, Geology, Stratigraphy, Palaeontology
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 13 - Climate Action
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3285/eg.57.3-4.3 (Access: Open)