Sedimentologische und geochronologische Studien am Kontinent-Ozean Übergang im Tauernfenster (Ostalpen)

One of the most discussed questions about the breakup of a continent and ocean formation is the geometry of the emerging continental margins. In the Tauern window, the mesozoic southern European continental margin and the continent-ocean transition zone are directly accessible. The Kaserer Formation is considered as the potential sedimentary sequence of the distal continental margin, yet its stratigraphic position and structure are still a matter of debate. Our preliminary geochronological studies revealed unexpected age results and brought severe doubts on the existing concept of an undisturbed shelf sedimentation up to the Cretaceous. Heavy mineral analyses, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope analyses on zircons from mafic intercalations and clastic metasediments, as well as the analyses of REE in zircons will be carried out in order to identify the source areas and the origin of the exotic mafic and ultramafic associations. Structural field analyses will be used to reconstruct the architecture of the ancient continental margin and to gain insights into the pre-Alpine extensional processes and the early collisional deformation.

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Beteiligte Person Dr. Axel Gerdes