Project Details
Exploring the impact of Ice sheet induced Salt tectonics on the Earth Surface - ISS
Applicant
Dr. Jacob Hardt
Subject Area
Physical Geography
Term
since 2024
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 553827547
My previous research has shown that landforms in the Central European Basin, termed surface cracks, formed due to ice sheet induced salt movements. The loading- and unloading processes causing these landforms in geologically short time spans reveal a dimension of surface-subsurface interactions that have so far received little attention. Despite some progress in understanding geographical distribution patterns of the surface cracks and the involved salt tectonic processes, a systematic analysis of the connection between Permian salt structures, top salt sediments, and geomorphological features is still lacking. This project is designed to analyze salt-and-ice interactions by following a holistic approach, which requires integrating knowledge from geomorphology (i.e., landforms, ice dynamics), geophysics (i.e., imaging of subsurface deformation, faults), and salt tectonics (i.e., salt flow triggered by loading and unloading). Due to the good data availability and accessibility of study sites, northern Germany is the ideal study area for this project. Key aspects of the proposed project are the more extensive mapping of landforms influenced by salt rise (e.g., surface cracks, river courses) and the attempt to date these landforms with geochronological methods (e.g., luminescence dating). Possible subsurface faults and deformations related to surface cracks will be investigated with geophysical methods (e.g., shear-wave seismics, electrical resistivity tomography). Measurements of the radon emanation from the soil may give hints about permeable faults associated with salt rise. The salt tectonic processes triggered by ice sheet loading will be further investigated with the help of physical sandbox models. Subsurface salt structures are going to influence our landscapes of the future. Salt bodies are used for cavern storage of gas or are considered for radioactive waste disposal. Salt structures may play an important role in the energy transition by providing structural traps for carbon dioxide and energy (hydrogen) storage as well as providing favorable settings for geothermal applications. Thus, apart from the expected progress in fundamental research, the project will contribute to geotechnical questions related to the long-term stability of salt systems and permeabilities in top salt sediments.
DFG Programme
Research Grants