Aufschluß Schlackenkegel mit aufgepressten tertiären Tonen

Dynamics of the earth´s surface

Aufschluß Schlackenkegel mit aufgepressten tertiären Tonen
Image: Pirrung
View from the Lydia tower over the Laacher See to the south to the lowest part of the crater rim of the Laacher See volcano, behind it is the well known Wingertsberg wall with the profile of the fall and flow deposits of the Middle and Upper Laacher See Tephra
View from the Lydia tower over the Laacher See to the south to the lowest part of the crater rim of the Laacher See volcano, behind it is the well known Wingertsberg wall with the profile of the fall and flow deposits of the Middle and Upper Laacher See Tephra
Image: Sven Philipp

Near-surface rock units are essential for formation and conservation of soils as substrate for agriculture, as seepage water horizon, and in general as ecosystem element. Geoinformation systems and digital elevation models provide valuable tools for visualization of the present-day situation of landscapes and for quantification of rock units. In times of climate change, reconstruction of processes changing the landscape is important for both hydrochemistry and linear to planar erosion.

Geological record of an exploration borehole in the area of Lake Laach.
Geological record of an exploration borehole in the area of Lake Laach.
Image: Sven Philipp, Wasser und Boden GmbH, Boppard

The Applied Geology group investigates the surficial and subsurface catchment of Lake Laach in Quaternary East Eifel Volcanic Field in the frame of a PhD thesis. Of special interest is the thickness and structural architecture of fresh to altered low- to highly-permeable volcanic soft and hard rocks, slope loams and Tertiary clays above Lower Devonian siliciclastics with near-surface disaggregation. Localization of faults will be mapped using geological and natural gamma activity data. Significance of faults for fluid movement will be examined using hydrogeochemical and hydraulic data. Based on additional meteorological and geophysical data a new subsurface model for volcanic pore and fissure aquifers will be established for Lake Laach area. This can provide an insight into influence of volcanic CO2 on groundwater and formation of highly-mineralized groundwaters.

Associated:  Dr. Michael Pirrung, Karl-Heinz Köppen (Wasser und Boden GmbH), Sven Philipp (Wasser und Boden GmbH)

In addition geochemical data are applied for the classification of inorganic geochemical anomalies in recent fluvial sediments in the project FLUVIMAG, e.g. in volcanic fields in Germany.