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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
<html lang=en>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<title>
Geology outline
</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<title>CUCC Austria Expeditions: Geological Outline</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/main2.css" />
</head>
<body>
<h1>Outline Geology of the Loser Plateau</h1>
Much of the area of the Loser Augst-Eck plateau is rough limestone pavement
<p>Much of the area of the Loser Augst-Eck plateau is rough limestone pavement
(<b>karren</b>), liberally covered with dense areas of dwarf pine, and
interspersed with small cliffs, open shafts and snow patches. To the new
visitor, it all looks alike, and even to the geologist, there are few
marker beds and no obvious structure. This tended to produce the attitude
that "its all limestone, with caves in", and little more effort was made.
visitor, it all looks alike, and even to the geologist, there are few marker
beds and no obvious structure. This tended to produce the attitude that "its
all limestone, with caves in", and little more effort was made.</p>
<p>Articles speculating on the geology appeared from time to time in
<b>Cambridge Underground</b>, written by people with varying degrees
@@ -23,23 +22,23 @@ evidence gathered "on the ground" - including a perusal of various cave
surveys. Jared West's <a href="years/1987/geolog.htm">article</a> in C.U.
1988 pretty much summarises the literature. A geologic sketch map of the area
is based on "The Geology of the Eastern Alps", by Prof. E.R.Oxburgh (The
Geologists Association, London, 1968):
Geologists Association, London, 1968):</p>
<p><img src="maps/jared.png" width=1258 height=632>
<div class="centre"><img src="maps/jared.png" width="1258" height="632"
alt="Geological map" /></div>
<p>From this it can be seen that our area is composed of the massively bedded
white Dachsteinkalk limestone of Triassic age. The summit of the Loser and
adjacent peaks is more recent Jurassic limestones. The oldest of these,
particularly obvious in the Br&auml;uning Wall, are quite thinly bedded
Liassic marls. All these sediments have been pushed NNE in the
Totengebirgs-Decke, a massive thrust. This is bounded to the SW, roughly
along the line of the road from Altaussee to Blaa-Alm, by a thrust plane. SW
of this boundary, the surface is entirely composed of Jurassic sediments,
with little of speleological interest. To the SE, the Loser block is bounded
by a fault which runs along the NW shore of the Altausseer See. The
Trisselwand is composed of Jurassic limestone, younger than the Liassic
marls, and is also massively bedded and seems to contain at least some cave
development.
particularly obvious in the Br&auml;uning Wall, are quite thinly bedded Liassic
marls. All these sediments have been pushed NNE in the Totengebirgs-Decke, a
massive thrust. This is bounded to the SW, roughly along the line of the road
from Altaussee to Blaa-Alm, by a thrust plane. SW of this boundary, the surface
is entirely composed of Jurassic sediments, with little of speleological
interest. To the SE, the Loser block is bounded by a fault which runs along the
NW shore of the Altausseer See. The Trisselwand is composed of Jurassic
limestone, younger than the Liassic marls, and is also massively bedded and
seems to contain at least some cave development.</p>
<p>Less obvious is the observation that in the Rettenbachtal to the west of
Loser, Jurassic rocks are again exposed, separated from the Dachsteinkalk
@@ -48,63 +47,60 @@ Gr&uuml;ne Bichl. This is apparently the trace of a second thrust plane,
(higher than the one shown on the map above) where the Dachsteinkalk has
effectively slid north lubricated by a layer of salt (which itself is most
obvious in the local Salzbergwerk - salt mines). This suggests that the
situation is rather more complex than the single thrust depicted above,
but, if true, at least eliminates the idea that the Loser plateau is a
nappe, with these lower beds inverted, and a shattered core at half the
depth of the Dachsteinkalk which would prevent exploration to great depth.
This is supported by direct exploration of the Stellerweg streamway, which
has reached roughly lake level, which is quite near the level of the main
thrust plane.
situation is rather more complex than the single thrust depicted above, but, if
true, at least eliminates the idea that the Loser plateau is a nappe, with
these lower beds inverted, and a shattered core at half the depth of the
Dachsteinkalk which would prevent exploration to great depth. This is
supported by direct exploration of the Stellerweg streamway, which has reached
roughly lake level, which is quite near the level of the main thrust plane.</p>
<p>The Dachsteinkalk all looks very similar, and much of the rock underground
is concealed by mud or breakdown, so it has proved very difficult to make any
meaningful observations. It has become clear, however, that all or most of
the vertical development in the caves is fault- or joint-guided, on two
roughly perpendicular sub-vertical sets of faults/joints. That some of these
are indeed faults is shown by clear offset of beds in a few places where
prominent shelly beds act as markers. Some faults are also apparent running
for significant distances on the surface, sub-parallel with the massive
fault bounding the Loser block to the SE.
meaningful observations. It has become clear, however, that all or most of the
vertical development in the caves is fault- or joint-guided, on two roughly
perpendicular sub-vertical sets of faults/joints. That some of these are indeed
faults is shown by clear offset of beds in a few places where prominent shelly
beds act as markers. Some faults are also apparent running for significant
distances on the surface, sub-parallel with the massive fault bounding the
Loser block to the SE.</p>
<p>The fossil phreatic passages seem to be much less dependent on joint
direction, and appear to follow certain beds of the Dachsteinkalk. The
clearest example is Yapate Inlet and Chicken Flied Nice, near Burble
crawl in <a href="smkridge/161/top.htm">Kaninchenh&ouml;hle</a>.
direction, and appear to follow certain beds of the Dachsteinkalk. The clearest
example is Yapate Inlet and Chicken Flied Nice, near Burble crawl in <a
href="smkridge/161/top.htm">Kaninchenh&ouml;hle</a>.</p>
<p><img src="smkridge/161/fullsize/cfngeo.png" width=600 height=530>
<div class="centre"><img src="smkridge/161/fullsize/cfngeo.png" width="600"
height="530" alt="Cross-section sketch of Yapate and Burble Crawl" /></div>
<p>Here, the small inlet tube of Burble Crawl, and the original
main trunk tube of CFN are both formed in a massive creamy white
bed of limestone just above a 0.8m thick zone of thinly bedded
limestone. At Staircase 36, the beds can be seen to be offset at
a fault running roughly at right angles to the main passage, and
Yapate Inlet, south of the fault, is formed in exactly the same
bed, but a few metres lower in altitude. The much later vadose
downcutting has revealed the lower beds including the two shelly
beds containing many fossil bivalves. These fossils stand out
particularly well on the wall of Staircase 36 itself, where they
provided much-needed holds for the climb.
<p>Here, the small inlet tube of Burble Crawl, and the original main trunk tube
of CFN are both formed in a massive creamy white bed of limestone just above a
0.8m thick zone of thinly bedded limestone. At Staircase 36, the beds can be
seen to be offset at a fault running roughly at right angles to the main
passage, and Yapate Inlet, south of the fault, is formed in exactly the same
bed, but a few metres lower in altitude. The much later vadose downcutting has
revealed the lower beds including the two shelly beds containing many fossil
bivalves. These fossils stand out particularly well on the wall of Staircase 36
itself, where they provided much-needed holds for the climb.</p>
<p><i>to be continued</i>
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../icons/lists/0.png">
Back to <a href="../index.htm">CUCC Home page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../icons/lists/0.png">
Back to <a href="index.htm">Expedition Intro page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../icons/lists/0.png">
<b>Main Indices:</b><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../icons/lists/1.png">
<a href="infodx.htm"><b>Index</b> to Expo</a> information pages<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../icons/lists/1.png">
<a href="areas.htm">Description of CUCC's area</a> and split to subareas<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../icons/lists/1.png">
Full <a href="indxal.htm">Index to cave descriptions</a> in area 1623<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../icons/lists/1.png">
List of (links to) <a href="pubs.htm">published reports and logbooks</a>
<p><i>to be continued...</i></p>
<hr />
<ul id="links">
<li>Back to <a href="../index.htm">CUCC Home page</a></li>
<li>Back to <a href="index.htm">Expedition Intro page</a></li>
<li><b>Main Indices:</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="infodx.htm"><b>Index</b> to Expo</a> information pages</li>
<li><a href="areas.htm">Description of CUCC's area</a> and split to subareas</li>
<li>Full <a href="indxal.htm">Index to cave descriptions</a> in area 1623</li>
<li>List of (links to) <a href="pubs.htm">published reports and logbooks</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><b>Pictures:</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="gall0.htm">Text only Index</a></li>
<li><a href="gallery/0.htm">Index pages (with thumbnails)</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Table of <a href="folk/index.htm"><b>members</b> of CUCC expeditions</a> 1976-present</li>
</ul>
</body>
</html>
html>