Overdeepened glacial basins as archives for the Quaternary landscape evolution of the Alps

The Alps and the Alpine foreland have been shaped by repeated glaciations during Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles. Extent, timing and impact on landscape evolution of these glaciations are, however, poorly constrained due to the fragmentary character of terrestrial archives. In this context, the sedimentary infills of subglacially eroded, ‘overdeepened’, basins may serve as important archives to complement the Quaternary stratigraphy over several glacial-interglacial cycles. In this thesis, the infills of deep subglacial basins in the Lower Glatt valley (N Switzerland) are explored to better constrain the Middle- to Late Pleistocene environmental change. Five drill cores gave direct insight into to the up to ~200 m thick valley fill at the study site and allowed for detailed analysis of sedimentary facies, age and architecture of the basin fills. A first focus is set on the sedimentology of coarse-grained diamicts with sorted interbeds overlying bedrock in the trough center, which mark the onset of deposition in many glacial bedrock troughs. Evidence from macro- and microsedimentology suggests that these sediments are emplaced subglacially and reflect deposition, reworking and deformation in response to repeated coupling and decoupling of the ice-bed interface promoted by high basal water pressures. Overlying these subglacial sediments, large volumes of sandy glacio-deltaic, fine-grained glacio-lacustrine and lacustrine sediments document sedimentation during glacier retreat from the basins. On these thick valley fill sequences the applicability and reliability of luminescence dating is investigated in a second step on the basis of experiments with several different luminescence signals, protocols and experiments to assess the signal stability. The valley fill of the Lower Glatt valley is then grouped into nine depositional cycles (Formations A-I), which are related to the Birrfeld Glaciation (~MIS2), the Beringen Glaciation (~MIS6), and up to three earlier Middle Pleistocene glaciations, tentatively correlated to the Hagenholz, Habsburg, and Möhlin Glaciations, according to the regional glaciation history. The complex bedrock geometry and valley fill architecture are shown to be the result of multiple erosion and infilling cycles and reflect the interplay of subglacial erosion, glacial to lacustrine infilling of overdeepened basins, and fluvial down-cutting and aggradation in the non-overdeepened valley fill. Evidence suggests that in the study area deep bedrock incision, and/or partial re-excavation, occurred mainly during the Beringen and Hagenholz Glaciation, while older structures may have existed. Together with the observation of minor, ‘inlaid’ glacial basins, dynamic changes in the magnitude and focus of subglacial erosion over time are documented.

Louisiana coastal area freshwater diversion to Barataria and Breton Sound Basins : environmental impact statement.

Mode of access: Internet.

Mapping of the countries in Danubian and Adriatic Basins /

Project no. MO-011.

Unidirectional spectral wave generation and analysis in wave basins :

"September 1988."

Drainage basins of streams entering the Hudson River in Orange, Ulster, Dutchess and Putnam Counties, except Rondout Creek below Rondout Reservoir, Esopus Creek below Ashokan Reservoir, Wappinger Creek, and waters contained within boundaries of State-owned forest preserve lands; official classifications.

Cover title.

Laboratory tests on hydraulic models of roller gate stilling basins; final report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Preliminary results of hydrologic studies at two recharge basins on Long Island, New York.

Prepared in cooperation with the New York State, Division of Water Resources, and others.

Inventory of maps in the Arkansas-White-Red River basins.

"Published as the third item of the functions assigned to the Mapping Subcommittee by the Arkansas White Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee"--p. [2] of cover.

Hydrologic data on the Catawba and Broad River Basins, 1872-1945.

"The fourth of a series of publications giving hydrologic data in the State of North Carolina."

Economic base study: Chesapeake Bay drainage basins; summary.

Mode of access: Internet.

Intrusion of salt water into ground water basins of southern Alameda County.

Mode of access: Internet.

Hydrologic data on the Roanoke and Tar River basins, 1871-1945.

Mode of access: Internet.

Chemical qualities of surface waters in the Allegheny, Genesee, and Susquehanna River Basins, New York, 1953-1956.

Mode of access: Internet.

Progress report VI, research study on stilling basins, energy dissipators, and associated appurtenances : section 12, stilling basin chute block pressures (basin II) /

Mode of access: Internet.

Radioactive waste-disposal potentials in selected geologic basins : a reconnaissance study /

"Prepared under Contract AT(04-3)-413 for the San Francisco Operations Office, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission."