Shape and amount of the Quaternary uplift of the western Rhenish shield and the Ardennes (western Europe)

Abstract

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oA good evaluation of the Quaternary uplift of the Rhenish shield is a key element for the understanding of the Cenozoic geodynamics of the western European platform in front of the alpine arc. Previous maps of the massif uplift relied on fluvial incision data since the time of the rivers' Younger Main Terrace to infer a maximum post-0.73 Ma uplift of~290 m in the SE Eifel. Here, we propose a new interpretation of the incision data of the intra-massif streams, where anomalies in the terrace profiles would result from knickpoint retreat in the tributaries of the main rivers rather than from tectonic deformation. We also use additional geomorphological data referring to (1) deformed Tertiary planation surfaces, (2) the history of stream piracy that severely affected the Meuse basin in the last 1 Ma, and (3) incision data outside the Rhenish shield. A new map of the post-0.73 Ma uplift of the Rhenish shield is drawn on the basis of this enlarged dataset. It reduces the maximum amount of tectonic uplift in the SE Eifel to~140 m and modifies the general shape of the uplift, namely straightening its E-W profile. It is also suggested that an uplift wave migrated across the massif, starting from its southern margin in the early Pleistocene and currently showing the highest intensity of uplift in the northern Ardennes and Eifel. These features seem to favour an uplift mechanism chiefly related to lithospheric folding and minimize the impact on the topography of a more local Eifel plume.

Terrace styles and timing of terrace formation in the Weser and Leine valleys, northern Germany: Response of a fluvial system to climate change and glaciation

“…This stress field caused strong subsidence in the North-Sea basin and uplift of the Mesozoic and Palaeozoic bedrock south of the North German Lowlands (Cloetingh et al, 1990;Ziegler et al, 1995). Reconstructed uplift rates since the Middle Pleistocene for the Ardennes and Rhenish Massif range between 0.03 and 0.25 m/ka (e.g., Veldkamp and Van den Berg, 1993;Veldkamp and Van Dijke, 2000;Demoulin and Hallot, 2009) and 0.05e0.06 m/ka for northern France (Antoine et al, 2007). For the Aller valley, an eastern tributary of the River Weser, Veldkamp et al (2002) reconstructed uplift rates between 0.03 and 0.06 m/ka, but suggested that these values may be underestimated because the upper River Aller has been unable to compensate all crustal uplift.…”

Repeated absolute gravity measurements for monitoring slow intraplate vertical deformation in western Europe

“…During the Late Pleistocene, vertical slip rates within this range of values along the border faults of the Roer Valley Graben were shown by paleoseismic investigations on the Peelrand and the Feldbiss fault zones [Camelbeeck and Meghraoui, 1998;Vanneste et al, 1999;Vanneste and Verbeeck, 2001;van den Berg et al, 2002;Camelbeeck et al, 2007]. The pronounced river incision in the Rhenish shield and its present-day elevation also suggest a significant uplift during the Quaternary [Demoulin and Hallot, 2009]. Our question is whether it is possible to detect such an elevation of the Rhenish shield, possibly related to rift shoulder uplift in response to rifting in the Roer Graben System.…”

Exploration for deep geothermal reservoirs in Luxembourg and the surroundings - perspectives of geothermal energy use

“…On a larger scale, the RM and adjoining areas are deformed and uplifted due to the development and evolution of the ECRIS (represented by the Lower Rhine Graben (LRG) and the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) in Figure 1b) since the Eocene about 40 Ma ago (Bourgeois et al 2007;Demoulin and Hallot 2009;Fuchs et al 1983;Schmincke 2007;Dèzes et al 2004;Ziegler and Dèzes 2007;and references therein). Intensified tectonic activity in the last 700 ka is expressed by the accelerated uplift of the RM and young volcanism in the Eifel region (Demoulin and Hallot 2009;Fuchs et al 1983;Meyer and Stets 2002;Schmincke 2007). …”