Die interne Struktur von Evaporiten: eine Fallstudie des Zechstein Salzes mit Hilfe von 3D-seismischen Daten, Geländebeobachtungen und numerischen Modellen.

• Antragsteller: Privatdozent Dr. Frank Strozyk
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Paläontologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2012 bis 2020
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 228476119

The 3D internal geometry of salt comprising folds and boudins of embedded, competent evaporite layers is mostly known from observations in salt mine galleries and outcropping salt diapirs. Until recently most seismic-based studies show salt sections were interpreted as rather structureless and homogeneous. This project proposes to study the internal geometry of Zechstein salt structures across a very large area located on- and offshore the northern Netherlands using high resolution 3D seismic data. A pilot study showed that the Zechstein 3 anhydrite and dolomite layers (Hauptanhydrit/ Plattendolomit) can be mapped on 3D seismic data with high resolution. This will provide a step change of our understanding of the structures inside salt bodies. These results will be used for kinematic reconstruction and as a starting point for dynamic models of halokinesis. The proposed study will also target the analysis of the rheology and mechanics of the evaporites from underground exposures and salt diapir outcrops. The results of the dynamic, geomechanical models will be integrated with structural observations derived from the 3D seismic data aiming on understanding key processes such as (i) the initiation of halokinesis, (ii) the rheology and mechanics of deforming and resting evaporites, (iii) the coupling of evaporite deformation with processes in the under- and overburden, and (iv) the influence of the varying, layered evaporite rheology on the deformation. The results of this study will also contribute to the development of non-destructive methods to predict intra-salt structures before drilling and the long-term evolution of underground cavern in salt.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen